Greetings
שלום (Shalom)
sha-LOM
Hello / goodbye / peace — the all-purpose greeting. English is very widely spoken in Tel Aviv, but a little Hebrew is appreciated.
תודה (Toda)
to-DA
Thank you. 'Toda raba' (to-DA ra-BA) is 'thanks a lot'. 'Bevakasha' means both 'please' and 'you're welcome'.
בוקר טוב (Boker tov)
BO-ker tov
Good morning. The reply is often 'boker or' (morning light). 'Erev tov' is good evening; 'layla tov' good night.
Daily life
כמה זה עולה? (Kama ze ole?)
KA-ma ze o-LE
How much does it cost? Essential at the shuk (market), where prices are negotiable late in the day; most shops are fixed-price.
אני לא מדבר עברית (Ani lo medaber ivrit)
a-NI lo me-da-BER iv-RIT
I don't speak Hebrew (m.; 'medaberet' for f.). Rarely needed — most Tel Avivians switch to fluent English instantly.
Social
סבבה (Sababa)
sa-BA-ba
Cool / great / all good — the ubiquitous Israeli 'okay'. You'll hear and use it constantly; it signals everything's fine.
יאללה (Yalla)
YA-lla
Come on / let's go / hurry up — an Arabic loanword woven into everyday Hebrew. 'Yalla bye' is the classic way to end a call.
וואלה (Walla)
WA-lla
Really? / wow / no way — an all-purpose expression of surprise or agreement. Another Arabic borrowing at the heart of Tel Aviv slang.
תכל'ס (Tachles)
TACH-les
Bottom line / let's get real / practically speaking. Israelis are famously direct, and 'tachles' is the word that cuts to the point.
Food
קפה הפוך (Café hafuch)
ka-FE ha-FUCH
Literally 'upside-down coffee' — the Israeli cappuccino and the default order in Tel Aviv's serious café culture. Sit, sip, stay for hours.
חומוס (Chumus)
CHU-mus
Hummus — a religion here, not a side dish. A 'hummusiya' serves it warm with pita, ful and a hard-boiled egg; everyone has a favourite.
Emergency
הצילו! (Hatzilu!)
ha-TZI-lu
Help! For emergencies: 101 for a Magen David Adom ambulance, 100 police, 102 fire, 104 Home Front Command.
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.