Please can I ask...

[0palfruity]

Somewhat embarrassed but I blame my atheist Jewish dad for my lack of knowledge here! I feel like this space is the place to ask - hope that is OK.

How do you pronounce the following...

Chag Sameach
L'chaim
Am Yisrael chai

...and slightly randomly...Haaretz (as in the newspaper?)

No particular reason for wanting to know, just that it's occurred to me when reading that I am using totally made-up pronunciations in my own head!

My only exposure to Hebrew has been watching the Beauty Queen of Jerusalem on Netflix

Don't be embarrassed!

Hebrew has some sounds we don't have in standard English, like the "ch" sound which is at the back of the throat. Imagine a Scouser saying "book" - it's the final guttural sound of that word.

So the Ch in Chag Sameach is that sound.

L'chaim is "leh CHA-yeem"

Am Yisrael chai is "am YIZ-ra-ell chai (to rhyme with pie). Some Ashkenazi people say Yiz-RO-el.

Haaretz is "ha" as in "haha" then AH-retz" with the r further to the back of the mouth than in English.

Hope that makes sense! I'm not a native Hebrew speaker but my DH and daughter are.

I forgot to say that Sameach is Sam-EY-ach with the guttural Ch.

Imagine a Scouser saying "book" - it's the final guttural sound of that word.

That's a perfect description. Much better than the usual "Scottish loch".

L'chaim is "leh CHA-yeem

Mmm, I don't agree. There isn't really a long eee sound in Hebrew. It's more clipped: leh CHA-yim.

Can you you tube the phrases you want to know perhaps? It’s hard to explain phonetically because some of the sounds aren’t in English language. Some use parts of the throat that you would use in everyday English speech!

I'm influenced by my Balkan sephardi in-laws who yell "shamayeeeeeeem" and "le chayeeeeeeem!" 😆

Thanks all! Hadn't thought of youtube (ancient) but you have all made things clearer! 😀

Imagine a Scouser saying "book" - it's the final guttural sound of that word.

I love this btw <<channels Jimmy Corkhill>>