Languages of Israel

See how Israel’s lingua francas and official languages have shifted and varied over the millennia:

timeline of Israel's Languages

Words Borrowed from Canaanite into Hebrew

Originally:

A.nat ענת

A common Hebrew first name

Linked to fertility and hunting, Anat is the goddess of love and war in Canaanite religion.

Ba.al בעל

Master, lord, owner, husband

Baal, the top Canaanite god, is the god of storms, symbolizing strength, power, and virility.

Ba.a.lat בעלת

Owner of, mistress of

Baalat, a fertility goddess, is the female counterpart to Baal in Canaanite religion.

Da.gan דגן

Grain, crop

Dagan is a Canaanite and Mesopotamian god of agriculture and grain.

El אל

God

Chief god of the Canaanite pantheon, El is the creator, benevolent father, and god of the sky.

Ko.hen כהן

Priest, a common Jewish family name

Kohen in Canaanite means priest or a religious official.

Mot מות

Death of, death

Mot, ruler of the underworld in Canaanite religion, is the personification of death.

Sha.khar שחר

Dawn

Shakhar, the Canaanite god of the dawn, is linked to the morning star and the cycle of day and night.

She.mesh שמש

Sun

The word is derived from Sha.mash, the sun god in Canaanite and Ugaritic mythology.

Ya.re.akh ירח

Moon

The word is derived from Ya.rikh, the Canaanite moon god who protects travelers and is associated with cycles of time.

Words Borrowed from Hebrew into Other Languages

Originally:

Be.he.ma בהמה

Beast

In the Torah, behemoth—plural of בהמה (shown at left)—refers to powerful creatures and has come to represent strength and untamed nature in English and Latin.

Ha.le.lu.ya הללויה

Praise the lord

Praise the lord.

Liv.ya.tan לוויתן

Whale

In the Torah, leviathan is a powerful sea creature. In English and Greek, leviathan symbolizes chaos and the untamed forces of nature.

Ra.bi רבי

My teacher

This term became a common title for teachers during the Second Temple period. In English, we use it to refer to a Jewish clergyperson.

Sha.bat שבת

Sabbath

In the Torah’s creation story, God rested on the seventh day, calling it Shabbat. In English and French, the Sabbath is a weekly day of rest.

Yo.vel יובל

50th anniversary

Per ancient Jewish law, every 50th year—the jubilee—land is returned to original owners and debts are forgiven. In English and Spanish, jubilee marks a 50th anniversary celebration.

Words Borrowed from Aramaic into Hebrew

Originally:

Ash.ka.ra אשכרה

Really, truly

Really, truly

Il.ma.le אלמלא

Were it not for

Were it not for

Kos כוס

Cup

Drinking vessel

Par.na.sa פרנסה

Livelihood, income

To provide, sustenance

Ra.vak רווק

Bachelor

Bachelor, single man

Sa.bal סבל

Mover, porter

One who carries or bears burdens

Words Borrowed from Persian into Hebrew

Originally:

Ar.gaz ארגז

Crate, box, case

Crate, box, case

Fis.tuk פיסטוק

Pistachio

Pistachio

Khar.dal חרדל

Mustard

Mustard

Sar.bal סרבל

Overalls

Dress, garment

Words Borrowed from Greek into Hebrew

Originally:

A.si.mon אסימון

Metal token

A silver coin, particularly one that is unmarked or has no specific value stamped on it

Car.tis כרטיס

Card, ticket

Card, tablet

Ret.su.a רצועה

Strap, strip

The word is derived from the Greek word ῥητίνης (rhētínēs) or its related forms.

Ya.kin.ton יקינטון

Hyacinth

Hyacinth

Words Borrowed from Latin into Hebrew

Originally:

Kei.sar קיסר

Caesar, kaiser, emperor; a cantillation symbol

Caesar, emperor

Lig.yon ליגיון

Legion

Derived from the Latin “legio” (meaning military unit), the term refers specifically to a Roman legion.

Si.man סימן

Sign, signal, mark

It’s not certain whether this word comes from “likely has a Greek origin “sema” (sign, mark) or “mark”), or Latin “signum” (sign).

Words Borrowed from Arabic into Hebrew

Originally:

Kha.life ח’ליף

Caliph

In Arabic, a caliph or “khalifah” means successor to an Islamic leader.

Mat.am מטעם

Delicious food

The word is derived from Arabic “maṭ‘am,” which can mean a place for eating but is often associated with food itself in modern Hebrew.

Mis.a.da מסעדה

Restaurant

Restaurant, place of support (relating to hospitality)

Ta.a.rikh תאריך

Date

Date, chronology

Words Borrowed from French into Hebrew

Originally:

Ba.ron ברון

Baron, nobleman

Baron, nobleman

Kaplan קפלן

A common Jewish family name, chaplain

Derived from the French word “chapelain” (chaplain), this name suggests a family heritage linked to rabbinical or scholarly traditions.

Words Borrowed from Turkish into Hebrew

Originally:

Kur.sa כורסה

Armchair, easy chair

Derived from “korsh” (chair)

Man.gal מנגל

Grill, barbecue

Grill, barbecue

Ptil פטיל

Wick

Wick

Sa.pa ספה

Sofa, couch

Sofa, couch

Words Borrowed from English into Hebrew

Originally:

Bee.per ביפר

Beeper

Used in the context of an electronic device used to alert.

Boos.ter בוסטר

Booster

Used in both the contexts of booster seat and booster shot.

Bow.ling באולינג

Bowling

Bowling

Jins ג’ינס

Jeans

Jeans

Kem.ping קמפינג

Camping

Camping