Streetwise Hebrew

You’ll hear it all the time — when you’re handed a music show ticket, getting the menu, or receiving your shopping bag from the cashier: ‘tehenu’ means ‘enjoy.’ Today Guy explains how to use this word and teaches us more words from the same root. Bonus: this root exists also in Arabic, so we can learn some greetings to use with Arabic speakers as well!

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Words and expressions discussed:

Tehene me-ha-hayim shelcha – Enjoy your life – תהנה מהחיים שלך

Tehene, teheni, tehenu – Enjoy (m., f., pl.) – תהנה, תהני, תהנו

Tehene, ze ma she-nish’ar – Enjoy, that is all that remains – תהנה, זה מה שנשאר

Teheni! – Enjoy! (f.) – תהני

Va-yomer Adonai, tehenu, taasu haim, tochlu eize Roquefort tov – And God said, enjoy, have fun, eat a good Roquefort cheese – ויאמר אדוניי, תהנו, תעשו חיים, תאכלו איזה רוקפור טוב

Hana’ah, Hana’ot – Enjoyment/s – הנאה, הנאות

Ein kmo ha-hana’ot ha-pshutot shel ha-haim – There’s nothing like the simple enjoyments of life – אין כמו ההנאות הפשוטות של החיים

Lehenot + mi – To enjoy -להנות מ-

La-hana’atchem – For your enjoyment – להנאתכם

Neheneiti nora – I really enjoyed myself – נהניתי נורא

Mamash/ma-ze neheneti – I really enjoyed myself – ממש/מה-זה נהניתי

Tahanina (Arabic) – Congratulations – تهانينا

Bil-hana wa-l-shifa (Arabic) – Bon appetit – بالهنا والشفا

Playlist:

Carolina – Mul Ha-yam (lyrics)
Avraham Tal – Festival Malchut Ha-hermon (lyrics)
Yoni Bloch – Ahrayut (lyrics)
Tom Yaar (Stand-up comedy)
Ha-breira Ha-tiv’it – Yeladim Ze Simha (lyrics)
Bamba Snack commercial
Kaveret – Nechmad (lyrics)
Kol Ha-musika
Yetsi’at Herum – Neheneti Nora (lyrics)
Rami Muhammad – Tahanina (Arabic: Congratulations)
Arabic lesson by Maha

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