If you’ve found your way to this post, chances are you recognize the power of using hands-on language learning techniques and are ready to take the challenge of cooking and using recipe vocabulary in Hebrew.
By engaging with a foreign language in real-life contexts, such as you are by learning recipe vocabulary, for example—you’re not just studying; you’re experiencing the language.
This approach, known as active learning, not only helps your brain grasp and retain new vocabulary more effectively but also adds a delightful dash of authenticity to your language journey.
So hats off to you for embracing this rewarding approach!
With consistent practice and a pinch of patience, you’ll soon break down language barriers, unveiling a whole new world of culinary treats waiting to be explored and savored right from your kitchen.
So, let’s take a look at some of the common foods in Hebrew and master some essential recipe vocabulary together!
Your Journey to Mastering Hebrew Cooking Vocabulary:
Follow these simple steps to make the most out of your foods in Hebrew adventure:
Step 1: Choose an enticing Hebrew recipe to try
There are many to be found on the internet by professional chefs and food bloggers.
Keep in mind that food blogs tend to adopt an informal, conversational tone. And while this could be great to learn the local lingo, occasionally bloggers lean towards trendy terms, local humor, and cultural references. This might be a little hard to understand at first, but don’t be disheartened! My tip? Focus on the recipe itself, where the language is usually more straightforward.
I’ve included several simple recipes below, complete with translations and transliteration for your convenience.
Step 2: Compare and contrast with the vocabulary in this article
Once you have your recipe, review it first, and search for definitions of the words you don’t know. Try to match the vocabulary with the words found in this article. If you notice any essential words that are missing from my list? Let me know!
And while you do that read the text out loud. Doing so will improve your pronunciation, fluency, and confidence in speaking Hebrew. Remember – we learn to speak with our lips, not with our eyes.
Step 3: Reinforce your learning with WordTap games
In order to cement these new words in your memory, I’ve included a WordTap game in each section. These games offer a fun, interactive way to practice the vocabulary in your downtime, ensuring you’re ready for your next cooking adventure in Hebrew. (Watch the video below to see how to play.)
Measurement Vocabulary
Mastering a recipe begins with understanding measurements. Therefore we’ll start with them. Here’s the key vocabulary you’ll need:Step 3: Reinforce your learning with WordTap games
| Hebrew | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| כוס | cup | kos |
| כף | tablespoon | kaf |
| כפות | tablespoons | kapot |
| כפית | teaspoon | kapeet |
| כפיות | teaspoons | kapiyot |
| חצי | half | chetzi |
| רבע | quarter | reva |
| קומץ | pinch | kometz |
| לפי הטעם | to taste | lefi ha-ta'am |
| גרם | gram | gram |
| ליטר | liter | liter |
| צרור | bunch | tsror |
Wordtap game with measurement vocabulary
Instruction Vocabulary
Cooking is an art, but it’s also a process. These words will help you navigate the recipe’s instructions:
| Hebrew | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| להוסיף | add | lehoseef |
| לערבב | mix | l'arvev |
| לבשל | cook | levashel |
| לטגן | fry | letagen |
| לקלות | roast | liklot |
| לשים בתנור | put in the oven | laseem betanoor |
| לכסות | cover | lechasot |
| להסיר מהאש | remove from the heat | lehaseer meh ha'esh |
| להקפיא | freeze | lehakpy |
| לחתוך | cut | lachtoch |
| לקלף | peel | lekalef |
| לגרוס | grate | ligross |
| למרוח | spread | limro-ach |
| להכין | prepare | lehacheen |
| להגיש | serve | lehageesh |
| לקשט | garnish | lekashet |
Wordtap game with instruction vocabulary
Spices Vocabulary
Spices, which undeniably add flavor and character to any dish, are a vital part of cooking. Therefore, it’s beneficial to familiarize yourself with these essential Hebrew terms:
| Hebrew | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| פלפל | pepper | pilpel |
| מלח | salt | melach |
| כמון | cumin | kamun |
| כורכום | turmeric | kurkum |
| זעתר | za'atar | za'atar |
| פפריקה | paprika | paprika |
| כוסברה | coriander | cusbara |
| שום | garlic | shum |
| בצל | onion | batzal |
| תימין | thyme | timin |
| קינמון | cinnamon | kinomen |
| ציפורן | cloves | tziporen |
| זנגביל | ginger | zangavil |
| צ'ילי | chili pepper | chili |
Wordtap game with spices vocabulary
Breakfast Foods in Hebrew
Firstly, let’s start by familiarizing ourselves with these breakfast-related words and a simple yet delicious recipe.
