Real Estate Glossary in Israel: French, Hebrew and English
Real estate in Israel has its own vocabulary. Contracts are in Hebrew, discussions with agents mix Hebrew and English, and legal and tax terms often have no direct equivalent in French. Not mastering this vocabulary means risking signing a document without understanding it or missing crucial information.
This glossary brings together the most important terms you will encounter in any real estate transaction in Israel โ purchase, sale, rental or investment. Each term is given in French, Hebrew (with pronunciation in Latin characters) and English.
๐ก Tip: Bookmark this page. You will come back to it often โ when reading your contract, discussing with your lawyer, or when your real estate agent uses a term you don't know.
๐ This article is part of the Ultimate Guide to Real Estate in Israel
Property types
French | Pronunciation | Hebrew | English |
|---|---|---|---|
Apartment | Dira | ืืืจื | Apartment |
House / Villa | Bait / Vila | ืืืช / ืืืื | House / Villa |
Penthouse | Penthouse | ืคื ืืืืื | Penthouse |
Duplex | Dupleks | ืืืคืืงืก | Duplex |
Garden apartment | Dirat gane | ืืืจืช ืื | Garden apartment |
Cottage (townhouse) | Kotej | ืงืืื' | Cottage / Townhouse |
Mini-penthouse | Mini-penthouse | ืืื ื ืคื ืืืืื | Mini-penthouse |
Studio | Stoudyo | ืกืืืืื | Studio |
Loft | Loft | ืืืคื | Loft |
Land | Migrash | ืืืจืฉ | Land / Plot |
Office | Misrad | ืืฉืจื | Office |
Commercial space | Hanut | ืื ืืช | Shop / Commercial space |
Building | Binyan | ืื ืืื | Building |
Parking | Hanaya | ืื ืืื | Parking space |
Storage room | Mahsan | ืืืกื | Storage room |
Rooms and features
French | Pronunciation | Hebrew | English |
|---|---|---|---|
Room | Heder | ืืืจ | Room |
Living room | Salon | ืกืืื | Living room |
Kitchen | Mitbah | ืืืื | Kitchen |
Bathroom | Ambatyah | ืืืืืื | Bathroom |
Toilet | Sherutim | ืฉืืจืืชืื | Toilet / WC |
Balcony / Terrace | Mirpesset | ืืจืคืกืช | Balcony / Terrace |
Safe room (shelter) | Mamad | ืื"ื | Safe room |
Square meters | Meeter ravou'a | ื"ืจ | Square meters |
Floor | Koma | ืงืืื | Floor |
Elevator | Ma'alit | ืืขืืืช | Elevator |
Air conditioning | Mizug avir | ืืืืื ืืืืืจ | Air conditioning |
Water heater | Doud shemesh / Doud hashmal | ืืื ืฉืืฉ / ืืื ืืฉืื | Solar / Electric water heater |
Sea view | Nof layam | ื ืืฃ ืืื | Sea view |
๐ก The mamad: The safe room (mamad) is mandatory in all constructions since 1992. It is a reinforced concrete room that serves as a shelter. In daily life, it is often used as a bedroom, office or storage. Older properties without mamad have a collective shelter (miklat) in the building.
Transactions and operation types
French | Pronunciation | Hebrew | English |
|---|---|---|---|
Sale | Mekhira | ืืืืจื | Sale |
Purchase | Rekhisha | ืจืืืฉื | Purchase |
Rental | Skhirout | ืฉืืืจืืช | Rent / Lease |
Vacation rental | Skhirout nofesh | ืฉืืืจืืช ื ืืคืฉ | Vacation rental |
New project | Proyekt khadash | ืคืจืืืงื ืืืฉ | New project |
Off-plan purchase | Rekhisha al haniyar | ืจืืืฉื ืขื ืื ืืืจ | Off-plan purchase |
Gift | Matana | ืืชื ื | Gift / Donation |
Inheritance | Yerusha | ืืจืืฉื | Inheritance |
Legal terms
French | Pronunciation | Hebrew | English |
|---|---|---|---|
Land Registry | Tabu | ืืืื | Land Registry (Tabu) |
Land Registry extract | Nesah Tabu | ื ืกื ืืืื | Tabu extract |
Sale contract | Hozeh mekhira | ืืืื ืืืืจื | Sale contract |
Lease agreement | Hozeh skhirout | ืืืื ืฉืืืจืืช | Lease agreement |
Lawyer | Orekh din | ืขืืจื ืืื | Lawyer / Attorney |
Power of attorney | Yipuy koah | ืืืคืื ืืื | Power of attorney |
Mortgage lien | Mashkon | ืืฉืืื | Mortgage lien |
Cautionary note | He'arat azhara | ืืขืจืช ืืืืจื | Cautionary note |
Provisional registration | Rishum zmanit | ืจืืฉืื ืืื ื | Provisional registration |
Condominium | Bait meshutar | ืืืช ืืฉืืชืฃ | Condominium |
Building regulations | Takanon | ืชืงื ืื | Building regulations |
Building permit | Heter bniya | ืืืชืจ ืื ืืื | Building permit |
Illegal construction | Bniya bilti hukit | ืื ืืื ืืืชื ืืืงืืช | Illegal construction |
Demolition order | Tsav harisa | ืฆื ืืจืืกื | Demolition order |
Long-term lease | Hakhira | ืืืืจื | Long-term lease |
Joint ownership | Be'alout meshutefet | ืืขืืืช ืืฉืืชืคืช | Joint ownership |
๐ก He'arat azhara: This is the cautionary note registered at the Tabu that protects the buyer from the contract signing. It warns third parties that a right exists on the property. It is your legal shield between signing and final registration.
