רָצָה
ratsá
To want in Hebrew is רָצָה (ratsá). Wiktionary also lists חָפֵץ (ẖafétz).
Meaning: to desire (verb)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| רָצָה | ratsá |
| חָפֵץ | ẖafétz |
The verb is used to express the desire for something.
Which one should you use?
חָפֵץ is a more formal or literary term used to express a desire or inclination, often used in a sense of 'to be pleased with' or 'to desire'.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the present tense, the form changes based on the subject: רוֹצֶה is used for a masculine singular subject, רוֹצָה for a feminine singular subject, רוֹצִים for a masculine plural subject and רוֹצוֹת for a feminine plural subject.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is ratsá.
Did you know?
- The more formal term חָפֵץ is the root of the Hebrew word for 'inanimate object' or 'thing', חֵפֶץ, which describes something that is desired or possessed.
- The root of רוֹצֶה is related to the concept of 'pleasing' or 'being satisfied'. Therefore, to want something is linguistically tied to the idea of that thing being pleasing to the speaker.
- In modern Israeli slang, people sometimes use the word רוֹצֶה to describe being 'into' someone or having a romantic interest, similar to saying 'I want you' in English.
Examples in context
- אני רוצה לקנות ספר חדש.I want to buy a new book.
- אני רוצה פיצה לארוחת הערב.I want pizza for dinner tonight.
- אני רוצה לצפות בסרטים החדשים. האם גם את רוצה?I want to watch the new movies. Do you want to too?
- חביבה, אני רוצה לבקש ממך משהו.My dear, I want to ask you for something.
- הוא רָצָה לשתות מים.Hu ratza lishtot mayim.He wanted to drink water.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “want” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
