Hebrew English Fish Chart

fishThe bounty of fish indigenous to the Mediterranean, coupled with worldwide imports to Israel, gives those of us here an almost unprecedented number of choices for fish to cook. To help sort out which is which, I have compiled a list of fish that can be found in Israel.

It is a shame that fish cookery for most people comes down to salmon, tuna, and gefilte, with the occasional overbaked-in-oil tilapia (musht). The wide range of choices – fresh and frozen – available here can really broaden your repertoire and palette.

To add to the confusion. not all fish have the same names. My method for determining the correlation between Hebrew and English was to determine the scientific name of the species, then use several resources to determine the exact Hebrew name for that species, or, in case of conflicting information, I used a consensus.

With thousands of kosher fish species, the list is by no means comprehensive. If there is a particular fish you don’t see on the chart, please comment below and I will add it.

English Nameשם מקובלHebrew PronunciationPhoto
Alaskan PollockזהבנוןZahabnon
Albacore tunaטונה, טונה לבנהTuna, tuna levana
AnchovyאנשוביAnshoovi
Arrowtooth flounderשטצד פציפיShattzad Patzifi
BarramundiברמונדיBaramundi
Blue runnerתרחוןTarachon
BreamזהבוןZahabon
CodקודKod, ze’ev yam
Common carp, Mirror CarpקרפיוןKarpion
Common dolphin-fish, mahi-mahiרעמתןRa’amatan
Common grey mulletבוריBurri
Flounderדג סנדלDag Sandal
Frigate tuna (mackerel family)פלמודהPalmudah
Galilee St.Peter’s fish; Mango tilapiaמושט אביאדMusht, Amnon, Tilapia
Gilt head sea breamדניסDenis
Grass carpקרפיוןKarpion esev
Greater amberjackאינטיאסIntias
GrouperלוקוסLokus
Haddockחמור יםChamor Yam
Hakeמרלוזה, בקלהMarluza, Bakala
HalibutהליבוטPutit, halibut
HerringהרינגHerring
Jordan St. Peter’s fish; Blue tilapiaמושטMusht, Amnon, Tilapia
Kinneret bleak (carp)סרדין טבריהSardine Tiveria
Longhead barbel (carp)כרסיןKarsin
MackerelמקרלMackerel
Meagre (drum)עיט היםEit Hayam
Nile Perchנסיכה נילוסNisichah Nilus
Pink Dentex (Red Snapper)פארידהFaridah
PlaiceפלייסPlaice
PollackפולוקPolok
Red drumמוסרMusar
Round sardinellaדקהDaka
SalmonסלמוןSalmon
Sea BassלברקLevrak
Shad or WhitefishעלוזהAluzah
Shi drumלבטLevet
Silver carpכסיףKasif
Skipjack Tunaטונה, טונה בהירהTuna, tuna behirah
Spanish Mackerelפלמידה לבנהPalmidah Levanah
Striped BassבסBass
Striped Red MulletברבוניהBarbunia
Striped sea breamמרמירMormir
Trout; Rainbow TroutפורלForel
True Sole, Dover SoleסולSol
TurbotפוטיתPutit
Yellowstripe scadצנינית צהובת פסיםTzninit tzahubah pasim
Yellowtail amberjackאינטיאסAntias, Shula

One thought on “Hebrew English Fish Chart”

  1. I noticed that King Fish was not listed. Common in the Med and Atlantic especally the southeren waters of the US and Gulf of Mexico. They are in the Tuna family. I have seen these at time in the shuk and local fist stores. Wha it the Hebrew name for these toothly cousins af the Mackrel?

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