Taxation and finance
French | Pronunciation | Hebrew | English |
|---|---|---|---|
Purchase tax | Mas rekhisha | ืืก ืจืืืฉื | Purchase tax |
Capital gains tax | Mas shevah | ืืก ืฉืื | Capital gains tax |
Municipal property tax | Arnona | ืืจื ืื ื | Municipal property tax |
Betterment tax | Hetel hashbaha | ืืืื ืืฉืืื | Betterment tax |
VAT | Ma'am | ืืข"ื | VAT |
Mortgage | Mashkanta | ืืฉืื ืชื | Mortgage |
Interest rate | Ribit | ืจืืืืช | Interest rate |
Fixed rate | Ribit kvua | ืจืืืืช ืงืืืขื | Fixed rate |
Variable rate | Ribit mishtana | ืจืืืืช ืืฉืชื ื | Variable rate |
CPI-linked | Tzamoud lamadad | ืฆืืื ืืืื | CPI-linked |
Mortgage track | Masloul | ืืกืืื | Mortgage track |
Approval in principle | Ishour ekroni | ืืืฉืืจ ืขืงืจืื ื | Approval in principle |
Early repayment | Piraon mukdam | ืคืืจืขืื ืืืงืื | Early repayment |
Prepayment penalty | Knas piraon mukdam | ืงื ืก ืคืืจืขืื ืืืงืื | Prepayment penalty |
Property appraisal | Shomah / Shmaรฏ | ืฉืืื / ืฉืืื | Appraisal / Appraiser |
Single property | Dira yekhida | ืืืจื ืืืืื | Single property |
Real estate professionals
French | Pronunciation | Hebrew | English |
|---|---|---|---|
Real estate agent | Metavekh | ืืชืืื | Real estate agent / Broker |
Developer / Contractor | Kablan | ืงืืื | Developer / Contractor |
Mortgage broker | Ya'ats mashkantaot | ืืืขืฅ ืืฉืื ืชืืืช | Mortgage broker |
Home inspector | Bodek bait | ืืืืง ืืืช | Home inspector |
Real estate appraiser | Shmaรฏ mekarke'in | ืฉืืื ืืงืจืงืขืื | Real estate appraiser |
Architect | Adrikhal | ืืืจืืื | Architect |
Building committee | Va'ad bait | ืืขื ืืืช | Building committee |
Rental โ Specific terms
French | Pronunciation | Hebrew | English |
|---|---|---|---|
Rent | Skhirat dira | ืฉืืจ ืืืจื | Rent |
Security deposit | Pikadone | ืคืืงืืื | Security deposit |
Bank guarantee | Arevout bankaรฏt | ืขืจืืืช ืื ืงืืืช | Bank guarantee |
Promissory note | Shtar hov | ืฉืืจ ืืื | Promissory note |
Guarantor | Arev | ืขืจื | Guarantor |
Post-dated checks | Hamsha'ot | ืืืืืืช | Post-dated checks |
Standing order | Hora'at keva | ืืืจืืช ืงืืข | Standing order |
Building maintenance fees | Tashlumey va'ad bait | ืชืฉืืืื ืืขื ืืืช | Building maintenance fees |
Prior notice | Hodaa mukdemet | ืืืืขื ืืืงืืืช | Prior notice |
Construction and renovation
French | Pronunciation | Hebrew | English |
|---|---|---|---|
Structural frame | Shelad | ืฉืื | Structural frame |
Finishing | Gmar | ืืืจ | Finishing |
Seismic reinforcement | Tama 38 | ืชื"ื 38 | Tama 38 (seismic retrofit) |
Demolish-rebuild | Pinouy Binouy | ืคืื ืื ืืื ืื | Urban renewal (demolish & rebuild) |
Purchasing group | Kvoutzat rekhisha | ืงืืืฆืช ืจืืืฉื | Purchasing group |
Builder warranty (inspection) | Bdeq | ืืืง | Inspection warranty |
Structural liability | Ahrayout | ืืืจืืืช | Structural liability |
Building rights | Zkhuyot bniya | ืืืืืืช ืื ืืื | Building rights |
Bank guarantee (developer) | Arevout bankaรฏt | ืขืจืืืช ืื ืงืืืช | Bank guarantee (developer) |
Common agent expressions
French | Pronunciation | Hebrew | English |
|---|---|---|---|
Exclusive listing | Bil'adiout | ืืืขืืืืช | Exclusive listing |
Asking price | Mekhir mevukash | ืืืืจ ืืืืงืฉ | Asking price |
Negotiable | Nitan lemisah oumatan | ื ืืชื ืืืฉื ืืืชื | Negotiable |
Renovated | Meshupatz | ืืฉืืคืฅ | Renovated |
Bright | Bahir | ืืืืจ | Bright |
Quiet | Shaket | ืฉืงื | Quiet |
Spacious | Marvah | ืืจืืื | Spacious |
Good location | Mikom tov | ืืืงืื ืืื | Good location |
Don't miss | Lo lefahspes | ืื ืืคืกืคืก | Don't miss |
Immediate entry | Knisa miyedit | ืื ืืกื ืืืืืืช | Immediate entry |
Brokerage fee | Dmey tivoukh | ืืื ืชืืืื | Brokerage fee |
๐ก "Meshupatz" doesn't mean new. In Israel, "renovated" can mean a coat of paint and new tiles, or a complete renovation. Always ask what exactly was done, and check if the work was done with a permit when necessary.
Common abbreviations in listings
Abbreviation | Meaning | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
ื' (het) | ืืืจืื (hadarim) | Number of rooms (ex: 4 ื' = 4 rooms) |
ื"ืจ (mer) | ืืืจ ืจืืืข | Square meters |
ืื"ื (mamad) | ืืจืื ืืืื ืืืจืชื | Safe room |
ืงืืื (koma) | โ | Floor |
โช (NIS) | ืฉืงื ืืืฉ | New Israeli Shekel |
ืชื"ื 38 | ืชืื ืืช ืืชืืจ ืืจืฆืืช | National Tama 38 plan |
ืคืื ืื ืืื ืื | โ | Urban demolish-rebuild |
Must-know terms (top 10)
If you should remember only 10 terms, these are the ones:
# | Term | Hebrew | Why it's essential |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tabu | ืืืื | The land registry โ ultimate proof of ownership |
2 | Mashkanta | ืืฉืื ืชื | The mortgage โ your financing |
3 | Mas rekhisha | ืืก ืจืืืฉื | Purchase tax โ your biggest additional cost |
4 | Orekh din | ืขืืจื ืืื | The lawyer โ your protector in the transaction |
5 | Nesah Tabu | ื ืกื ืืืื | The land registry extract โ the property's X-ray |
6 | He'arat azhara | ืืขืจืช ืืืืจื | The cautionary note โ your legal shield |
7 | Arnona | ืืจื ืื ื | Municipal tax โ recurring charge to budget |
8 | Mamad | ืื"ื | The safe room โ mandatory since 1992 |
9 | Metavekh | ืืชืืื | The real estate agent โ 2% + VAT commission |
10 | Kablan | ืงืืื | The developer โ your contact for new properties |
Also read
Each term in this glossary is developed in context in the guide articles:
๐ The Ultimate Guide to Real Estate in Israel
๐ The purchase process โ Tabu, Orekh din, Hozeh mekhira
๐ The Mashkanta โ Masloul, Ribit, Ishour ekroni
๐ Taxation โ Mas rekhisha, Mas shevah, Arnona
๐ New projects โ Kablan, Tama 38, Kvoutzat rekhisha
๐ Rental โ Pikadone, Shtar hov, Hamsha'ot
Explore listings on immobilier.co.il โ
This glossary is regularly updated. If you encounter a real estate term in Hebrew that is not listed, contact us and we will add it. Last update: March 2026.
immobilier.co.il โ The real estate portal in Israel since 2004.