עֲבוֹדָה
avodáfeminine
The English word "work" can be translated into Hebrew in several ways depending on the context, most commonly as עֲבוֹדָה (avodá). Wiktionary also lists מְלָאכָה (melakhá) and עָמָל (amál).
Meaning: labour, employment, occupation, job (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| עֲבוֹדָה | avodá | feminine |
| מְלָאכָה | melakhá | feminine |
| עָמָל | amál | masculine |
Hebrew uses different nouns to distinguish between general employment, specific manual tasks and the concept of strenuous effort.
Which one should you use?
עֲבוֹדָה is the most common and general term for work, employment or a job. In contrast, מְלָאכָה refers more specifically to a craft, manual labor or a specific piece of work. For a more literary sense that emphasizes toil, hardship or strenuous effort, use עָמָל.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun עֲבוֹדָה is feminine, meaning any adjectives describing it must also be in the feminine form. The noun עָמָל is masculine, so any adjectives describing it must be in the masculine form. The word מְלָאכָה is also feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
avodá
Did you know?
- The Hebrew word for 'work' and the word for 'worship' share the same linguistic root, reflecting an ancient view where serving a master and serving God were seen as similar concepts.
- While עֲבוֹדָה refers to a job, the word מְלָאכָה is used in Jewish law to describe the 39 categories of forbidden activities on the Sabbath. Here, 'work' is defined as an act of creative change in the world rather than just physical effort.
- The root of עֲבוֹדָה also forms the word עֶבֶד, meaning 'slave' or 'servant', highlighting a linguistic link between employment and servitude.
Examples in context
- אין לי זמן לעצור, יש לי המון עבודה לעשות.I don't have time to stop, I have a lot of work to do.
- אני מחפש תפקיד חדש עם אתגרים מעניינים.I'm looking for a new job with interesting challenges.
- הַעֲבוֹדָה הַזֹּאת קָשָׁה מְאוֹד.ha'avoda hazot kasha me'od.This work is very difficult.
- אֲנִי אוֹהֶבֶת אֶת הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁלִּי.ani ohevet et ha'avoda sheli.I love my work.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “work” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
