Hebrew Words for Clothing (With Pictures)

When I teach vocabulary, clothing is one of the first topics I cover, because you'll use these words the day you arrive in Israel. Shopping, laundry, packing, complimenting an outfit. Here's a quick guide to Hebrew clothing vocabulary with the everyday words that actually come up.

The basics

• Chultza (חֻלְצָה), shirt.
• T-shirt, t-shirt (yes, same as English).
• Michnasayim (מִכְנָסַיִם), pants/trousers. Note the dual ending because pants have two legs.
• Michnasayim ktzarim, shorts.
• Simla (שִׂמְלָה), dress.
• Chatzait, skirt.
• Jacket, jacket.
• Meil, coat.
• Na'alayim (נַעֲלַיִם), shoes. Also dual ending.
• Sandalim, sandals. Essential in Israeli summer.
• Afuda, sweater.

Underwear and layers

• Tachtonim, underwear.
• Garbayim, socks.
• Chazia, bra.
• Begged yam, bathing suit (literally "sea clothing").

Accessories

• Kova, hat.
• Mishkafayim, glasses. Mishkafei shemesh, sunglasses.
• Sha'on, watch.
• Tik, bag.
• Chagora, belt.
• Ta'assa... wait that's not right. Tzamid, bracelet.
• Tabaa'at, ring.

Materials

When shopping, you'll often see the material described on the tag or hear it from the shop clerk:

• Kutna, cotton.
• Tzemer, wool.
• Or, leather.
• Meshi, silk.
• Jeans, jeans/denim (same as English).

Colors for clothing

These come up constantly when shopping or describing an outfit:

• Lavan, white.
• Shachor, black.
• Adom, red.
• Kachol, blue.
• Yarok, green.
• Tzahov, yellow.
• Afor, gray.
• Chum, brown.

Colors in Hebrew have masculine and feminine forms. Simla adumah (red dress) uses the feminine "adumah", while tik adom (red bag) uses the masculine "adom". You'll pick this up naturally.

Sizes and fit

At an Israeli clothing store:

• Mida, size.
• Mida small / medium / large, used as English sizes in Israel.
• Gadol, big. Katan, small.
• Yoter gadol, bigger. Yoter katan, smaller.
• Ze matim li?, does this fit me?
• Efshar limdod?, can I try it on?

Fitting rooms are called ta medidah (measuring room).

Dressing for Israeli weather

Because Israel has two very different seasons, your vocabulary splits into summer and winter needs.

• Summer (April-November): t-shirt, michnasayim ktzarim, sandalim, kova, mishkafei shemesh, begged yam.
• Winter (December-March): chultza aruka (long shirt), meil, mach'gelet, na'alayim sgurot (closed shoes).

Pro tip: Israeli winter is cold by Israeli standards, which means 10-15°C. If you're coming from Chicago or Berlin, you'll be fine in a light jacket.

Useful shopping phrases

• Kama ze oleh?, how much does this cost?
• Yesh be-mida acheret?, is there another size?
• Yesh be-tzeva acher?, is there another color?
• Ani ohev et ze, I love this (masc).
• Ani lokeach, I'll take it.

Practice tip

Open your closet, grab any item, and try to name it in Hebrew. If you don't know the word, look it up and write it on a sticky note. Tape the note to the item for a week. By next Sunday you'll know your whole wardrobe in Hebrew without having studied formally.

For more clothing vocabulary with images and audio, our topics pages include detailed clothing lists, and our phrases section has shopping-ready sentences.

Your closet is your free Hebrew textbook. Start labeling tonight.