Travel Hebrew Phrases You Actually Need in Israel

If you’re traveling in Israel, you do not need hundreds of Hebrew phrases.

You need a small set that helps you greet people, order food, ask for help, and get around.

Start here

Learn these first:

• שלום (shalom) — hello / hi
• תודה (toda) — thank you
• בבקשה (bevakasha) — please / you’re welcome
• סליחה (slicha) — excuse me / sorry
• איפה ___? (eifo ___?) — where is ___?
• כמה זה עולה? (kama ze oleh?) — how much does it cost?
• אני לא מבין / אני לא מבינה (ani lo mevin / ani lo mevina) — I don’t understand

If you know those, you can handle a lot of basic travel situations.

1. Basic politeness

These are useful everywhere: cafés, shops, taxis, hotels, and on the street.

• שלום (shalom) — hello / hi
• תודה (toda) — thank you
• בבקשה (bevakasha) — please / you’re welcome
• סליחה (slicha) — excuse me / sorry

A very common polite pattern is:

• סליחה, איפה ___? — Excuse me, where is ___?
• בבקשה — Please / here you go

For a fuller breakdown, see: How to Say Hello, Thank You, and Goodbye in Hebrew

2. Ordering food and drinks

In cafés and restaurants, these phrases go a long way.

• אפשר ___? (efshar ___?) — can I get ___?
• אני רוצה ___ (ani rotze / ani rotza ___) — I want ___
• בלי ___ (bli ___) — without ___
• יש לכם ___? (yesh lakhem / yesh lahen ___?) — do you have ___?

Examples:

• אפשר קפה? — Can I get a coffee?
• אני רוצה סלט — I want a salad
• בלי חלב — without milk
• יש לכם מים? — Do you have water?

If you want more food words, see: Hebrew Food Vocabulary You’ll Hear in Restaurants

3. Getting around

These are the phrases you’ll use for taxis, streets, bathrooms, and directions.

• איפה ___? (eifo ___?) — where is ___?
• כמה זה עולה? (kama ze oleh?) — how much does it cost?
• אני צריך מונית (ani tzarikh monit) — I need a taxi
• אני צריכה מונית (ani tzerikha monit) — I need a taxi
• איפה השירותים? (eifo hashirutim?) — where is the bathroom?

Examples:

• איפה התחנה? — Where is the station?
• כמה זה עולה? — How much does it cost?
• אני צריך מונית — I need a taxi

4. When you don’t understand

This is one of the most useful things to know in real life.

• אני לא מבין (ani lo mevin) — I don’t understand [male speaker]
• אני לא מבינה (ani lo mevina) — I don’t understand [female speaker]
• אתה מדבר אנגלית? (ata medaber anglit?) — do you speak English? [to a man]
• את מדברת אנגלית? (at medaberet anglit?) — do you speak English? [to a woman]
• רגע (rega) — one second / wait a moment

Examples:

• סליחה, אני לא מבין — Excuse me, I don’t understand
• אתה מדבר אנגלית? — Do you speak English?

For more everyday phrases, see: Essential Hebrew Phrases for Everyday Life

5. Helpful casual words you’ll hear a lot

These are not required, but they make conversations feel less stiff.

• סבבה (sababa) — cool / okay / fine
• יאללה (yalla) — let’s go / come on
• אחלה (achla) — great / awesome
• הכל טוב (hakol tov) — it’s all good / no problem

These are common in spoken Israeli Hebrew, especially in casual settings. If you want more of this style, see: Israeli Slang You’ll Actually Hear in Real Life

6. Very short real-life examples

At a café

• אפשר קפה? — Can I get a coffee?
• בלי חלב, בבקשה — Without milk, please

At a restaurant

• יש לכם תפריט באנגלית? — Do you have a menu in English?
• אפשר מים? — Can I get water?

On the street

• סליחה, איפה השירותים? — Excuse me, where is the bathroom?
• כמה זה עולה? — How much does it cost?

In a taxi

• אני צריך מונית — I need a taxi
• אפשר לכאן? — Can you go here? / Can you take me here?

7. A few quick pronunciation tips

• ח is a rough throat sound, like the ch in some pronunciations of “Bach.”
• Stress is often near the end of the word, but not always.
• Don’t worry about sounding perfect. Being understood matters more than sounding native.

8. What to remember

If you only learn a few things before a trip to Israel, make them these:

• שלום
• תודה
• בבקשה
• סליחה
• איפה ___?
• כמה זה עולה?
• אני לא מבין / אני לא מבינה
• אפשר ___?

That small set will cover a surprising amount of real travel Hebrew.