בית חולים
beit cholim
The Hebrew word for hospital is בית חולים (beit cholim).
בית חולים is used to refer to a large medical facility.
Meaning: large medical facility (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
This is a compound noun where בית means house and חולים means sick (people) or patients. Literally, the phrase translates to house of sick (people).
How do you pronounce it?
beit cholim
Did you know?
- In modern Israel, people often refer to the emergency room of a בית חולים as the מיון, which literally translates to 'sorting'.
- A funny coincidence exists in modern Hebrew: the word 'byte' from computing is written and pronounced exactly like the word for 'house', בַּיִת.
- While the English word 'hospital' comes from the Latin 'hospes' meaning guest, the Hebrew בית חולים focuses entirely on the state of the occupants being 'sick'. It literally defines the building by the condition of the people inside.
Examples in context
- איפה יש בית חולים?Where is a hospital?This sentence is useful for asking for the location of a בית חולים.Tatoeba #2066706 by Eldad, translation #1655506 by gleki
- טום עובד עבור בית חולים.Tom works for a hospital.This sentence is useful for describing employment at a בית חולים.Tatoeba #3592544 by Eldad, translation #3436601 by CK
- ישנו בית חולים בקרבת מקום.There is a hospital nearby.This sentence is useful for stating the proximity of a בית חולים.Tatoeba #4441545 by schamsan, translation #18733 by orcrist
- הוא כבר בבית חולים אחר מאז זמן רב.He has been in a different hospital for a long time.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maya asks Ido for directions to the medical center.
- עידו Idoמאיה, את יודעת איפה יש בית חולים?Maya, at yoda'at eifo yesh beit kholim?Maya, do you know where there is a hospital?
- מאיה Mayaכן, יש בית חולים גדול ממש כאן ליד.Ken, yesh beit kholim gadol mamash kan leyad.Yes, there is a large hospital right here nearby.
- עידו Idoזה רחוק ללכת לשם ברגל?Ze rakhok lalechet sham b Regel?Is it far to walk there?
- מאיה Mayaלא, בית החולים נמצא ממש מעבר לרחוב.Lo, beit ha-kholim nimtsa mamash me'ever la-rekhov.No, the hospital is just across the street.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries בית, בית חולים, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
