Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Hebrew phrases

khaval al hazman - describes an extreme situation (lit. waste of time)
sababa - great/cool
akhla - great/cool
ptsatsa/ptsatsot/pitsuts - excellent; beyond description; great (lit.a bomb, bombs, an explosion)
mashehu mashehu - used for something that defies description; words fail (lit. something something)
ba li hase'if - when you lose your temper because of something annoying
tered li mehakarakhat - when someone's nagging and you want them to stop NOW (lit. get off my baldness)
khapes oti basivuv - when you want to tell someone to scram and they're bothering you (lit. go and look for me in the street corner)
lama ma - used when someone asks you to do something you think is crazy (lit. why what)
katan ala'i - when someone apologetically asks a favor and you're more than happy to help (lit. it is small on me)
al hapanim - when it's looking gloomy, odds against you (lit. on the face)
neshama - appellation for someone wonderful, sweet (lit. soul)
yal'la bye - cooler version of goodbye
ba'asa - used when you're bored
akhi - used when you meet someone you like (lit. my brother)
kif - used when you meet a friend and shake their hand, used in response to friend's extending their hand

Source: Ben-Adam, Justin, and Wistinetzki, Ilana. Hebrew phrasebook. Lonely Planet Publications, Footscray, Victoria, Australia, 2007.

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