Learning country names in Hebrew is useful for everyday conversation, travel, reading the news, and talking about where you are from. Whether you are a beginner learning Hebrew or an intermediate student expanding your vocabulary, knowing the names of countries in Hebrew will help you communicate more naturally.
Country names in Hebrew can sometimes look quite different from their English equivalents. For example, Germany is גֶּרְמַנְיָה (Germanya), Spain is סְפָרַד (Sfarad), and Greece is יָוָן (Yavan).
In this guide, you will find common country names in Hebrew, organized by continent. Each table includes the English country name, Hebrew transliteration, and the Hebrew spelling with nikud (ניקוד) to help you learn the correct pronunciation.
How to Say "Country" in Hebrew
The Hebrew word for country is:
| English | Hebrew | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| Country | מְדִינָה | medina |
| Countries | מְדִינוֹת | medinot |
For example:
אֵיזוֹ מְדִינָה?
Eizo medina?
Which country?
מֵאֵיזוֹ מְדִינָה אַתָּה?
Me-eizo medina ata?
Which country are you from? — to a man
מֵאֵיזוֹ מְדִינָה אַתְּ?
Me-eizo medina at?
Which country are you from? — to a woman
You will also frequently see the word אֶרֶץ (eretz), meaning "land" or "country," especially in geographical and formal expressions.
European Country Names in Hebrew
Europe has many countries whose Hebrew names are useful to learn. Some are very similar to English, while others have traditional Hebrew names.
| English | Transliteration | Hebrew with Nikud |
|---|---|---|
| Albania | Albania | אַלְבַּנְיָה |
| Austria | Austria | אוֹסְטְרְיָה |
| Belarus | Belarus | בֶּלָארוּס |
| Belgium | Belgium | בֶּלְגִיָּה |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Bosnia ve-Herzegovina | בּוֹסְנְיָה וְהֶרְצֶגוֹבִינָה |
| Bulgaria | Bulgaria | בּוּלְגַּרְיָה |
| Croatia | Croatia | קְרוֹאַטְיָה |
| Cyprus | Cyprus | קִפְרוֹס |
| Czech Republic / Czechia | Czechia | צֶ'כְיָה |
| Denmark | Denmark | דֶּנְמַרְק |
| Estonia | Estonia | אֶסְטוֹנְיָה |
| Finland | Finland | פִינְלַנְד |
| France | France | צָרְפַת |
| Germany | Germany | גֶּרְמַנְיָה |
| Greece | Greece | יָוָן |
| Hungary | Hungary | הוּנְגַּרְיָה |
| Iceland | Iceland | אִיסְלַנְד |
| Ireland | Ireland | אִירְלַנְד |
| Italy | Italy | אִיטַלְיָה |
| Latvia | Latvia | לָטְבִיָּה |
| Lithuania | Lithuania | לִיטָא |
| Luxembourg | Luxembourg | לוּקְסֶמְבּוּרְג |
| Malta | Malta | מַלְטָה |
| Moldova | Moldova | מוֹלְדָבָה |
| Monaco | Monaco | מוֹנָקוֹ |
| Montenegro | Montenegro | מוֹנְטֶנֶגְרוֹ |
| Netherlands | Netherlands | הוֹלַנְד |
| North Macedonia | North Macedonia | מַקֶדוֹנְיָה הַצְפוֹנִית |
| Norway | Norway | נוֹרְוֶגְיָה |
| Poland | Poland | פּוֹלִין |
| Portugal | Portugal | פּוֹרְטוּגַל |
| Romania | Romania | רוּמַנְיָה |
| Russia | Russia | רוּסְיָה |
| Serbia | Serbia | סֶרְבְּיָה |
| Slovakia | Slovakia | סְלוֹבַקְיָה |
| Slovenia | Slovenia | סְלוֹבֶנְיָה |
| Spain | Spain | סְפָרַד |
| Sweden | Sweden | שְׁוֶדְיָה |
| Switzerland | Switzerland | שְׁוֵיְץ |
| Ukraine | Ukraine | אוּקְרָאִינָה |
| United Kingdom | United Kingdom | הַמַּמְלָכָה הַמְּאוּחֶדֶת |
| Vatican City | Vatican City | קַרְיַת הַוַּתִיקָן |
Important European Country Names
A few European countries have Hebrew names that are especially worth remembering:
פּוֹלִין — Polin — Poland
צָרְפַת — Tsarfat — France
סְפָרַד — Sfarad — Spain
יָוָן — Yavan — Greece
גֶּרְמַנְיָה — Germanya — Germany
אִיטַלְיָה — Italia — Italy
Notice that Greece is particularly different: Hebrew uses יָוָן (Yavan), a name with ancient origins.
