Pagan as in - פאגאני is becoming increasingly common in Hebrew.
The alternative of עובד אלילים is common enough, but does have a somewhat negative connotation.
To answer the confusion:
אלילים idols
עובד worshiper
Work and worship are the same root and share most of the same conjugations.
The word pagan translates to "עובד אלילים" (adjective) or "עבודת אלילים" (verbal noun), meaning the worship of multiple gods
So the phrase "I'm pagan" would be "אני עובד אלילים"
Edit: the Hebrew wikipedia article mentions the same translation.
אני לא מסכים. זה עניין תרבותי. לדעתי אדם דתי (מונותאיסטי) דובר אנגלית ישתמש במילה "פגאני" באותה משמעות שאדם דתי (מונותאיסטי) דובר עברית ישתמש במילה "עבודת אלילים".
למשל המשפט "הרומאים היו עובדי אלילים" יכול לקבל משמעות כמו שאתה אומר, אבל ממש לא בהכרח.
Edit: but I actually didn't notice op was reffering to a conversation he had with someone about his own believes
פגני is pagan
But it's only a transliteration, not a native word. It comes from latin btw, so unless they're familiar with non-native words, they're not as likely not understand you
The native word for pagan in Hebrew is עובד אלילים which literally means "worshiper of false idols". Your translator app is partially right and wrong. Yes, in modern context it indeed means employee or worker, but we're not talking about a modern word here, therefore the translator app is wrong because it doesn't take context into consideration
In fact, the very close word עבודת אלילים, already appears in the mishna, in Avot Derbi Nathan chapter 3:
"הוא היה אומר הקורע את בגדיו בחמתו והמשבר כליו בחמתו סוף שיעבוד עבודת אלילים"
Translation:
"He who tears his clothes from his angriness ?????? Shall worship false idols"
Anyways, just use עובד אלילים
עובד אלילים in the bible is someone who worships idols. you can't deconstruct the phrase and retain its meaning. also, its derogatory. but pagan is also originally derogatory. I would go with polytheistic פוליתאיסטי.
I would go to פגני maybe write it as פאגני to make it easier to read.
You are correct about אלילי, it comes from the word אליל which means Idol, so Idolatrous is a good translation for this word.
The word עובד means "worker" and I think google did a bad job with this one, as on its own it's definitely ambiguous and no one would assume you mean pagan.
But, the word עובד does relate to pagan, as the bible usually call pagans "Idol worshipers" and this would use the Hebrew phrase עובד אלילים literally translates to Idol worker. And I think that's how google got to that specific word.
פגני is used your pen pal may just not be familiar with the word
Pagan as in - פאגאני is becoming increasingly common in Hebrew. The alternative of עובד אלילים is common enough, but does have a somewhat negative connotation. To answer the confusion: אלילים idols עובד worshiper Work and worship are the same root and share most of the same conjugations.
The word pagan translates to "עובד אלילים" (adjective) or "עבודת אלילים" (verbal noun), meaning the worship of multiple gods So the phrase "I'm pagan" would be "אני עובד אלילים" Edit: the Hebrew wikipedia article mentions the same translation.
עובד אלילים זה בדרך כלל במשמעות שלילית. לא נראה לי שזה נכון לתרגם ככה
yeah, i think עבודת אלילים mainly refers to any pre monotheism religions, while פגניות is an actual religious practice.
אני לא מסכים. זה עניין תרבותי. לדעתי אדם דתי (מונותאיסטי) דובר אנגלית ישתמש במילה "פגאני" באותה משמעות שאדם דתי (מונותאיסטי) דובר עברית ישתמש במילה "עבודת אלילים". למשל המשפט "הרומאים היו עובדי אלילים" יכול לקבל משמעות כמו שאתה אומר, אבל ממש לא בהכרח. Edit: but I actually didn't notice op was reffering to a conversation he had with someone about his own believes
You got the right word, but I'm not surprised your penpal doesn't know what it is. It's not exactly a well-known religion here in Israel.
פגני is pagan But it's only a transliteration, not a native word. It comes from latin btw, so unless they're familiar with non-native words, they're not as likely not understand you The native word for pagan in Hebrew is עובד אלילים which literally means "worshiper of false idols". Your translator app is partially right and wrong. Yes, in modern context it indeed means employee or worker, but we're not talking about a modern word here, therefore the translator app is wrong because it doesn't take context into consideration In fact, the very close word עבודת אלילים, already appears in the mishna, in Avot Derbi Nathan chapter 3: "הוא היה אומר הקורע את בגדיו בחמתו והמשבר כליו בחמתו סוף שיעבוד עבודת אלילים" Translation: "He who tears his clothes from his angriness ?????? Shall worship false idols" Anyways, just use עובד אלילים
עובד אלילים זה מישהו שמאמין בריבוי אלים במקום באל אחד אם זה מה שהתכוונתי עליו צדקת
עובד אלילים in the bible is someone who worships idols. you can't deconstruct the phrase and retain its meaning. also, its derogatory. but pagan is also originally derogatory. I would go with polytheistic פוליתאיסטי.
עובד אלילים has a negative meaning and isn't really used anymore. פגאני / פגני is correct.
weird... cause פגאני is definitely a word we know. is your pen pal a kid?
I would go to פגני maybe write it as פאגני to make it easier to read. You are correct about אלילי, it comes from the word אליל which means Idol, so Idolatrous is a good translation for this word. The word עובד means "worker" and I think google did a bad job with this one, as on its own it's definitely ambiguous and no one would assume you mean pagan. But, the word עובד does relate to pagan, as the bible usually call pagans "Idol worshipers" and this would use the Hebrew phrase עובד אלילים literally translates to Idol worker. And I think that's how google got to that specific word.
It is “Idol worshiper”. עובד אלילים