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How to Say 'Introvert' and 'Extrovert' in Hebrew

By Ami Steinberger

|

September 9, 2013, 6 PM ET

אָדָם מֻפְנָם, אָדָם מֻחְצָן

 listen and repeat

Some of us are naturally quiet, while others can be heard from a kilometer away.
Introverts tend to keep their feelings and experiences inside, while Extroverts tend to be outgoing and expressive.
The Hebrew term for introvert is אָדָם מֻפְנָם  listen and repeat - literally, an introverted person. מופנם  listen and repeat, an adjective deriving from the passive-causative verb form, comes from the root פ.נ.מ (p.n.m) meaning interior.
For example:
אָדָם מֻפְנָם שׁוֹמֵר הַרְבֶּה בַּבֶּטֶן.
An introvert keep a lot (of things) inside (literally, in the stomach).
 
The term for extrovert is אָדָם מֻחְצָן  listen and repeat, where the word מוחצן  listen and repeat, also an adjective of the passive-causative verb form, comes from the root ח.צ.נ (kh.ts.n), which itself derives from the root ח.ו.צ (kh.w.ts) meaning exterior.
For example:
אָדָם מֻחְצָן אוֹהֵב לַחְגּוֹג.
An extrovert loves to party.
These terms are often used without the word אדם  listen and repeat, as in:
הַבָּחוּרָה הַמֻחְצֶנֶת הַזֹּאת לֹא מְכַבָּה אֶת הַטֶּלֶפוֹן.
This extroverted girl doesn't turn off her (the) phone.
When used with אדם, the expression refers to both males and females.
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