Lesson 114: Goals and Resolutions
Setting goals — for the year, for life — calls for the language of decision and commitment. This lesson gives you the vocabulary of aspiration.
Plans for the year
מָה הַמַּטָּרוֹת שֶׁלְּךָ לַשָּׁנָה הַבָּאָה?
ma hamatarot shelcha lashana haba’a?
What are your goals for next year?
הֶחְלַטְתִּי לִלְמֹד שָׂפָה חֲדָשָׁה.
hechlateti lilmod safa chadasha.
I’ve decided to learn a new language.
זוֹ מַטָּרָה שְׁאַפְתָנִית.
zo matara she’aftanit.
That’s an ambitious goal.
נָכוֹן, אֲבָל אֲנִי מִתְחַיֵּב לְהַשְׁקִיעַ.
nachon, aval ani mitchayev lehashkia.
True, but I’m committing to put in the work.
בְּהַצְלָחָה בְּהַגְשָׁמַת הַחֲלוֹם!
behatslacha behagshamat hachalom!
Good luck making the dream happen!
Grammar: deciding and committing
State a resolution with הֶחְלַטְתִּי לְ־ (hechlateti le-, “I’ve decided to”) + an infinitive: הֶחְלַטְתִּי לִלְמֹד (“I decided to study”).
Raise the stakes with לְהִתְחַיֵּב (lehitchayev, “to commit / pledge”) + an infinitive — a stronger promise to yourself. The noun of aspiration is שְׁאִיפָה (she’ifa), and to “achieve / fulfil” a goal is לְהַשִּׂיג (lehasig) or, more poetically, לְהַגְשִׁים (lehagshim, “to realise / make real”).
Tip: לְהַגְשִׁים חֲלוֹם (lehagshim chalom, “to make a dream come true”) is the warm, idiomatic phrase for achieving something you’ve long wished for.
Vocabulary
Goals
| מַטָּרָה | matara | goal, aim |
| שְׁאִיפָה | she’ifa | aspiration |
| שְׁאַפְתָנִי | she’aftani | ambitious |
Committing & achieving
| לְהַחְלִיט | lehachlit | to decide |
| לְהִתְחַיֵּב | lehitchayev | to commit, pledge |
| לְהַשִּׂיג | lehasig | to achieve, attain |
| לְהַגְשִׁים | lehagshim | to realise, fulfil |