Lesson 49: Household Chores
Someone has to do the housework — and dividing it up is a perfect everyday conversation. This lesson gives you the chores and the language to share them.
Splitting the housework
אַתָּה יָכוֹל לַעֲזֹר בַּבַּיִת?
ata yachol la’azor babayit?
Can you help around the house?
בְּטַח. מָה צָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת?
betach. ma tsarich la’asot?
Sure. What needs to be done?
צָרִיךְ לִשְׁטֹף כֵּלִים וּלְהוֹצִיא אֶת הַזֶּבֶל.
tsarich lishtof kelim ulehotsi et hazevel.
We need to wash dishes and take out the trash.
אֲנִי אֶשְׁטֹף, וְאַתְּ תְּסַדְּרִי?
ani eshtof, ve’at tesadri?
I’ll wash, and you’ll tidy up?
מְצֻיָּן, עֲבוֹדַת צֶוֶת!
metsuyan, avodat tsevet!
Excellent, teamwork!
Grammar: “needs to be done” and dividing tasks
For impersonal tasks, use צָרִיךְ (tsarich, “one needs to”) + an infinitive — no subject required: צָרִיךְ לִשְׁטֹף כֵּלִים (“the dishes need washing”).
To divide the work, switch to the future (“I’ll do X, you’ll do Y”): אֲנִי אֶשְׁטֹף, וְאַתְּ תְּסַדְּרִי (ani eshtof, ve’at tesadri) — “I’ll wash, and you’ll tidy.”
Tip: לִשְׁטֹף כֵּלִים (lishtof kelim) is literally “to rinse vessels” = “wash the dishes” — a fixed phrase.
Vocabulary
Chores
| לְנַקּוֹת | lenakot | to clean |
| לְכַבֵּס | lechabes | to do laundry |
| לִשְׁטֹף כֵּלִים | lishtof kelim | to wash dishes |
| לְסַדֵּר | lesader | to tidy, arrange |
Useful words
| נִקָּיוֹן | nikayon | cleaning |
| זֶבֶל | zevel | trash, rubbish |
| עֲבוֹדַת צֶוֶת | avodat tsevet | teamwork |