מלפפון חמוץ
m'laf'fón khamúts/melafeˈfon χaˈmut͡s/masculine
The English phrase "pickle" is translated into Hebrew as מלפפון חמוץ (m'laf'fón khamúts). If unsure, use מלפפון חמוץ. Wiktionary also lists חמוצים.
Meaning: preserved cucumber (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| מלפפון חמוץ | m'laf'fón khamúts | /melafeˈfon χaˈmut͡s/ (Modern Israeli) | masculine |
| חמוצים | masculine |
The term refers to a preserved cucumber. In casual speech, Israelis often shorten the phrase to just the plural adjective חמוצים to mean 'pickles'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase מלפפון חמוץ is a compound of מלפפון, meaning cucumber and חמוץ, meaning sour.
Which one should you use?
The full form מלפפון חמוץ is used for a single pickle, whereas חמוצים is a shortened form used to mean "pickles" in general.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to express the plural "sour cucumbers", both the noun and the adjective must be in their plural forms, resulting in מלפפונים חמוצים.
How do you pronounce it?
m'laf'fón khamúts
Did you know?
- Because the word מלפפון is derived from the Greek words for 'apple' and 'ripe', a literal translation of the cucumber's name would be 'ripe apple'.
- If you describe a person as חמוץ, you are not just saying they are 'sour' like a pickle, but implying they have a 'bitter' or unpleasant personality.
- The word for cucumber מלפפון is a linguistic relative of the English word 'melon'.
Examples in context
- אני אוהב מלפפון חמוץ בסנדוויץ'.ani ohev malpapon chamutz ba'sandwich.I love a pickle in a sandwich.
- האם יש מלפפון חמוץ בצלחת?ha'im yesh malpapon chamutz ba'tsachat?Is there a pickle on the plate?
- הוא קנה מלפפון חמוץ אחד בסופר.hu kana malpapon chamutz echad ba'super.He bought one pickle at the supermarket.
Example conversation
Itay and Noa are ordering food at a deli.
- איתי Itayנועה, את רוצה מלפפון חמוץ?Noa, at rotza malfefun hamutz?Noa, do you want a pickle?
- נועה Noaכן, אני מאוד אוהבת מלפפונים חמוצים.ken, ani me-od ohevet malfefunim hamutzim.Yes, I love pickles very much.
- איתי Itayאני אבקש אחד בשבילך.ani avakesh echad bishvilech.I will ask for one for you.
- נועה Noaתודה, איתי!toda, Itay!Thanks, Itay!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pickle” translations and entries מלפפון חמוץ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries חמוץ, מלפפון, מלפפון חמוץ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
