Israeli airport security is famously thorough, and a few of the standard questions can feel abrupt if you're not expecting them in Hebrew or English. This page covers the vocabulary for every stage — check-in, security screening, passport control, and baggage claim — so nothing catches you off guard. Most airport staff at Ben Gurion Airport speak English fluently, but recognising the Hebrew on signs and forms, and understanding a question even if you answer in English, makes the whole process noticeably less stressful.
Check-in
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| דַּרְכּוֹן | darkon | passport |
| כַּרְטִיס טִיסָה | kartis tisah | flight ticket / boarding pass |
| מִזְוָדָה | mizvadah | suitcase |
| תִּיק יָד | tik yad | hand luggage / carry-on |
| מִשְׁקָל | mishkal | weight |
| שַׁעַר יְצִיאָה | sha'ar yetzi'ah | departure gate |
| מוֹשָׁב | moshav | seat |
| חַלּוֹן / מַעֲבָר | chalon / ma'avar | window / aisle |
Security screening
Israeli security interviews, especially before international departures, often involve a series of direct questions. Understanding them — even if you reply in English — makes the exchange smoother.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| מִי אָרַז לְךָ אֶת הַמִּזְוָדָה? | Mi araz lecha et hamizvadah? | Who packed your suitcase? |
| הַאִם מִישֶׁהוּ נָתַן לְךָ מַשֶּׁהוּ לְהַעֲבִיר? | Ha'im mishehu natan lecha mashehu leha'avir? | Did anyone give you anything to carry? |
| מָה מַטָּרַת הַבִּקּוּר שֶׁלְךָ? | Mah matarat habikur shelcha? | What's the purpose of your visit? |
| כַּמָּה זְמַן תִּשְׁהֶה בָּאָרֶץ? | Kamah zman tishheh ba'aretz? | How long will you stay in the country? |
| אֵיפֹה תִּתְאָרֵחַ? | Eifo tit'areach? | Where will you be staying? |
הָאָרֶץ (ha'aretz, "the land") is a common everyday way Israelis refer to Israel itself — you'll hear and see it constantly, including as the name of one of Israel's major newspapers.
Passport control and customs
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| בִּקֹּרֶת דַּרְכּוֹנִים | bikoret darkonim | passport control |
| מֶכֶס | mekhes | customs |
| מַשֶּׁהוּ לְהַצְהִיר? | Mashehu lehatzhir? | Anything to declare? |
| תַּיָּר / תַּיֶּרֶת | tayar / tayeret | tourist (masc./fem.) |
| אֶזְרָח / אֶזְרָחִית | ezrach / ezrachit | citizen (masc./fem.) |
| וִיזָה | vizah | visa |
Baggage claim and after landing
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| קְלִיטַת מִזְוָדוֹת | klitat mizvadot | baggage claim |
| עֲגָלָה | agalah | luggage trolley |
| הַמִּזְוָדָה שֶׁלִּי אָבְדָה | hamizvadah sheli avdah | my suitcase is lost |
| הַגָּעוֹת | hagaot | arrivals |
| יְצִיאוֹת | yetzi'ot | departures |
| מוֹנִיּוֹת | moniyot | taxis |
| הַשְׂכָּרַת רְכָב | haskarat rechav | car rental |
Currency exchange and duty-free
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| הַחְלָפַת מַטְבֵּעַ | hachlafat matbe'a | currency exchange |
| שַׁעַר הַחֲלִיפִין | sha'ar hachalifin | exchange rate |
| חֲנוּת פְּטוּרָה מִמֶּכֶס | chanut ptorah mimekhes | duty-free shop |
| כַּסְפֹּמָט | kaspomat | ATM / cash machine |
A note on the security process
It's worth understanding why the security interview happens rather than just the vocabulary for it. Israeli airport security relies heavily on profiling through conversation and behaviour rather than purely on technology, which is why staff ask direct, sometimes repetitive-seeming questions about your luggage, your trip, and who you've been in contact with — it's a standard, well-established process for all travellers, not a sign anything is wrong. Answering simply, consistently and calmly is the most effective approach; over-explaining or volunteering extra unprompted detail tends to prompt more follow-up questions, not fewer.
Getting from the airport into the city
Once through customs, the most common options from Ben Gurion Airport are the train (רַכֶּבֶת, rakevet), a shared shuttle van (מוֹנִית שֵׁרוּת, monit sherut), or a private taxi (מוֹנִית, monit). Signs to all three are clearly marked in both Hebrew and English throughout the arrivals hall, but knowing the Hebrew words helps you follow verbal directions from staff or fellow travellers.
Practice you can do right now
- Rehearse the check-in dialogue with your own real flight and baggage details.
- Read through the security questions and prepare short honest answers to each in your head.
- Memorise "anything to declare?" and a simple "no, nothing" (לֹא, כְּלוּם — lo, klum) in response.
- Practise asking where baggage claim, taxis, and the train are, substituting your actual arrival city.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to answer security questions in Hebrew?
No — security staff at Ben Gurion Airport are trained to conduct interviews in English and are used to speaking with international travellers. Understanding the Hebrew helps you follow along and respond confidently, but you're not expected to answer in Hebrew.
Is Israeli airport security really stricter than other countries?
Israeli airport security is generally considered more thorough than many other countries', particularly around the personal interview process before international departures. It's straightforward for tourists with clear, honest, simple answers — the vocabulary on this page is aimed at making that interaction less intimidating, not at helping you navigate anything unusual.
What if I don't understand a question at security or passport control?
Use סְלִיחָה, אֲנִי לֹא מֵבִין (slicha, ani lo mevin, "sorry, I don't understand") from the Hebrew Travel Phrases page — staff are entirely used to this and will typically repeat the question in English.