| Hebrew | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| ביצים | Eggs | beitzim |
| לחם | Bread | lechem |
| גבינה | cheese | gevina |
| יוגורט | yogurt | yogurt |
| קפה | coffee | kafe |
| תה | tea | teh |
| חלב | milk | chalav |
| דבש | honey | dvash |
| פרי | fruit | pri |
| שמן | oil | shemen |
| דגני בוקר | cereal | deganey boker |
| שיבולת שועל | oatmeal | shibolet shual |
Wordtap game with breakfast vocabulary
Sample Breakfast Recipe: Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a popular breakfast dish in Israel, and it’s as fun to say as it is to eat. It’s a simple dish with eggs, tomatoes, and spices. Not surprisingly, the name Shakshuka is Hebrew for “mixture”, which is exactly what this dish is.
Ingredients:
| Hebrew | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 2 חצילים | 2 eggplants | chatzilim |
| 4 ביצים | 4 eggs | beitzim |
| שמן צמחי | vegetable oil | shemen tzimchi |
| 1 בצל גדול | 1 large onion | batzal gadol |
| 2 גמבה | 2 bell peppers | gamba |
| 3 שיני שום | 3 garlic cloves | shinei shoom |
| מלח ופלפל שחור | salt and black pepper | melach vepilpel shachor |
| 2 כפות פפריקה | 2 tablespoons paprika | kafot paprika |
| 1 כפית כמון | 1 teaspoon cumin | kapit kamoon |
| 4 עגבניות | 4 tomatoes | agvaneeyot |
| כוסברה | cilantro | kusbara |
Preparation instructions:
| step | Hebrew | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | לחמם את השמן | Heat the oil | lechamem et ha-shemen |
| 2 | לטגן את הבצל והגמבה | Sauté the onion and bell pepper | letagen et ha-batzal ve-ha-gamba |
| 3 | להוסיף את השום והתבלינים | Add the garlic and spices | lehoseef et hashoom vehatavlineem |
| 4 | לטגן את העגבניות | Sauté the tomatoes | letagen et ha-agvaniyot |
| 5 | לעשות בורות לביצים | Make wells for the eggs | la'asot borot lebeitzim |
| 6 | לשבור את הביצים | Crack the eggs | lishbor et ha-beitzim |
| 7 | להוסיף מלח ופלפל | Season with salt and black pepper | lehoseef melach oo-pilpel shachor |
| 8 | לבשל עם מכסה עד השגת מידת בישול מבוקשת | Cook covered until desired doneness is reached | levashel eem mich-seh ad hashagat meedaht bishool mevukesheh |
| 9 | לקשט עם כוסברה | Garnish with cilantro | lekashet eem kusbara |
Lunch Foods in Hebrew
Ready for a midday meal? Here’s your guide to lunch vocabulary and a satisfying recipe to try:
| Hebrew | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| עגבניה | tomato | agvania |
| מלפפון | cucumber | melafefon |
| תפוח אדמה | potato | tapuach adama |
| סלט | salad | salat |
| טונה | tuna | tuna |
| סנדוויץ | sandwich | sanvich |
| פסטה | pasta | pasta |
| עוף | chicken | oaf |
| דג | fish | dag |
| חצילים | eggplant | chatzileem |
| פיתה | pita | pita |
| תחינה | tehini | tchina |
| חומוס | hummus | choomoos |
| ירקות | vegetables | yerakot |
Wordtap game with lunch vocabulary
Sample Lunch Recipe: Sabich
Sabich is a traditional Israeli sandwich. The name might be a bit tricky to pronounce at first, but trust me, it’s worth learning for this delicious combination of eggplant, eggs, salad, and tahini sauce, all stuffed into a pita bread.
