Hello everyone! My name is Ayana, and I’m joyfully writing this Hebrew blog for the last year and a half. I’m a native Hebrew speaker, and yet I admit: Hebrew tongue twisters are tough! The monotonic tone and all those similar sound consonants don’t make it easy. And still it is a good way to practice Hebrew, pronunciation and vocabulary. So give it a try, it’s a great amusing challenge. And don’t forget: say them as fast as you can!

 

1) One of the famous Hebrew tongue twisters is about a girl name Sara. Even the translation is a bit tongue twisting, because Sara is singing a happy song.

שָׂרָה שָׁרָה שִׁיר שָׂמֵחַ, שִׁיר שָׂמֵחַ שָׁרָה שָׂרָה

The girl name and the verb are almost homophones: they are pronounced the same, except for the first letter. The name ‘Sara’ (שָׂרָה) is spelled with a שׂין. The verb ‘singing’ (שָׁרָה) is spelled with a שׁין. And it goes on: the object ‘song’ (שִׁיר) consists of שׁין and ר’ as well. The adjective ‘happy’ (שָׂמֵחַ) is also spelled with a שׂין. Now try to say it twice, like in the sentence above.

Listen the sentence here:

http://www.in-hebrew.co.il/h1145.htm

 

2) A modern version of this tongue twister includes the same Sara. But this time Sara isn’t singing a happy song, but eating sushi. And Sara (שָׂרָה) putting (שָׂמָה) garlic (שׁוּם) in the sushi (בַּסּוּשׁׅי). It’s funnier than the classic version, but not less difficult!

שָׂרָה שָׂמָה שׁוּם בַּסּוּשׁׅי, שׁוּם בַּסּוּשׁׅי שָׂמָה שָׂרָה

Listen the sentence here:

http://www.in-hebrew.co.il/h1159.htm

 

3) Another famous tongue twister dealing with different consonants: ג’ and ד’. The translation is a tongue twister by itself: a gardener (גַּנָּן) grew (גִּדֵּל) grain (דָּגָן) in the garden (גַּן).

גַּנָּן גִּדֵּל דָּגָן בַּגַּן, דָּגָן גָּדוֹל גָּדַל בַּגַּן

Listen the sentence here:

http://www.in-hebrew.co.il/h1148.htm

 

4) Tongue twisters are great fun not just for playing, but also for creating. All you need in order to create a tongue twister of your own is a bunch of words, consisting of the same consonants that together will assemble a brief story. I heard a good one lately, it’s new and much more sophisticated than the others.

שָׁלוֹם שׁוֹפֵט שָׁלוֹם שָׁפַט שׁׅלְשׁוֹם שִׁישִׁים שׁוֹמְרֵי שַׁבָּת שֶׁצַּעֲקוּ: ‘שָׁאבַּעס!’

Although the longest tongue twister in our list so far, it’s the easiest one, in my opinion. And the funniest one without doubt: Shalom (שָׁלוֹם), a peace judge (שׁוֹפֵט שָׁלוֹם), sentenced (שָׁפַט) the day before yesterday (שׁׅלְשׁוֹם), sixty (שִׁישִׁים) observing the Shabbat men (שׁוֹמְרֵי שַׁבָּת), who yelled (שֶׁצַּעֲקוּ) Shabbos (שָׁאבַּעס)!

 

5) And this one I came up with myself. It’s about a girl (עַלְמָה) named Alma (עַלְמָה). The sentence is actually a question: what for (עַל מָה וְלָמָּה) worked (עֲמֵלָה) the girl (עַלְמָה) Alma (עַלְמָה)? And the following answer is: the girl (עַלְמָה) Alma (עַלְמָה) worked (עֲמֵלָה) for (עֲבוּר) the commission (הָעַמְלָה).

עַל מָה וְלָמָּה עֲמֵלָה הָעַלְמָה עַלְמָה? הָעַלְמָה עַלְמָה עֲמֵלָה עֲבוּר הָעַמְלָה

What do you think? 😉

 

Find more Hebrew tongue twisters here, and try write one by yourself!

Keep Calm and Learn Hebrew

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