אני יהודי
ani yehudi
The phrase "I am jewish" in Hebrew is אני יהודי (ani yehudi).
This phrase is used to identify oneself as a member of the Jewish people or faith.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of אני (ani), meaning "I" and יהודי (yehudi), meaning "Jew" or "Jewish".
Which one should you use?
In Hebrew, the verb "to be" (am/is/are) is omitted in the present tense, so the phrase literally translates to "I Jew".
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form אני יהודי (ani yehudi) is used by a male speaker. When spoken by a woman, the phrase changes to the feminine form אני יהודית (ani yehudit).
How do you pronounce it?
ani yehudi
Did you know?
- In modern Israel, the phrase אני יהודי (ani yehudi) can be used as a legal category for the 'Law of Return', which allows Jews to immigrate and gain citizenship regardless of their level of religious practice.
- The word אני (ani) shares a distant ancestral root with the Proto-Semitic *ʔanāku, a linguistic connection that stretches back thousands of years to the earliest Semitic languages.
- Because Hebrew uses the same word for 'Jew' and 'Jewish', the phrase אני יהודי (ani yehudi) can be used to describe someone's ethnicity even if they identify as an atheist or follow another religion.
Examples in context
- שלום, אני יהודי. אני בחופשה ומבקר חברים.Hello, I am Jewish. I'm on vacation and visiting friends.
- כן, אני יהודיה. זה יהיה חוויה מעניינת.Yes, I'm Jewish. That'll be an interesting experience.
- אני יהודי.ani yehudi.I am Jewish.
- הוא שאל אותי אם אני יהודי.hu sha'al oti im ani yehudi.He asked me if I am Jewish.
Example conversation
Two people are discussing their backgrounds during a first meeting.
- עגור Adiאיתי, מאיפה אתה במקור?Itay, me-eifo ata ba-makor?Itay, where are you originally from?
- איתי Itayאני יהודי, נולדתי בירושלים.Ani Yehudi, noladti bi-Yrushalayim.I am Jewish, I was born in Jerusalem.
- עגור Adiזה נשמע נהדר!Ze nishma nehedar!That sounds great!
- איתי Itayתודה רבה, עגור.Toda raba, Agur.Thank you very much, Agur.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries אני, יהודי, CC BY-SA 4.0.
