Hebrew word of the day · Everyday topics
עוֹבֵדoved
worker / hard-working
הוּא עוֹבֵד עָלַי doesn't mean he works for me.
Hear it read by a native speaker
In a sentence
הוּא עוֹבֵד טוֹב
hu oved tov
He's a good worker
How Israelis use oved
עוֹבֵד
(oved, worker / works). It's the person and the action, same word.
הוּא עוֹבֵד טוֹב
(hu oved tov, he's a good worker). What you say about a plumber who showed up on time.
✗the employee mix-up
הוּא עוֹבֵד עָלַי (hu oved alay) An Israeli hears: he's bluffing me, he's pulling my leg.
✓the fix
הוּא עוֹבֵד אֶצְלִי (hu oved etsli, he works for me). Literally at my place, and that's the normal way to say it.
Why it flips
עַל (al, on) turns working into working on someone. Working on a person means fooling them.
Say it tonight
The wifi dies mid call, and you sigh: זֶה לֹא עוֹבֵד (ze lo oved, it's not working).
Your turn
Employee, compliment, or broken kettle. Which sentence do you need first this week?
The mistake English speakers make
Two letters turn "she works" into a sentence no Israeli says.
הִיא עוֹבֶדֶת טוֹב
(hi ovedet tov) She's a good worker.
✗Same word for everyone
הִיא עוֹבֵד טוֹב (hi oved tov) An Israeli hears a man's form on a woman.
✓The one Israelis say
הִיא עוֹבֶדֶת טוֹב (hi ovedet tov, she's a good worker)
And about a man
הוּא עוֹבֵד טוֹב (hu oved tov, he's a good worker)
Why
In Hebrew the word for working already tells you who's working, so it changes with the person.
Say it tonight
Asked what you do all day, answer: אֲנִי עוֹבֶדֶת מֵהַבַּיִת (ani ovedet mehabayit, I work from home)
Your turn
A man says it like this: אֲנִי עוֹבֵד מֵהַבַּיִת (ani oved mehabayit) Which one is yours?
Published 29 September 2026 by the Israeli Hebrew Institute. Every word, sentence and vowel point on this page was checked by a native Israeli teacher.