היא אמרה שבדרך כלל אבא מחזק את המדפים בבית, אבל הפעם גם היא רצתה ללמוד להשתמש במברג.

The ש־ here means that.

So:

• היא אמרה = she said
• שבדרך כלל... = that usually...

Hebrew very often uses ש־ as a short form of that in everyday language.

It is attached directly to the next word, so:

• ש + בדרך כלל → שבדרך כלל

This is completely normal Hebrew spelling.

בדרך כלל means usually, generally, or as a rule.

Literally, it comes from words meaning something like in a general way, but as a fixed expression, you should just learn it as usually.

Examples:

• בדרך כלל אני קם מוקדם. = I usually get up early.
• בדרך כלל אבא מחזק את המדפים בבית. = Usually Dad reinforces/fixes the shelves at home.

So in this sentence, it tells us that this is the normal or habitual situation.

In Hebrew, family words like אבא (Dad) and אמא (Mom) are often used almost like names.

So:

• אבא = Dad
• האבא = the father

In normal speech, if you mean someone's dad in a familiar way, אבא is much more natural.

Here, אבא sounds like Dad rather than the father.

Because מחזק describes what usually happens, not just a one-time past action.

Hebrew often uses the present tense for:

• habitual actions
• general truths
• things that happen regularly

So:

• היא אמרה ש... אבא מחזק... = She said that... Dad usually reinforces/fixes...

Even though she said is in the past, the action with Dad is presented as a regular pattern.

If you used a past form there, it would sound more like a specific completed event, not a usual habit.

The verb מחזק comes from לחזק, which basically means to strengthen, to reinforce, or sometimes to tighten up / make sturdier.

So מחזק את המדפים means something like:

• strengthens the shelves
• reinforces the shelves
• makes the shelves more secure

Depending on context, it could suggest that the shelves are loose or need maintenance.

So this is not just a random action; it implies improving their stability.

את marks a definite direct object in Hebrew.

Here:

• המדפים = the shelves
• since this is a specific, definite object, Hebrew uses את

So:

• מחזק את המדפים = reinforces the shelves

A very important point:

• את does not mean with
• it is just a grammatical marker for a definite direct object

Compare:

• אני רואה ספר. = I see a book.
• אני רואה את הספר. = I see the book.

Because המדפים has ה־ (the), it needs את.

גם היא means she too or also she.

This word order puts emphasis on her.

So the sentence means:

• but this time, she also wanted to learn...

The idea is probably that someone else normally does it, but now she too wanted to do it.

Compare the nuance:

• גם היא רצתה... = she too wanted... / emphasis on she
• היא גם רצתה... = she also wanted... / more emphasis on the added action

Both can exist in Hebrew, but גם היא is very natural here because the contrast is about who wanted to learn.

Because Hebrew often chains verbs this way, just like English does.

Here:

• רצתה = wanted
• ללמוד = to learn
• להשתמש = to use

So literally this is:

• she wanted to learn to use

This is perfectly normal.

In more natural English, we often say:

• she wanted to learn how to use a screwdriver

But Hebrew does not need a separate word for how here.
ללמוד להשתמש already naturally means learn to use / learn how to use.

Because the verb להשתמש works with the preposition ב־ (with / by means of / using).

So in Hebrew, you do not use something directly with a plain direct object the way English does. Instead, you make use of something.

That means:

• להשתמש במברג = to use a screwdriver
• literally closer to to make use of a screwdriver

So:

• במברג = ב + מברג
• that means with a screwdriver / using a screwdriver

This is something you simply need to memorize with the verb:

• להשתמש ב־ = to use

Examples:

• אני משתמש בעט. = I use a pen.
• היא משתמשת במחשב. = She uses a computer.

בבית means in the house or at home, depending on context.

It is made from:

• ב־ = in / at
• הבית = the house

When ב־ is attached to a word with ה־, they combine:

• ב + הבית → בבית

This kind of contraction is very common in Hebrew.

In this sentence, בבית most naturally means at home.

הפעם means this time.

Literally, it is the time/occasion, but in Hebrew this is a standard idiomatic way to say this time.

So:

• אבל הפעם... = but this time...

Even though English uses this, Hebrew often uses הפעם in exactly this situation.

It is a very common expression:

• הפעם אני אעשה את זה. = This time I’ll do it.

Hebrew verbs and pronouns change according to gender and number, and this sentence shows that clearly.

Feminine singular

• היא = she
• אמרה = said (feminine singular)
• רצתה = wanted (feminine singular)

These all match the female subject.

Masculine singular

• אבא = Dad (masculine singular)
• מחזק = reinforces / strengthens (masculine singular present)

That verb matches אבא.

So the sentence switches agreement correctly depending on who the subject is at each point.

This is very important in Hebrew, because verbs often tell you gender directly.

Yes. מברג is the normal Hebrew word for screwdriver.

In the sentence:

• במברג = with a screwdriver / using a screwdriver

So if you want the basic noun by itself:

• מברג = a screwdriver
• המברג = the screwdriver

It is a useful everyday tool word to know, especially because it often appears with להשתמש ב־.

The sentence has two main parts joined by אבל (but):

First part

• היא אמרה שבדרך כלל אבא מחזק את המדפים בבית
• She said that usually Dad reinforces/fixes the shelves at home

Second part

• אבל הפעם גם היא רצתה ללמוד להשתמש במברג
• but this time she also wanted to learn to use a screwdriver

So the logic is:

1. normally Dad does this job
2. but this time she wanted to learn too

That contrast is what makes אבל, הפעם, and גם היא especially important in the sentence.