North and Central American Country Names in Hebrew
Here are the major countries of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
| English | Transliteration | Hebrew with Nikud |
|---|---|---|
| Antigua and Barbuda | Antigua ve-Barbuda | אַנְטִיגוּאָה וּבַּרְבּוּדָה |
| Bahamas | Bahamas | איי בַּהַמָּס |
| Barbados | Barbados | בַּרְבָּדוֹס |
| Belize | Belize | בֶּלִיז |
| Canada | Canada | קָנָדָה |
| Costa Rica | Costa Rica | קוֹסְטָה רִיקָה |
| Cuba | Cuba | קוּבָה |
| Dominican Republic | Dominican Republic | הָרֶפּוּבְּלִיקָה הַדּוֹמִינִיקָנִית |
| El Salvador | El Salvador | אֶל סַלְבָדוֹר |
| Guatemala | Guatemala | גְּוָאטֶמַלָה |
| Haiti | Haiti | הַאִיטִי |
| Honduras | Honduras | הוֹנְדּוּרָס |
| Jamaica | Jamaica | גַ'מַיְקָה |
| Mexico | Mexico | מֶקְסִיקוֹ |
| Nicaragua | Nicaragua | נִיקָרָגוּאָה |
| Panama | Panama | פָּנָמָה |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad ve-Tobago | טְרִינִידָד וְטוֹבָגוֹ |
| United States | United States | אַרְצוֹת הַבְּרִית |
The United States in Hebrew
The United States is usually called:
אַרְצוֹת הַבְּרִית
Artzot Ha-Brit
United States
You may also see אָרֶץ הַבְּרִית in some contexts, but אַרְצוֹת הַבְּרִית is the standard name for the United States.
The abbreviation ארה"ב is also extremely common in Hebrew.
South American Country Names in Hebrew
| English | Transliteration | Hebrew with Nikud |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Argentina | אַרְגֶנְטִינָה |
| Bolivia | Bolivia | בּוֹלִיבְיָה |
| Brazil | Brazil | בְּרָזִיל |
| Chile | Chile | צִ'ילֶה |
| Colombia | Colombia | קוֹלוֹמְבִּיָה |
| Ecuador | Ecuador | אֶקוָודוֹר |
| Guyana | Guyana | גּוּיָאנָה |
| Paraguay | Paraguay | פָּרָגְוַאי |
| Peru | Peru | פֶּרוּ |
| Suriname | Suriname | סוּרִינָאם |
| Uruguay | Uruguay | אוּרוּגְוַאי |
| Venezuela | Venezuela | וֶנֶסוּאֵלָה |
Some of these names are pronounced very similarly to their English counterparts, while others have Hebrew pronunciations that are worth practicing separately.
Middle Eastern Country Names in Hebrew
The Middle East is particularly important for Hebrew learners because these countries frequently appear in Hebrew news, history, politics, geography, and everyday conversation.
| English | Transliteration | Hebrew with Nikud |
|---|---|---|
| Israel | Israel | יִשְׂרָאֵל |
| Jordan | Jordan | יַרְדֵּן |
| Lebanon | Lebanon | לְבָנוֹן |
| Syria | Syria | סוּרְיָה |
| Iraq | Iraq | עִירָאק |
| Iran | Iran | אִירָאן |
| Turkey | Turkey | טוּרְקִיָּה |
| Egypt | Egypt | מִצְרַיִם |
| Saudi Arabia | Saudi Arabia | עֲרַב הַסָּעוּדִית |
| Yemen | Yemen | תֵּימָן |
| Oman | Oman | עוֹמָאן |
| Qatar | Qatar | קָטָר |
| Kuwait | Kuwait | כּוּוֵית |
| Bahrain | Bahrain | בַּחְרֵין |
| United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates | אִיחוּד הָאֱמִירֻיּוֹת הָעֲרָבִיּוֹת |
Israel in Hebrew
The Hebrew name for Israel is:
יִשְׂרָאֵל
Yisrael
Israel
This is one of the most important geographical names for Hebrew learners.
