Free, no AI99 terms, 8 phrases
IDF terms and slang
Parents hear a mix of ranks, unit names, and slang from a child in uniform. These are the words on a tzav, in a Shabbat phone call, and at the bakum.
| Hebrew | Reads | What it is | Good to know | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| צה"ל | tzahal | IDF | ||
| חייל | khayal | soldier (m.) | ||
| חיילת | khayelet | soldier (f.) | ||
| מפקד | mefaked | commander | ||
| קצין | katzin | officer | ||
| טוראי | turai | private | ||
| רב טוראי | rav turai | corporal | ||
| רב"ט | rabat | corporal (abbrev.) | ||
| סמל | samal | sergeant | ||
| סמל ראשון | samal rishon | staff sergeant | ||
| סמר | samar | staff sergeant (abbrev.) | Written סמ"ר. | |
| רב סמל | rav samal | sergeant first class | ||
| רס"ל | rasal | sergeant first class (abbrev.) | ||
| רב סמל ראשון | rav samal rishon | master sergeant | ||
| רס"ר | rasar | master sergeant (abbrev.) | ||
| רב סמל מתקדם | rav samal mitkadem | sergeant major | ||
| רב סמל בכיר | rav samal bakhir | command sergeant major | ||
| רס"ב | rasab | command sergeant major (abbrev.) | ||
| רב נגד | rav nagad | chief warrant officer | ||
| רנג | ranag | chief warrant officer (abbrev.) | Written רנ"ג. | |
| סגן משנה | segen mishne | second lieutenant | ||
| סגן | segen | lieutenant | ||
| סרן | seren | captain | ||
| רב סרן | rav seren | major | ||
| רס"ן | rasan | major (abbrev.) | ||
| סגן אלוף | sgan aluf | lieutenant colonel | ||
| סא"ל | sa'al | lieutenant colonel (abbrev.) | ||
| אלוף משנה | aluf mishne | colonel | ||
| תת אלוף | tat aluf | brigadier general | ||
| תא"ל | ta'al | brigadier general (abbrev.) | ||
| אלוף | aluf | major general | ||
| רב אלוף | rav aluf | lieutenant general | The rank of the Chief of Staff. | |
| רא"ל | ra'al | lieutenant general (abbrev.) | ||
| גדוד | gdud | battalion | ||
| חטיבה | khativa | brigade | ||
| אוגדה | ugda | division | ||
| פלוגה | pluga | company | ||
| מחלקה | makhlaka | platoon | ||
| כיתה | kita | squad | ||
| חיל | khayil | corps | ||
| מילואים | milu'im | reserves | ||
| טירונות | tironut | basic training | ||
| טירון | tiron | recruit | ||
| בקו"ם | bakum | induction center | Where new soldiers are processed on day one. | |
| גיבוש | gibush | selection tryout | ||
| שיבוץ | shibutz | assignment | ||
| קרבי | kravi | combat | ||
| עורפי | orfi | rear / non-combat | ||
| ג׳ובניק | jobnik | non-combat soldier | Slang, sometimes fond, sometimes dismissive. | |
| קבע | keva | career army | ||
| סדיר | sadir | regular service | ||
| עתודה | atuda | academic reserve track | ||
| גיוס | giyus | enlistment | ||
| דחייה | dekhiya | deferment | ||
| שחרור | shikhrur | discharge | ||
| צו | tzav | call-up order | ||
| צו 8 | tzav shmona | emergency reserve call-up | ||
| פז"ם | pazam | time in service | ||
| יציאה | yetzi'a | leave off base | ||
| גימלים | gimelim | army sick leave | A medical day off; parents hear this more than "מחלה." | |
| מחבוש | makhbosh | base detention | ||
| פק"ל | pakal | kit / packing list | ||
| מדים | madim | uniform | ||
| כומתה | kumta | beret | ||
| נשק | neshek | weapon | ||
| מטווח | mitvakh | firing range | ||
| מסע | masa | loaded march | ||
| תעסוקה מבצעית | ta'asuka mivtza'it | operational duty | ||
| גבול | gvul | border | ||
| כוננות | konenut | standby / alert | ||
| בסיס | basis | base | ||
| בה"ד | bahad | training base | ||
| נח"ל | nakhal | Nahal | ||
| גולני | golani | Golani | ||
| גבעתי | giv'ati | Givati | ||
| צנחנים | tzanhanim | paratroopers | ||
| שריון | shiryon | armor | ||
