Hebrew for Salary Conversations

Talking about salary in Hebrew can feel awkward at first, especially if you are also trying to sound polite and professional. The good news is that a small set of words and phrases covers most real situations: asking what the salary is, saying what you expect, discussing a raise, and understanding the terms of a job offer.

Core words to know

Here are some useful basics:

• שכר (sachar) = salary / wage
• משכורת (maskoret) = salary, usually monthly pay
• תנאים (tna’im) = conditions / benefits / terms
• העלאה (ha’alaa) = raise
• נטו (neto) = net pay
• ברוטו (bruto) = gross pay

In everyday work conversations, people often ask about neto and bruto because the difference matters a lot in Israel.

Common questions

If you are interviewing for a job, these phrases are very useful:

• מה השכר? — What is the salary?
• מה המשכורת? — What is the salary?
• האם זה נטו או ברוטו? — Is that net or gross?
• יש גם תנאים? — Are there also benefits/terms?
• אפשר לדבר על השכר? — Can we talk about the salary?

If you want to sound a little softer, אפשר (efshar, “can we / is it possible”) is a good word to use. It makes the question feel more polite.

Talking about your expectations

When the other person asks what you want, you may hear:

• מה הציפיות שלך? — What are your expectations?
• כמה אתה/את רוצה? — How much do you want?
• מה השכר שאתה מחפש? — What salary are you looking for?

A simple answer might be:

• אני מחפש שכר של... — I’m looking for a salary of...
• אני מעדיף לדבר על נטו. — I prefer to talk about net pay.
• זה תלוי בתנאים. — It depends on the benefits/terms.

If you are not ready to give a number, you can say:

• אני מעדיף לשמוע קודם את ההצעה. — I’d prefer to hear the offer first.
• אני פתוח/ה לשיחה. — I’m open to discussing it.

Asking for a raise

If you already work somewhere and want to ask for a raise, keep the language direct but calm.

Useful phrases:

• אפשר לדבר על העלאה? — Can we talk about a raise?
• אני חושב/ת שמגיעה לי העלאה. — I think I deserve a raise.
• השכר שלי לא עודכן הרבה זמן. — My salary hasn’t been updated for a long time.
• אני רוצה לבדוק אפשרות לשיפור בתנאים. — I want to check the possibility of better terms.

This kind of conversation is similar to other work situations where clear Hebrew helps, like Hebrew for Work Emails or Hebrew for Meeting Notes. If you also need to speak casually with colleagues after the meeting, Hebrew for Coworker Small Talk can help you keep the conversation natural.

Listening for salary details

In Israel, salary discussions often include extra details beyond the base number. You may hear:

• פנסיה — pension
• נסיעות — travel reimbursement
• קרן השתלמות — study fund / training fund
• בונוס — bonus
• משרה מלאה — full-time position
• משרה חלקית — part-time position

You do not need to learn every term at once, but it helps to ask follow-up questions when something is unclear:

• מה בדיוק כולל השכר? — What exactly does the salary include?
• האם יש נסיעות? — Is there travel reimbursement?
• האם זה תפקיד במשרה מלאה? — Is this a full-time role?

A simple practice dialogue

מעסיק: מה הציפיות שלך מבחינת שכר?

את/ה: אני מעדיף/ה לדבר על נטו. מה ההצעה שלכם?

מעסיק: אנחנו מציעים שכר של 14,000 ברוטו, עם תנאים טובים.

את/ה: תודה. אפשר לקבל עוד פרטים על התנאים?

This kind of exchange is short, polite, and realistic. You do not need perfect Hebrew to handle it well. A few key words, a clear question, and a calm tone can go a long way.

Quick tips

• If you do not know whether to say שכר or משכורת, both are common and usually understood.
• נטו and ברוטו are essential words in salary talks.
• Use אפשר to sound more polite.
• If you need time, it is fine to say you want to think about the offer.

Salary conversations are easier when you prepare the phrases in advance. Even if you only remember three or four expressions, you will already be able to ask better questions and understand the answer more clearly.