Learn, Practice, and Perfect Your Hebrew: Navigating Recorded Menus, Not Humans
The StreetWise podcast from TLV1 in Israel can help you use Hebrew to navigate those buggy recorded menus, or automated answering services
March 01, 2016
Does your Hebrew need some tmicha technit, or technical support? Talking to a computer program on the phone can be a headache in any language, but with some help from TLV1’s StreetWise Hebrew podcast, you’ll soon be navigating ma’ane koli (automated answering service) complexities that arise in Israel like a pro.
In this episode, host Guy Sharett runs through the various mundane but essential phrases a new Hebrew speaker might need when calling the bank, or customer support for a computer, or a government agency, etc.—and, when you’re fed up with pressing buttons, how to get a ntsig basar vadam, a flesh-and-blood customer service agent, on the phone. Because don’t we all want to speak to an “agent” or “representative” as soon as possible?
As always, as you listen, follow along with the words and phrases below.
Ma’ane koli – Automated Answering Service – מענה קולי
Kol, koli – Voice, vocal – קולי
Hu ana – He answered – הוא ענה
La’anot – To answer – לענות
Le-ivrit na lehakish 1 – For Hebrew press 1 – לעברית נא להקיש 1
Ana, Na – Kindly – אנא, נא
Na hakesh, Na lehakish –נא הקש, נא להקיש
Lesherut lakochot – For customer service – לשירות לקוחות
Le-siyum hakishu sulamit – To end press star –לסיום הקישו סולמית
Le-Siyum – To end – לסיום
Sulam – Ladder – סולם
Sulamit – Hash key – סולמית
Le-sherut lakochot – For customer service – לשירות לקוחות
Meyda – Information – מידע
Ul-meyda (Ve-le-meyda) – And for information – ולמידע
Lintsig sherut hakesh – For a customer service agent press –לנציג שירות הקש
Li-tmicha technit – For technical support – לתמיכה טכנית
Tmicha – Support – תמיכה
Hu tamach – He supported – תמך
Hu tomech – He supports – תומך
Litmoch be-mishehu – To support someone – לתמוך במישהו
Tmicha technit – Technical support – תמיכה טכנית
Rose Kaplan is an intern at Tablet.
