Lesson 172: Idioms and Slang
Textbooks won’t teach you these, but Israelis use them constantly. Note how the literal meaning and the real meaning can be miles apart. Tap any line to hear it.
Everyday idioms
חֲבָל עַל הַזְּמַן!
chaval al hazman!
Amazing! (literally “a waste of time” — but it means incredible)
עַל הַפָּנִים.
al hapanim.
Awful. (literally “on the face”)
הָלַךְ עָלֵינוּ.
halach aleinu.
We’re done for.
Slang in conversation
סַבָּבָּה, נִפְגָּשִׁים אַחַר כָּךְ.
sababa, nifgashim achar kach.
Cool, we’ll meet later.
אֵין מַצָּב!
ein matsav!
No way!
מָה נִּשְׁמָע, אַחִי?
ma nishma, achi?
What’s up, bro?
The national mottos
יִהְיֶה בְּסֵדֶר.
yihye beseder.
It’ll be okay. (the unofficial national motto)
בְּשִׁגָּעוֹן!
beshigaon!
Fantastic! / Brilliantly!