Egypt is:
מִצְרַיִם
Mitzrayim
Interestingly, the Hebrew name for Egypt comes from the biblical and ancient Hebrew tradition.
African Country Names in Hebrew
| English | Transliteration | Hebrew with Nikud |
|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Algeria | אַלְגֶ'רְיָה |
| Angola | Angola | אַנְגוֹלָה |
| Botswana | Botswana | בּוֹצְוָאנָה |
| Cameroon | Cameroon | קָמֶרוּן |
| Chad | Chad | צָ'אד |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Congo | קוֹנְגוֹ |
| Egypt | Egypt | מִצְרַיִם |
| Ethiopia | Ethiopia | אֶתְיוֹפְּיָה |
| Ghana | Ghana | גָּאנָה |
| Kenya | Kenya | קֶנְיָה |
| Libya | Libya | לִיבְּיָה |
| Madagascar | Madagascar | מָדָגַסְקָר |
| Morocco | Morocco | מָרוֹקוֹ |
| Mozambique | Mozambique | מוֹזַמְבִּיק |
| Namibia | Namibia | נָמִיבְּיָה |
| Nigeria | Nigeria | נִיגֶרְיָה |
| Rwanda | Rwanda | רוּאַנְדָה |
| Senegal | Senegal | סֶנֶגָל |
| Somalia | Somalia | סוֹמַלִיָּה |
| South Africa | South Africa | דְּרוֹם אַפְרִיקָה |
| Sudan | Sudan | סוּדָאן |
| Tanzania | Tanzania | טַנְזַנְיָה |
| Tunisia | Tunisia | תּוּנִיסְיָה |
| Uganda | Uganda | אוּגַנְדָּה |
| Zambia | Zambia | זַמְבִּיָה |
| Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe | זִימְבַּבְּוֶה |
Asian Country Names in Hebrew
Asia contains many countries that have interesting Hebrew names and pronunciations.
| English | Transliteration | Hebrew with Nikud |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Afghanistan | אַפְגָּנִיסְטָן |
| Armenia | Armenia | אַרְמֶנְיָה |
| Azerbaijan | Azerbaijan | אַזֶרְבַּיְגָ'אן |
| Bangladesh | Bangladesh | בָּנְגְלָדֶשׁ |
| Bhutan | Bhutan | בְּהוּטָן |
| Cambodia | Cambodia | קַמְבּוֹדְיָה |
| China | China | סִין |
| Georgia | Georgia | גֵּאוֹרְגְּיָה |
| India | India | הוֹדוּ |
| Indonesia | Indonesia | אִינְדּוֹנֶזְיָה |
| Japan | Japan | יָפָן |
| Kazakhstan | Kazakhstan | קָזַחְסְטָן |
| Kyrgyzstan | Kyrgyzstan | קִירְגִּיזְסְטָן |
| Laos | Laos | לָאוֹס |
| Malaysia | Malaysia | מָלֶזְיָה |
| Maldives | Maldives | הַמַּלְדִּיבִים |
| Mongolia | Mongolia | מוֹנְגוֹלְיָה |
| Myanmar | Myanmar | מִיאָנְמָר |
| Nepal | Nepal | נֶפָּאל |
| North Korea | North Korea | קוֹרֵיאָה הַצְפוֹנִית |
| Pakistan | Pakistan | פָּקִיסְטָן |
| Philippines | Philippines | הַפִּילִיפִּינִים |
| Singapore | Singapore | סִינְגָּפּוּר |
| South Korea | South Korea | קוֹרֵיאָה הַדְּרוֹמִית |
| Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | סְרִי לַנְקָה |
| Taiwan | Taiwan | טַיְוָאן |
| Tajikistan | Tajikistan | טָגִ'יקִיסְטָן |
| Thailand | Thailand | תָּאִילַנְד |
| Turkmenistan | Turkmenistan | טוּרְקְמֶנִיסְטָן |
| Uzbekistan | Uzbekistan | אוּזְבֶּקִיסְטָן |
| Vietnam | Vietnam | וְיֵיטְנָאם |
Some Asian Countries Have Traditional Hebrew Names
A few country names are especially important to memorize because their Hebrew names are quite different from English.
