Welcome to the pride! Animals in Hebrew

Who doesn’t love animals? We all have our favorite animals, and it is just awesome to see them both in documentaries, pictures, and even on Safaris (like the one they have in the lovely city of Ramat Gan). But, do you know how to say your favorite animal in Hebrew? How are you going to ask your Israeli nephews to do a certain animal’s noise if you don’t know how to say that animal in Hebrew? Well, we are here to help!

In this short article, we are going to extend your Hebrew vocabulary. We are going to give you the Hebrew names of the top 10 favorite animals (according to the rankings). If there is any animal you love that is not mentioned in this article, we encourage you to either write it in the comments below, or to enroll in one of Rosen School of Hebrew’s online courses to learn way more than you expected.

So, are you ready to walk around the jungle for a little bit? Let’s start our virtual safari and learn some new Hebrew words from the animal kingdom.

What’s your favorite animal? Do you know it in Hebrew?

It is time to learn. Grab a piece of paper and a pen, and let’s start practicing the names of the animals in Hebrew. Maybe after reading this article, you will roar even louder! Are you ready? Here we go…

Dog: Man’s best friend. Dog in Hebrew is כלב (pronounced keh-lev), and you can find them in almost every house in Israel. A high percentage of Israelis have dogs, and many offices in Israel allow employees to bring their loyal companions to work. Do you have a dog? Let us know what’s your dog’s name in the comments of this article!

Lion: The king of the jungle! Lion in Hebrew is אריה (pronounced ariyeh). The lion is a very important symbol in Judaism, and you can find many lion-shaped figures in Jerusalem’s old city. Also, it is a beautiful Hebrew name to give to your children, in case you were looking for one. Do you remember Arik Einstein? Well, he has the same name as this beautiful animal.

Cat: Another one of the world’s favorite animals. Cat in Hebrew is חתול (pronounced cha-tool), and all over Israel, you can find thousands of them. Do you know why there are so many cats in Israel? Well, the story goes that in the 1930s there was a plague of rats in the Holy Land. The authorities back then decided to bring hundreds of cats from Europe and Egypt to take care of the rat plague… and the rest is history.

Elephant: My personal favorite! Elephant in Hebrew is a funny word. Actually, it is way too short to refer to an animal that huge. Elephant in Hebrew is פיל (pronounced pil). Although there aren’t many elephants in Israel’s natural landscapes, it is a gorgeous animal that is sacred to many cultures and religions around the world. If you are in Israel and you’d like to see a real elephant, you’ll have to go to Ramat Gan’s Safari. Even if they don’t have the amount of space we’d like them to have there… You can see them live and interacting with each other.

Giraffe: No matter where you see this animal, you’ll always have to look up! Giraffe in Hebrew is ג’ירפה and it is pronounced gee-ra-pha, similar to English. Just like with elephants, it is almost impossible to find them in Israel, but they would be a great help for kibbutz workers picking up dates from palm trees. Can you imagine?

Cow: Talking about kibbutz life… Cow in Hebrew is פרה (pronounced par-ah). In Israel, there are millions of cows, many of them used in the dairy industry, and others live in kibbutzim all over the country. Just like with elephants, cows are too sacred for some cultures and religions around the globe. Did you know that?

Hippopotamus: We wanted to give you this animal’s Hebrew name just because there is a very cool and friendly Israeli song you can share with your kids about this amazing animal. Hippopotamus in Hebrew is היפופוטם, it is pronounced heap-pop-pot-am. Are you ready for the song? Show us your best moves and start dancing in 3… 2…

Horse: What a spiritual, amazing, beautiful animal! Horse in Hebrew is סוס, it is pronounced “soos”, and there are a lot of them in the Land of Milk and Honey. Did you know that horses are used for therapeutic purposes? There are a number of centers in Israel helping autistic kids, for example, through horse-therapy. Also, in the fields up north and also down south, you can find many horses riding free around the land of Israel.

Bird: If there’s one great thing about waking up in Israel it is that no matter in which city you are waking up, you will most likely hear the sound of birds chirping. But, how do you say bird in Hebrew? Well, bird in Hebrew is ציפור (pronounced tzee-por). If you want to know how to say each kind of bird in Hebrew, you’ll have to wait until another vocabulary article, so stay tuned!

Monkey: Our closest family member in the jungle! Monkey in Hebrew is קוף, and it is pronounced cough… don’t get confused with your cold symptoms, there is another Hebrew word for that. Actually, a few years ago there were tons of monkeys in Israel, and there is even an area of Ramat Gan named after a site in which they used to play… גן הקופים (monkeys’ park).

Learn Hebrew today!

You can start learning Hebrew today. We all love animals, and one of the things we do know for a fact, is that you can learn a different language while they cannot. Learning Hebrew in one of the Rosen School’s online live Hebrew courses is not only easy, but also fun and engaging. Take a few minutes to do your research, because speaking Hebrew fluently is just around the corner.