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Feb 21, 2012

how to say "useful" in Hebrew


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שִׁמּוּשִׁי



 Level 4 Hebrew course 
opening in Tel Aviv this Sunday!



If you're conversant in Hebrew, you most likely know the Hebrew word for to use something - לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּש (leh-heesh-tah-MESH), as in הִיא מִשְׁתַּמֶּשֶׁת בָּעֵט עַכְשָׁו (hee meesh-tah-MEH-shet bah-ET ahkh-SHAHV) - she is using the pen now


The root is ש.מ.ש (sh.m.sh), meaning use, appearing most prominently in Mishnaic Hebrew.


To express, this pen has many uses or purposes, you'd say, לָעֵט הַזֶּה יֵשׁ הַרְבֶּה שִׁמּוּשִֹים (lah-ET hah-ZEH yesh hahr-BEH shee-moo-SHEEM). Likewise, something useful is שִׁמּוּשִׁי (shee-moo-SHEE), and something multi-purpose is רַב-שימושי (rahv shee-moo-SHEE).