אח שלי
ach sheli
The phrase אח שלי (ach sheli) is the Hebrew way to say "my brother".
אח שלי refers to a male sibling of the speaker. In modern Hebrew slang, it is also frequently used as a term of endearment or familiarity between close male friends, similar to saying "bro" or "my man" in English. Note that terms like אחי or אח can also be used to address someone as a brother even if they are not a biological sibling.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of the noun אח (brother) followed by the possessive pronoun שלי (mine/my), literally translating to "brother mine".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While אח שלי is the standard way to say "my brother" in everyday speech, the form אחי is the more formal, literary or poetic version.
How do you pronounce it?
ach sheli
Did you know?
- In some modern Israeli dialects, אח שלי is used as an exclamation of disbelief or frustration, similar to saying 'come on, man' in English.
- In modern Israeli street slang, calling a stranger אח שלי is a common way to get a waiter's attention or ask for a quick favor.
- While אח שלי is common in speech, using the shorter אחי can sometimes sound much more intense or even slightly aggressive depending on the tone used.
Examples in context
- איפה נמצא אח שלי?Where is my brother?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of אח שלי.Tatoeba #1451109 by MrShoval, translation #1444739 by Spamster
- אח שלי אוהב סרטי אימה.My brother likes horror movies.This sentence is useful for describing the interests of אח שלי.Tatoeba #1757497 by MrShoval, translation #237860 by CK
- הלוואי שטום היה אח שלי.I wish that Tom was my brother.This sentence is useful for expressing a wish regarding someone being אח שלי.Tatoeba #11816332 by maya_, translation #7284781 by Hybrid
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Noam and Maya are talking about family.
- נועם Noamמתי אח שלי חוזר הביתה?matay ach sheli chozer habayta?When is my brother coming home?
- מאיה Mayaהוא אמור להגיע בעוד שעה.hu amur leha-gia be-od sha'a.He is supposed to arrive in an hour.
- נועם Noamאח שלי הבטיח להביא לי משהו.ach sheli hivtiach lehavi li mashehu.My brother promised to bring me something.
- מאיה Mayaאני בטוחה שזה יהיה הפתעה.ani betucha she-ze yihye hafta'a.I am sure it will be a surprise.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
Thank you so much for your pleasant way of explaining Hebrew. Is brother pronounced, A-key or Ach-he? I do want to be correct in calling our new pup. He’s being named after our recently deceased dog who’s name was Zelig, which will be his middle name. Or boy cat is Menachem Haim (Nachem) and his sister is Channah Shvester (Shvesty). They are all named after previous pets, who will never, ever be forgotten!
Shavuah tov~
Terry