'Nehmad' means 'nice' or 'lovely', but often 'nice' is just not enough for what we want to say. How do we give it a boost to emphasize what we really mean? We can also say 'nehmad,' but in fact mean the opposite! And what do we say about a waiter who is 'too nice'? Guy gives us the nuances of 'nehmad' in this week's episode. 

Looking to support the show? Learn how on Patreon.

Words and expressions discussed:

Nehmad – Nice, lovely – נחמד

Lahmod – To covet – לחמוד

Haya mamash nehmad – It was really nice – היה ממש נחמד

Hikarti mishehu mamash nehmad – I met someone really nice – הכרתי מישהו ממש נחמד

Ata nir’e nehmad – You look nice – אתה נראה נחמד

Ma ha-kavana shela? – What’s her intention? – מה הכוונה שלה?

Ach be-kupat holim nisa lehathil iti o she-hu stam haya nehmad? – Was a male nurse in the clinic trying to hit on me, or was he just being nice? – אח בקופת חולים ניסה להתחיל איתי או שהוא סתם היה נחמד?

Eich ladaat im hu stam nehmad o ba-keta? – How can I know if he’s just nice, or into me? – איך לדעת אם הוא סתם נחמד או בקטע?

Sviva nehmada – Nice surroundings, nice neighborhood – סביבה נחמדה

El mi hayinu nehmadim? Rak le-dodim ule-dodot – To whom were we nice (kids)? Only to uncles and aunts – אל מי היינו נחמדים? רק לדודים ולדודות

Lihyot nehmad el – To be nice to someone – להיות נחמד אל

Hu lo nehmad eleha – He’s not nice to her – הוא לא נחמד אליה

Lama ata lo nehmad elav? – Why aren’t you nice to him? – למה אתה לא נחמד אליו?

Haveri ha-yakar – My dear friend – חברי היקר

Hem einam bahurim nehmadim – They are not nice guys – הם אינם בחורים נחמדים

Hem lo nehmadim – They are not nice – הם לא נחמדים

Ha-panterim ha-sh-horim – The black panthers – הפנתרים השחורים

Parpar nehmad – Lovely butterfly – פרפר נחמד

Nehmadut – Niceness – נחמדוּת

Hu amar et ze be-nehmadut – He said it in a nice way – הוא אמר את זה בנחמדות

Shalahti hoda’a be-nehmadut la-ex sheli – I sent a nice message to my ex – שלחתי הודעה בנחמדות לאקס שלי

Lehitnahmed – To be artificially nice – להתנחמד

Mitnahmedet – Trying to be nice, too nice – מתנחמדת

Music:

Kaveret – Nehmad (lyrics) Ha-halonot Ha-gvohim – Etsli Ha-kol Beseder (lyrics) Yizhar Cohen – Abanibi (lyrics) Golda Me’ir – Hem Lo Nehmadim Ilanit – Parpar Nehmad (lyrics)

Want to see more Hebrew gems? Like Streetwise Hebrew on Facebook and Instagram.

Want Guy to talk about a pressing Hebrew issue? Find him at StreetWiseHebrew.com or follow him on Twitter.