Hebrew Vocabulary for a Global Pandemic

If we would have told you a year ago that today, the entire world would be in quarantine due to a global epidemic that’s affecting everyone, you would have laughed. No one ever thought that we were going to spend so much time inside our houses, without being able to leave our front door to just see the sunlight and hug our loved ones.

But today we are not here to criticize the pandemic or the measurements taken by worldwide governments. We would like to take this opportunity to utilize the global situation to give you new words, tools, and vocabulary to use, if you ever need to talk about the Coronavirus in Israel.

In this short article, we are going to give you some very useful Hebrew vocabulary, related to coronavirus. We all know we have to use gloves, masks, disinfectants, and other items to take care of ourselves and our families. But, do you really know how to ask for these things in Hebrew? Don’t you worry! In just a few paragraphs, you’ll be all set to face a pandemic in Hebrew.

We hope you don’t have to do so, and instead, we wish you a calm vacation surfing in Israel, or having an extraordinary time in Haifa discovering a bit more about the Bahai faith, but what we know for sure is that you need to be ready if another pandemic hits the world.

Are you ready to add even more Hebrew words to your vocabulary? Here we go!

Hebrew Vocabulary to Face the Coronavirus

Gloves: Gloves in Hebrew is כפפות (pronounced: kfah-fot). If you want to buy a fashionable pair of these for the winter, the word is exactly the same. The one thing that varies, is the place in which you can get them. If you’d like to buy a pair of latex or silicon gloves to protect yourself from getting the virus when you are outside, just add that word after the word כפפות. Yes, it is that easy! Don’t forget to throw them away as soon as you get home… or even better, if you can recycle them, that’s the way to go!

Masks: Sadly, in Israel masks have been used several times in the past, in times of war. Although at this point we are talking about a different kind of mask, all Israelis know this word by heart. Mask in Hebrew is מסכה and it is pronounced mah-seh-chah. If you are outside in times of a global (or local) pandemic… Wear it! Especially in closed places like supermarkets or pharmacies.

Disinfectant: It is super important to apply this product to both your hands, the products you bring home from the מכולת, and even your shoes. Disinfectant is חומר חיטוי, it is pronounced cho-mer chee-too-e, and you can find a number of different types of it. Be aware of which kind you are getting, and if it is recommended to use it on the surfaces you want. Your health comes first, therefore, you should always double-check how you are using these chemical products. Don’t you think?

Alcohol-gel: Here’s an easy one! The super famous alcohol-gel, that everybody is using in these terrifying times, is pronounced the exact same way in Hebrew. See? Just like you say it in English, you can say it in Hebrew. You’ll be surprised by the many shapes, colors, and even smells in which this product is available in Israel.

Doctor: We hope you don’t have to visit any doctor, especially not during a global pandemic, but it is our responsibility to let you know how to say doctor in Hebrew. Doctor in Hebrew is רופא (pronounced roh-pheh), and if you have an emergency you should call the emergency number 101 to get an ambulance as soon as possible. Don’t waste your time and take care of yourself as fast as you can.

Hebrew is just around the corner!

It is time to learn some Hebrew! Several great things could happen after learning the language of our ancestors. First of all, you can be ready to spend the next global pandemic in the Land of Milk and Honey, on the other hand, you can create amazing business opportunities and even make it to NASDAQ one day soon.

What you need to know is something pretty easy to comprehend: The time is now! Hebrew is just around the corner and in one of the Rosen School’s online, live Hebrew courses you’ll be surprised with how fast you become a fluent Hebrew speaker.

Are you ready to begin? Very good! Behatzlacha!