חבר הכי טוב
chaver hachi tov/χaˈveʁ (h)aˈχi tˤoːb/word by word
The English phrase 'best friend' is translated into Hebrew as חבר הכי טוב (chaver hachi tov).
This noun phrase describes an especially close and trusted friend.
Meaning: an especially close and trusted friend (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally constructed as 'friend the most good'.
Which one should you use?
While חבר טוב means 'a good friend', adding הכי (the most) before טוב (good) transforms the phrase into 'best friend'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase must change to match the gender and number of the person or people being described. To refer to a female best friend, use חברה הכי טובה. To refer to a group of best friends, use the masculine plural form חברים הכי טובים.
How do you pronounce it?
chaver hachi tov (IPA: /χaˈveʁ (h)aˈχi tˤoːb/)
Did you know?
- In modern Israel, the word חבר can also mean 'boyfriend'. Depending on the context, calling someone your חבר הכי טוב could be interpreted as your 'best friend' or your 'best boyfriend'.
- The word חבר (friend) shares its ancient roots with the Arabic word for 'news' or 'information', suggesting that a friend is someone with whom you share or receive information.
- The word חבר (chaver) is the root of the word חברה (chevra), which means 'society' or 'company'. This suggests that a 'best friend' is the fundamental building block of a community.
