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אחי
/ah-KHEE/
Bro, dude, man (literally: my brother)
Achi (אחי, pronounced ah-KHEE) literally means "my brother" in Hebrew but is used as casual slang for "bro", "dude", or "man". It's the go-to term of address between Israeli men, similar to how Americans say "bro" or Australians say "mate". Women also use it now. It signals warmth, familiarity, and instant camaraderie. "Achi, tishma" (bro, listen) is how half of Israeli conversations begin.
אחי
Achi
ah-KHEE
Capitals = stressed syllable
The Hebrew script reads right-to-left. The English transliteration uses the Israeli Sephardic pronunciation standard.
The Israeli "bro" — used between male friends, acquaintances, and even strangers to create instant camaraderie. Women also use it now. You'll hear it in nearly every sentence between young Israeli men. "Achi, tishma" (Bro, listen) is how half of Israeli conversations begin.
Fun fact
Saying "achi achi" (bro bro) is how Israelis slow down a conversation to express genuine concern or careful disbelief — the repetition adds emphasis and signals the speaker is being serious.
אחי, תשמע מה קרה לי היום.
Achi, tishma ma kara li hayom.
Bro, listen to what happened to me today.
מה קורה, אחי?
Ma kore, achi?
What's up, man?
אחי אחי, זה לא בסדר.
Achi achi, ze lo beseder.
Bro, bro — that's not okay.
אחי, אני לא מאמין שהוא אמר את זה.
Achi, ani lo ma'amin shehu amar et ze.
Man, I can't believe he said that.
תהיה אחי ותסביר לי את החומר.
Tihye achi vetasbeir li et hakkhomer.
Be a bro and explain the material to me.
Literally the Hebrew word for "my brother" (אחי). Used as casual address since at least the 1980s, strongly influenced by Mizrahi culture and later adopted universally across Israeli society.
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גבר
Gever
GEH-ver
Man, guy, dude (also: a real man, someone tough)
חביבי
Habibi
hah-BEE-bee
My love, darling, buddy, mate (used for everyone)
מותק
Motek
MOH-tek
Sweetie, honey, darling (literally: sweetness)
דוגרי
Dugri
DOOG-ree
Straight talk, direct, honest, blunt (without sugarcoating)