Greetings
שלום (Shalom)
sha-LOM
Hello / goodbye / peace — the all-purpose greeting. English is very widely spoken in Tel Aviv, but a little Hebrew is appreciated.
תודה (Toda)
to-DA
Thank you. 'Toda raba' (to-DA ra-BA) is 'thanks a lot'. 'Bevakasha' means both 'please' and 'you're welcome'.
בוקר טוב (Boker tov)
BO-ker tov
Good morning. The reply is often 'boker or' (morning light). 'Erev tov' is good evening; 'layla tov' good night.
Daily life
כמה זה עולה? (Kama ze ole?)
KA-ma ze o-LE
How much does it cost? Essential at the shuk (market), where prices are negotiable late in the day; most shops are fixed-price.
אני לא מדבר עברית (Ani lo medaber ivrit)
a-NI lo me-da-BER iv-RIT
I don't speak Hebrew (m.; 'medaberet' for f.). Rarely needed — most Tel Avivians switch to fluent English instantly.
Social
סבבה (Sababa)
sa-BA-ba
Cool / great / all good — the ubiquitous Israeli 'okay'. You'll hear and use it constantly; it signals everything's fine.
יאללה (Yalla)
YA-lla
Come on / let's go / hurry up — an Arabic loanword woven into everyday Hebrew. 'Yalla bye' is the classic way to end a call.
וואלה (Walla)
WA-lla
Really? / wow / no way — an all-purpose expression of surprise or agreement. Another Arabic borrowing at the heart of Tel Aviv slang.
תכל'ס (Tachles)
TACH-les
Bottom line / let's get real / practically speaking. Israelis are famously direct, and 'tachles' is the word that cuts to the point.
Food
קפה הפוך (Café hafuch)
ka-FE ha-FUCH
Literally 'upside-down coffee' — the Israeli cappuccino and the default order in Tel Aviv's serious café culture. Sit, sip, stay for hours.
חומוס (Chumus)
CHU-mus
Hummus — a religion here, not a side dish. A 'hummusiya' serves it warm with pita, ful and a hard-boiled egg; everyone has a favourite.
Emergency
הצילו! (Hatzilu!)
ha-TZI-lu
Help! For emergencies: 101 for a Magen David Adom ambulance, 100 police, 102 fire, 104 Home Front Command.