#40 What’s the ‘Biggest’ Word in Hebrew? (Rerun)

Streetwise Hebrew

The Hebrew word גדול, ‘big,’ and its root, g.d.l, have made a huge career in written and spoken Hebrew. Let’s meet the family today; from mustaches and fast food chains, to towers and plastic surgery.

Hear the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

Kshe-eheye gadol – When I’ll grow up – כשאהיה גדול

Gadol! – Amazing, awesome – גדול

Haya gadol – It was great – היה גדול

“Ani yoda’at elohim, ata Gadol me-ha-chayim” – I know God, you are larger than life – אני יודעת אלוהים, אתה גדול מהחיים

Gdolim – Big, pl., m – גדולים

“Ha-tsara itcha she-yesh lecha einayim gdolot” – The problem with you is that you’ve got ‘big eyes’, you bite more than you can chew – הצרה איתך שיש לך עיניים גדולות

“Yesh anashim she-bonim migdalim” – There are people who build towers – יש אנשים שבונים מגדלים

Migdal Pisa – The Pisa Tower – מגדל פיזה

Gadalti be-shana – I am a year older – גדלתי בשנה

Legadel – To grow – לגדל

Legadel yeladim, klavim, hashish, zakan, safam – To grow kids, dogs, pot, beard, moustache – לגדל ילדים, כלבים, חשיש, זקן, שפם

Lehagdil – To enlarge, to expand – להגדיל

Ata rotse lehagdil? At rotsa lehagdil? – Do you want to supersize for extra? – אתה, את, רוצה להגדיל

Hagdala – Enlargement – הגדלה

Nitu’ach hagdalat shadayim – Breast augmentation operation – ניתוח הגדלת שדיים

Playlist and Clips:

Ha-keves ha-shisha asar – Kshe-eheye Gadol (lyrics)

Sarit Hadad – Rak she-teda et ha-emet (lyrics)

Rita – Hayinu Gdolim (lyrics)

Arik Einstein – Einayim Gdolot (lyrics)

Arik Einstein – Ohev Lihyot Ba-bayit (lyrics)

Gadalti be-shana (lyrics)

Nitu’ach le-hagdalat shadayim – Breast Augmentation Operation

Ep. no. 38 about rosh, head EN HEB

Ep. no. 320 about katan, small EN HEB