Order anything by pointing in Hebrew
I would like, this one, how much, the bill: survive any counter or menu. Play the ten Hebrew words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 11 Hebrew phrases in this lesson
- ืื ื ืจืืฆื...a-NEE ro-TSE
- I would like...
- ืืช ืืืet ha-ZEH
- This one
- ืืื ืื ืขืืื?ka-MA zeh o-LE?
- How much is it?
- ืืืฉืืื, ืืืงืฉืha-khesh-BON, beh-va-ka-SHA
- The bill, please
- ืืืจืืืกbe-khar-TIS
- By card
- ืืืืืืbe-me-zu-MAN
- In cash
- ืืืma-YIM
- Water
- ืงืคืka-FE
- Coffee
- ืชืteh
- Tea
- ืืืจืBEE-ra
- Beer
- ืืื...blee
- Without...
Literally "I want", and perfectly polite in Israel. A woman says ืจืืฆื too, pronounced ro-TSA.
Point and say it. At bakery counters this plus a finger on the glass completes the transaction. Gender agreement expected but forgivable.
Literally "how much is it worth". Most Israeli prices are visible or listed, but this phrase gets you the answer at markets and older shops.
In casual cafes you often pay at the counter when ordering. In restaurants catch an eye and say this, or just wave your hand slightly for the check.
Israel is heavily cashless. Card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay cover everything from hummus stands to taxis. Most places prefer card payment.
Increasingly rare, though shekel coins and notes exist. If you arrive with cash you may struggle to spend it; everyone asks "khartiis?" (card?) first.
Israeli tap water is excellent. Bottled water is available everywhere; sparkling is mayim gazuzim, still is mayim samukim.
"Kafe hafukh" (ka-FE ha-FUKH), "upside-down coffee", is the Israeli latte.
"Bli sukar" (blee su-KAR), without sugar.