| חיל אוויר | khel avir | air force | ||
| חיל הים | khel ha-yam | navy | ||
| מודיעין | modi'in | intelligence | ||
| סיירת | sayeret | reconnaissance unit | ||
| קורס קצינים | kurs ktzinim | officer course | ||
| מכינה | mekhina | pre-army year | ||
| שנת שירות | shnat sherut | service year | ||
| ת"ש | tash | soldier welfare / conditions | ||
| מש"ק | mashak | NCO | ||
| משקית | mashkit | female NCO | ||
| קב"ן | kaban | mental-health officer | ||
| שמירה | shmira | guard duty | ||
| תורנות | toranut | duty roster | ||
| קשר | kesher | contact / signals | ||
| מילואמניק | milu'imnik | reservist | ||
| קבעניק | kevanik | career soldier | ||
| הסדר | hesder | yeshiva-army track | ||
| חתרן | khatran | slacker | ||
| אפסנאות | afsana'ut | supply | ||
| מנת קרב | manat krav | combat ration | ||
| כפיר | kfir | Kfir brigade | ||
| שייטת | shayetet | naval commando | When people say "the Shayetet" they mean Shayetet 13. |
99 of 99 terms
Army life צבא
Say it
| מתי השחרור | matai ha-shikhrur | When is discharge? |
| אני במילואים | ani be-milu'im | I am on reserve duty. |
| יש צו 8 | yesh tzav shmona | There is an emergency call-up. |
| איפה הבסיס | eifo ha-basis | Where is the base? |
| הוא בטירונות | hu be-tironut | He is in basic training. |
| יש גימלים | yesh gimelim | There is army sick leave. |
| יציאה לשבת | yetzi'a le-shabbat | Leave for Shabbat. |
| מתי הגיבוש | matai ha-gibush | When is the tryout? |
Terms
| צה"ל | tzahal | IDF |
| חייל | khayal | soldier (m.) |
| חיילת | khayelet | soldier (f.) |
| מפקד | mefaked | commander |
| קצין | katzin | officer |
| טוראי | turai | private |
| רב טוראי | rav turai | corporal |
| רב"ט | rabat | corporal (abbrev.) |
| סמל | samal | sergeant |
| סמל ראשון | samal rishon | staff sergeant |
| סמר | samar | staff sergeant (abbrev.) |
| רב סמל | rav samal | sergeant first class |
| רס"ל | rasal | sergeant first class (abbrev.) |
| רב סמל ראשון | rav samal rishon | master sergeant |
| רס"ר | rasar | master sergeant (abbrev.) |
| רב סמל מתקדם | rav samal mitkadem | sergeant major |
| רב סמל בכיר | rav samal bakhir | command sergeant major |
| רס"ב | rasab | command sergeant major (abbrev.) |
| רב נגד | rav nagad | chief warrant officer |
| רנג | ranag | chief warrant officer (abbrev.) |
| סגן משנה | segen mishne | second lieutenant |
| סגן | segen | lieutenant |
| סרן | seren | captain |
| רב סרן | rav seren | major |
| רס"ן | rasan | major (abbrev.) |
| סגן אלוף | sgan aluf | lieutenant colonel |
| סא"ל | sa'al | lieutenant colonel (abbrev.) |
| אלוף משנה | aluf mishne | colonel |
| תת אלוף | tat aluf | brigadier general |
| תא"ל | ta'al | brigadier general (abbrev.) |
Say it
מתי השחרור
matai ha-shikhrur
When is discharge?
אני במילואים
ani be-milu'im
I am on reserve duty.
יש צו 8
yesh tzav shmona
There is an emergency call-up.
איפה הבסיס
eifo ha-basis
Where is the base?
הוא בטירונות
hu be-tironut
He is in basic training.
יש גימלים
yesh gimelim
There is army sick leave.
יציאה לשבת
yetzi'a le-shabbat
Leave for Shabbat.
מתי הגיבוש
matai ha-gibush
When is the tryout?
Good to know
גימלים is not civilian sick leave
It is the army medical day off; a parent hears it as "he is coming home tomorrow."
צו 8 is the one that wrecks the calendar
An emergency reserve order, not the ordinary yearly miluim dates.
Ranks collapse to nicknames
People say רס"ר and סא"ל more than the full Hebrew; the vest still has the full rank.
Bakum is a place, not a unit
בקו"ם is the induction center; after that the שיבוץ is the real news.