| English | Hebrew | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| China | סִין | Sin |
| India | הוֹדוּ | Hodu |
| Japan | יָפָן | Yapan |
| Greece | יָוָן | Yavan |
| Germany | גֶּרְמַנְיָה | Germanya |
| Egypt | מִצְרַיִם | Mitzrayim |
For example, China is סִין (Sin) in Hebrew, while India is הוֹדוּ (Hodu).
Oceania and Pacific Country Names in Hebrew
| English | Transliteration | Hebrew with Nikud |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Australia | אוֹסְטְרַלְיָה |
| Fiji | Fiji | פִיגִ'י |
| Kiribati | Kiribati | קִירִיבָּטִי |
| Marshall Islands | Marshall Islands | אִיֵּי מַרְשַל |
| Micronesia | Micronesia | מִיקְרוֹנֶזְיָה |
| New Zealand | New Zealand | נְיוּ זִילַנְד |
| Palau | Palau | פָּלָאוּ |
| Papua New Guinea | Papua New Guinea | פָּפּוּאָה גִינֵּאָה הַחֲדָשָׁה |
| Samoa | Samoa | סָמוֹאָה |
| Solomon Islands | Solomon Islands | אִיֵּי שְׁלֹמֹה |
| Tonga | Tonga | טוֹנְגָה |
| Tuvalu | Tuvalu | טוּבָאלוּ |
| Vanuatu | Vanuatu | וָנוּאָטוּ |
How to Say "I Am From…" in Hebrew
Once you know the country names, you can use them to talk about where you are from.
A very common Hebrew expression is:
אֲנִי מִ...
Ani mi...
I am from...
For example:
אֲנִי מִפּוֹלִין.
Ani mi-Polin.
I am from Poland.
אֲנִי מִצָּרְפַת.
Ani mi-Tsarfat.
I am from France.
אֲנִי מִגֶּרְמַנְיָה.
Ani mi-Germanya.
I am from Germany.
אֲנִי מִיָּפָן.
Ani mi-Yapan.
I am from Japan.
אֲנִי מִישְׂרָאֵל.
Ani mi-Yisrael.
I am from Israel.
Notice that the preposition מִ־ (mi-), meaning "from," attaches to the beginning of the country name.
How to Ask "Where Are You From?" in Hebrew
To ask a man:
מֵאֵיפֹה אַתָּה?
Me-eifo ata?
Where are you from?
To ask a woman:
מֵאֵיפֹה אַתְּ?
Me-eifo at?
Where are you from?
You can also ask more specifically:
מֵאֵיזוֹ מְדִינָה אַתָּה?
Me-eizo medina ata?
Which country are you from?
Or:
מֵאֵיזוֹ מְדִינָה אַתְּ?
Me-eizo medina at?
Country Names and Hebrew Prepositions
When using country names in Hebrew, the prepositions בְּ־ (be-) and מִ־ (mi-) are especially useful.
בְּ means in, while מִ־ means from.
| English | Hebrew | Example |
|---|---|---|
| In Israel | בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל | אֲנִי גָּר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל |
| From Israel | מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל | אֲנִי מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל |
| In France | בְּצָרְפַת | אֲנִי גָּר בְּצָרְפַת |
| From France | מִצָּרְפַת | אֲנִי מִצָּרְפַת |
| In Japan | בְּיָפָן | אֲנִי גָּר בְּיָפָן |
| From Japan | מִיָּפָן | אֲנִי מִיָּפָן |
| In Poland | בְּפוֹלִין | אֲנִי גָּר בְּפוֹלִין |
| From Poland | מִפּוֹלִין | אֲנִי מִפּוֹלִין |
Nationalities in Hebrew
Country names are closely related to another useful area of Hebrew vocabulary: nationalities.
The name of a country and the word for a person from that country are not always the same.
