משועמם
mesho'amam
The Hebrew word for bored is משועמם (mesho'amam).
This adjective is used to describe the feeling of suffering from boredom.
Meaning: suffering from boredom (adj)
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between the feeling and the cause. Use משועמם to describe someone who is bored, but use משעמם to describe something or someone that is boring.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective changes based on the gender and number of the person being described. The masculine singular is משועמם, the feminine singular is משועממת, the masculine plural is משועממים and the feminine plural is משועממות.
How do you pronounce it?
mesho'amam
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say אני משעמם to mean 'I am bored'. However, this actually means 'I am a boring person'.
Did you know?
- In Hebrew, the concept of being 'bored' is expressed through a verb form that literally describes being 'made bored' by something. The word משועמם is a passive participle, reflecting that boredom is seen as an external force acting upon the person.
- Because משועמם and משעמם sound so similar, Israelis often joke about the 'one letter difference' that turns a victim of boredom into the cause of it.
- While משועמם is the standard word for bored, Hebrew speakers often use the phrase נמאס לי to express the frustration of being bored with a specific task.
Examples in context
- תום נראה ממש משועמם.Tom looks really bored.This sentence shows how to describe someone's appearance of being bored using משועמם.Tatoeba #6051159 by fekundulo, translation #2645824 by CK
- מעודי לא הייתי כל כך משועמם.I've never been more bored.This sentence is useful for expressing a high degree of boredom using משועמם.Tatoeba #4742758 by fekundulo, translation #2360000 by CK
- אני כל כך משועמם שאני יכול לצעוק.I'm so bored I could scream.This sentence shows an extreme expression of being bored using משועמם.Tatoeba #5768647 by fekundulo, translation #3731377 by CM
- 23 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rotem and Ido are sitting at home on a rainy day.
- רוטם Rotemעידו, אני ממש משועממת.Ido, ani mamash meshu'amemet.Ido, I am really bored.
- עידו Idoגם אני משועמם. מה נעשה?Gam ani meshu'amam. Ma na'ase?I'm bored too. What shall we do?
- רוטם Rotemבוא נראה סרט ביחד.Bo nir'e seret be'yachad.Let's watch a movie together.
- עידו Idoזה רעיון מצוין!Ze ra'ayon metzuyan!That is a great idea!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bored” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