Ingredients:
| Hebrew | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| חצילים | eggplant | chatzilim |
| ביצים | eggs | beitzim |
| פיתות | pita pockets | pitot |
| חומוס | hummus | chumus |
| טחינה | tahini | techina |
| כוסברה | cilantro | kusbara |
| פטרוזיליה | parsley | petrozilia |
| עגבניות | tomatoes | agvaneeyot |
| מלפפון | cucumbers | melafefone |
| מלח ופלפל שחור | salt and pepper | melach vepilpel |
| שמן | oil | shemen |
Preparation instructions:
| step | Hebrew | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | לטגן פרוסות של חצילים | fry slices of eggplant | letagen prussot chatzilim |
| 2 | להכין ביצים קשות | hard boil the eggs | lehacheen beitzim kah-shot |
| 3 | לחתוך את הירקות | chop the vegetables | lachtoch et ha-yerakot |
| 4 | לפתוח את הפיתות | cut open the pita pockets | lifto-ach et ha-pitot |
| 5 | למרוח חומוס בפיתה | spread the hummus in the pita | limroach chumus ba-pita |
| 6 | לשים את החצילים בפיתה | put the eggplant into the pita | laseem et ha-chazeeleem ba-pita |
| 7 | להוסיף סלט לפיתה | add the salad into the pita | lehoseef salat lepita |
| 8 | להוסיף פרוסות ביצים לפיתה | add slices of egg into the pita | lehoseef prussot beitzim la-pita |
| 9 | להוסיף טחינה | add tahini | lehoseef tehina |
| 10 | לקשט עם כוסברה ופטרוזיליה | garnish with cilantro and parsley | lekashet eem kusbara vepetrozilia |
Dinner Foods in Hebrew
Wind down your day with this essential dinner vocabulary and a comforting recipe to enjoy:
| Hebrew | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| בשר | meat | basar |
| קציצות | patties | ktzitzot |
| קישואים | zucchini | kishuim |
| סטייק | steak | steak |
| עוף | chicken | oaf |
| שעועית | beans | sha'uait |
| אורז | rice | orez |
| רוטב | sauce | rotev |
| פיטריות | mushrooms | pitriot |
| קינואה | quinoa | kinoa |
| בטטה | sweet potato | betata |
| פול | fava Beans | fool |
Wordtap game with dinner vocabulary
Sample Dinner Recipe: Cholent
Cholent is a traditional Jewish stew that’s often eaten on the Sabbath. It’s slow-cooked overnight, so you wake up to a ready meal. The name itself, Cholent, is an interesting word to learn, with roots in Old French and Yiddish.
Ingredients:
| Hebrew | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 קילו בשר כתף | 1 kg beef chuck | kilo basar katef |
| 4 תפו"א | 4 potatoes | tapuach adama |
| 2 בטטות | 2 sweet potatoes | batatot |
| 3 גזר | 3 carrots | gezer |
| 1 בצל גדול | 1 large onion | batzal gadol |
| 1 כוס שעועית לבנה | 1 cup white beans | sha'uait levana |
| 1 כוס שעועית אדומה | 1 cup red kidney beans | sha'uait aduma |
| 1/2 כוס גריסים | 1/2 cup barley | greeseem |
| כוסברה | Cilantro | kusbara |
| מלח ופלפל שחור | Salt and black pepper | melach vepilpel shachor |
| 1 כפית כמון | 1 teaspoon cumin | kapeet kamoon |
| 1 כפית פפריקה | 1 teaspoon paprika | kapeet paprika |
| 2 כפות שמן זית | 2 tablespoons olive oil | kapot shemen zayit |
Preparation instructions:
| step | Hebrew | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | לטגן את הבצל | Sauté the onion | letagen et ha-batzal |
| 2 | להשחים את הבשר | Brown the meat | le-hash-cheem et ha-basar |
| 3 | להוסיף את השעועית והגריסים | Add the beans and barley | lehoseef et hasha'uait vehagreeseem |
| 4 | להוסיף את הירקות | Add the vegetables | lehoseef et hayerakot |
| 5 | למלא את הסיר במים | Fill the pot with water | lemalay et haseer bemayim |
| 6 | להוסיף את התיבול | add the spices | lehoseef et hatibool |
| 7 | להביא לרתיחה | bring to a boil | lehavee le-re-tichah |
| 8 | להוריד את החום ולהמשיך לבשל לילה שלם | Lower the heat and continue cooking overnight | lehoreed et hachom ve-le-hamsheech levashel laila shallem |
