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Hebrew
  • Hebrew

Tourist Confusion

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In this story, James, an American tourist in Tel Aviv, misreads Israeli directness and body language all day long and ends up thoroughly confused by everything from a bus driver to a dinner invitation.

Jamesג׳ֵיְימְסJames
higi'aהִגִּיעַarrived (m sg)
le'telלְתֵּלto Tel
avivאָבִיבAviv
imעִםwith
madrichמַדְרִיךְguide (m sg)
tayarimתַּיָּרִיםtourists (m pl)
milonמִלוֹןdictionary
katanקָטָןsmall (m sg)
ve'chiyuchוְחִיּוּךְand a smile
rachavרָחָבwide (m sg)
she'huשֶׁהוּאthat he
chashavחָשַׁבthought (m sg)
she'ya'azorשֶׁיַּעֲזוֹרthat will help (m sg)
loלוֹto him
be'cholבְּכָלin every
matzavמַצָּבsituation

James arrived in Tel Aviv with a tourist guide, a small dictionary, and a wide smile that he thought would help him in any situation.

ha'yomהַיּוֹםthe day
ha'rishonהָרִאשׁוֹןthe first (m sg)
limedלִמֵּדtaught (m sg)
otoאוֹתוֹhim
she'ha'chiyuchשֶׁהַחִיּוּךְthat the smile
ozerעוֹזֵרhelps (m sg)
pachotפָּחוֹתless
mi'maמִמָּהthan what
she'chashavשֶׁחָשַׁבthat he thought (m sg)

The first day taught him that the smile helps less than he thought.

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