For example:
| Country | Nationality — Masculine | Nationality — Feminine |
|---|---|---|
| Israel — יִשְׂרָאֵל | יִשְׂרְאֵלִי | יִשְׂרְאֵלִית |
| United States — אַרְצוֹת הַבְּרִית | אָמֶרִיקָאִי | אָמֶרִיקָאִית |
| France — צָרְפַת | צָרְפָתִי | צָרְפָתִיָּה |
| Germany — גֶּרְמַנְיָה | גֶּרְמָנִי | גֶּרְמָנִיָּה |
| Italy — אִיטַלְיָה | אִיטַלְקִי | אִיטַלְקִיָּה |
| Spain — סְפָרַד | סְפָרַדִּי | סְפָרַדִּיָּה |
| Poland — פּוֹלִין | פּוֹלָנִי | פּוֹלָנִיָּה |
| Russia — רוּסְיָה | רוּסִי | רוּסִיָּה |
| Japan — יָפָן | יַפָּנִי | יַפָּנִית |
| China — סִין | סִינִי | סִינִית |
For example:
אֲנִי פּוֹלָנִי.
Ani Polani.
I am Polish. — masculine
אֲנִי פּוֹלָנִיָּה.
Ani Polaniya.
I am Polish. — feminine
This is an important distinction for Hebrew learners: פּוֹלִין (Polin) is the country, while פּוֹלָנִי (Polani) describes a Polish man.
Useful Hebrew Sentences About Countries
Here are several sentences you can use to practice your new vocabulary.
אֲנִי מִפּוֹלִין.
Ani mi-Polin.
I am from Poland.
הִיא מִצָּרְפַת.
Hi mi-Tsarfat.
She is from France.
הוּא מִגֶּרְמַנְיָה.
Hu mi-Germanya.
He is from Germany.
אֲנַחְנוּ מִיַּפָן.
Anakhnu mi-Yapan.
We are from Japan.
הֵם גָּרִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.
Hem garim be-Yisrael.
They live in Israel.
אֲנִי לוֹמֵד עִבְרִית בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.
Ani lomed Ivrit be-Yisrael.
I study Hebrew in Israel.
הִיא גָּרָה בְּסְפָרַד.
Hi gara be-Sfarad.
She lives in Spain.
Quick Reference: 20 Important Country Names in Hebrew
If you are just beginning to learn Hebrew, start with these common country names:
| English | Hebrew | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| Israel | יִשְׂרָאֵל | Yisrael |
| United States | אַרְצוֹת הַבְּרִית | Artzot Ha-Brit |
| Canada | קָנָדָה | Kanada |
| United Kingdom | הַמַּמְלָכָה הַמְּאוּחֶדֶת | Ha-Mamlakha Ha-Meukhedet |
| France | צָרְפַת | Tsarfat |
| Germany | גֶּרְמַנְיָה | Germanya |
| Italy | אִיטַלְיָה | Italia |
| Spain | סְפָרַד | Sfarad |
| Portugal | פּוֹרְטוּגַל | Portugal |
| Poland | פּוֹלִין | Polin |
| Russia | רוּסְיָה | Russia |
| Ukraine | אוּקְרָאִינָה | Ukraina |
| Greece | יָוָן | Yavan |
| Egypt | מִצְרַיִם | Mitzrayim |
| Turkey | טוּרְקִיָּה | Turkia |
| India | הוֹדוּ | Hodu |
| China | סִין | Sin |
| Japan | יָפָן | Yapan |
| Australia | אוֹסְטְרַלְיָה | Australia |
| Brazil | בְּרָזִיל | Brazil |
Final Tips for Learning Country Names in Hebrew
Country names are an excellent way to expand your Hebrew vocabulary because they can immediately be used in conversations about travel, geography, family, nationality, and where people live.
Start by memorizing the most common countries, then practice putting them into simple sentences with מִ־ (from) and בְּ־ (in).
For example:
אֲנִי מִפּוֹלִין. — I am from Poland.
אֲנִי גָּר בְּפוֹלִין. — I live in Poland.
Once you are comfortable with country names, the next useful step is learning nationalities and languages in Hebrew. This will allow you to have much more complete conversations about where people come from and what languages they speak.