Dessert Foods in Hebrew
Sweeten your language learning journey with these dessert-related words and a tempting recipe:
| Hebrew | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| עוגה | cake | uga |
| בראוניז | brownies | brownies |
| שוקולד | chocolate | shokolad |
| וניל | vanilla | vanil |
| גלידה | ice cream | gleeda |
| קרמל | caramel | karamel |
| עוגיות | cookies | ugiyot |
| מי ורדים | rose water | mei vradeem |
| קינמון | cinnamon | kinamon |
| קצפת | whipped cream | katsefat |
| פירות יער | berries | peirot ya'ar |
| ריבה | jam | riba |
| סוכר | sugar | sukar |
| טרט | tart | tart |
| קוקוס | coconut | kokoos |
| תמרים | dates | tmareem |
| אגוזים | nuts | egozeem |
| תרכיז | syrup | tarkeez |
Wordtap game with desert vocabulary
Sample Desert Recipe: Malabi
Finally, we have Malabi. This is a sweet dessert made from milk and rose water, often topped with syrup and nuts. The word Malabi is fun to say and is a great addition to your Hebrew vocabulary, especially if you have a sweet tooth!
Ingredients:
| Hebrew | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 4 כוסות חלב | 4 cups milk | chalav |
| 1/2 כוס סוכר | 1/2 cup sugar | sukhar |
| 1/2 כוס קורנפלור | 1/2 cup cornstarch | cornflour |
| 1 כפית תמצית ורדים | 1 teaspoon rosewater | mei veradim |
| פתיתי קוקוס לקישוט | coconut flakes for garnish | petitay kokoos lekishoot |
| אגוזים קצוצים לקישוט | crushed nuts for garnish | egozim ketzutzim lekishoot |
| סירופ רימון לקישוט | pomegranate syrup for garnish | sirop rimon lekishoot |
Preparation instructions:
| step | Hebrew | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | לערבב את החלב והסוכר | Mix the milk and sugar | me'arvim et ha chalav vehasukhar |
| 2 | לערבב את הקורנפלור בקצת חלב קר | Mix the cornstarch with a little cold milk | me'arvim et ha cornflour be ktsat chalav kar |
| 3 | לבשל את התערובת עד רתיחה | Cook the mixture until boiling | mevashlim et ha taaruvet ad reticha |
| 4 | להוריד מהאש ולהוסיף את תמצית הוורדים | Remove from heat and add the rosewater | moridim mehaesh ulehoseef et tamtzit havradim |
| 5 | למזוג לכוסות | pour into cups | limzog lekossot |
| 6 | לכסות בניילון ולקרר | Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate | lechasot benylon ulekarrer |
| 7 | להגיש עם הקישוטים | Serve with garnishes | lehageesh eem hakeeshooteem |
Nutrition Info Vocabulary
Health-conscious or simply curious? Here’s the vocabulary you need to understand the nutrition info of your meals:
| Hebrew | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| מנה | serving | mana |
| קלוריות | calories | caloriyot |
| פחמימות | carbohydrates | pach-may-mot |
| שומן | fat | shoomahn |
| חלבון | protein | chelbone |
| סיבים | fiber | siveem |
| סוכר | sugar | sookar |
| נתרן | sodium | natran |
| ויטמין | vitamin | veetamin |
| מינרל | mineral | minerahl |
Wordtap game with nutritional info vocabulary
The Last Bite: Continuing Your Hebrew Language Journey
This should be enough to get you started on your foods in Hebrew cooking adventure. I suggest keeping a list handy that you can add to for all the new words you come across. You can use WordTap for free to make your own games with your own lists of words.
I hope this blog post has given you the tools and inspiration to dive into the world of Hebrew cuisine while learning the language. Remember, the more you use your Hebrew skills in real-life situations, the better you’ll become at the language. So, roll up your sleeves, gather your ingredients, and get cooking!
Beteyavon (בתיאבון) – Enjoy your meal!
Additional Resources
If you want to customize your own WordTap games (it’s free!), press here
- Links to WordTap games with recipe vocabulary:
