# החבר - החברה



## Konstantinos

החבר: Boyfriend or simple a man friend (without relationship)
החברה: Girlfriend or simple a woman friend (without relationship)

?


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## arielipi

when you want to refer a friend you use חבר חברה or ידיד ידידיה to clarify youre not gf/bf
using החבר החברה without proper context gives that you talk about gf/bf.


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## Konstantinos

Thank you.


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## arielipi

another clarification - with proper context you can use החבר החברה as a friend, but a thumb rule is to make sure people know who you are talking about.

btw, if a guy says החבר people wont think of it straight (how fit) away as a bf, same goes for a gal החברה.

also, saying החבר שלי is mostly bf and not simply friend.


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## Ali Smith

Is it true that in both these words you should pronounce the definite article as he, not ha?
For example, “my new friend“ would be pronounced *he*-khaver *he*-khadash sheli.


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## Drink

Ali Smith said:


> Is it true that in both these words you should pronounce the definite article as he, not ha?
> For example, “my new friend“ would be pronounced *he*-khaver *he*-khadash sheli.



Technically yes, but no one speaks that way.


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## aavichai

It is true for HeHaver

But not for חברה
Ha-Havera
(since the word Havera doesn't start with vowel Qamats).


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## Ali Smith

Drink said:


> Technically yes, but no one speaks that way.



If someone did speak that way, would it be consider formal? I think I’ve heard at least one person pronounce העירים as he-‘arim (the cities).


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## Drink

Ali Smith said:


> If someone did speak that way, would it be consider formal? I think I’ve heard at least one person pronounce העירים as he-‘arim (the cities).



Yes, it would be. You'll hear it sometimes (but not always, and probably not even most of the time) in formal speech. And sometimes in high-register songs or poetry.

Just note that it requires a lot of training to be able to use it in the appropriate places, because you need to know which words start with qamatz, and you need to distinguish the complicated rules that depend on which guttural letter it is, which type of qamatz it is, and where the word stress is.


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## Ali Smith

I guess nobody does it naturally. No wonder it sounds stilted!


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