How to Say “How Are You” in Hebrew (Formal and Casual)

The polite version that changes with who you ask, and the easy casual ones that do not. · Updated July 24, 2026

To ask “how are you” in Hebrew, say מה שלומך: ma shlomcha to a man and ma shlomech to a woman. The ending changes with the person you are asking. For a casual “what’s up,” use מה נשמע (ma nishma) or מה קורה (ma kore), which stay the same for anyone. Type it in English and a translation keyboard sends the right Hebrew into your chat.

“How are you” is where Hebrew asks you to notice who you are talking to. The polite form shifts for a man or a woman; the casual forms do not, which is why Israelis reach for them all day.

How do you say “how are you” in Hebrew?

The standard phrase is מה שלומך, literally “what is your wellbeing.” The ending depends on who you are asking:

As with a lot of Hebrew, the written word is the same and the ending is heard, not spelled, so choosing the right one is about knowing who is on the other end.

What is a casual way to say it?

Most of the time Israelis skip the formal version. Two everyday options, both the same for a man or a woman:

• מה נשמע (ma nishma): literally “what is heard,” the everyday “what’s up.”
• מה קורה (ma kore): literally “what’s happening,” a relaxed “how’s it going.”

How do you answer “how are you” in Hebrew?

Keep it short. הכל בסדר (hakol beseder) is “everything’s fine,” and plain בסדר (beseder) is “okay.” For a cheerful “great,” Israelis often say סבבה (sababa), a friendly slang “cool.” None of these change with gender.

How do you send “how are you” in Hebrew in a chat?

The tricky part is not the words, it is picking the right ending in the moment and typing right-to-left while you are at it. A translation keyboard like Bridgi lets you type in English and send the correct Hebrew straight into WhatsApp, so a check-in is one tap. And check-ins repeat, so the person you ask after today is the person you will ask again next week, which is exactly where keeping it in Hebrew pays off.

Frequently asked questions

How do you write “how are you” in Hebrew?

You write מה שלומך. It is read ma shlomcha when asking a man and ma shlomech when asking a woman.

Does “how are you” change for a man or a woman in Hebrew?

The polite form does: ma shlomcha to a man, ma shlomech to a woman. The casual forms ma nishma and ma kore stay the same for everyone.

What does “ma nishma” mean?

מה נשמע (ma nishma) literally means “what is heard” and is the everyday Hebrew for “what’s up.” It works for anyone.

What does “sababa” mean?

סבבה (sababa) is common Israeli slang for “cool” or “great,” often used to answer that you are doing well.