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חוֹבְבָנִי
The Hebrew word for an amateur is חוֹבְבָן
listen and repeat when referring to a male and חוֹבְבָנִית listen and repeat when referring to a female. Likewise, something amateur or amateurish is חוֹבְבָנִי listen and repeat in the masculine and חוֹבְבָנִית listen and repeat in the feminine.
listen and repeat when referring to a male and חוֹבְבָנִית listen and repeat when referring to a female. Likewise, something amateur or amateurish is חוֹבְבָנִי listen and repeat in the masculine and חוֹבְבָנִית listen and repeat in the feminine.
For example:
הַהוֹפָעָה הָיְתָה נֶחְמָדָה אָבָל טִפָּה חוֹבְבָנִית.
The show was nice but a drop amateurish.
The root of these words is ח.ב.ב (kh.b.b) meaning endearment. It’s the same root as לְחַבֵּב listen and repeat – to like, חָבִיב listen and repeat – likable, and the slang term of endearment between men (Arabic origin), חֲבִּיבִּי listen and repeat.
listen and repeat – to like, חָבִיב listen and repeat – likable, and the slang term of endearment between men (Arabic origin), חֲבִּיבִּי listen and repeat.What does likability have to do with amateurishness? If we take a good look at the word amateur, we’ll see the Latin root of love, as in the Spanish amar – to love. An amateur does something as a hobby (in Hebrew, hobby is תַּחְבִּיב listen and repeat, also of the root ח.ב.ב), as a labor of love, without necessarily caring about professionalism or marketability.
listen and repeat, also of the root ח.ב.ב), as a labor of love, without necessarily caring about professionalism or marketability. 
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