“L’hit”
Most newcomers to the Hebrew language are familiar with the word Shalom as having triple meaning – “peace,” “hello” and “goodbye.” However, native Hebrew speakers rarely use it in the latter form. The implication is that when one says Shalom … Continue reading →

-“oosh” Suffix
The suffix –oosh is a suffix of endearment, which has Eastern European origins. It can be added to the end of anyone’s name:

Ronit-oosh
Niv-oosh
Omri-oosh
Inbar-oosh

If the name ends in an “-ah” sound then one would drop it before adding the suffix:

Nitza … Continue reading →

“Para Para”
This is probably my favorite Hebrew slang expression. A para is a cow, and often in Hebrew when two words are repeated one after the other they denote repetition:
Yom yom (Day day) means “day by day.”
Sof sof (End end) … Continue reading →

“Madlik”
Madlik stems from the Hebrew root for “to light” – D/L/K. For example, delek is “gasoline,” hadlaka is “lighting” and l’hadlik means “to light” (those of you who regularly light Shabbat candles will be familiar with this word). Madlik has … Continue reading →

“Wahad”
Wahad means “One” in Arabic (“Echad” in Hebrew). Its rough translation is “One really big…” and it is definitely a very informal street slang word. In Arabic, there is an extra-large exhalation on the letter “h,” deep down from the … Continue reading →

“Yalla!”
Yet another Arabic word used liberally in Hebrew slang, “Yalla!” is used as the equivalent of both “Let’s go!” and “Come on.” It can be heard at soccer games: “Yalla Maccabi!” and just about anywhere that impatience or urgency exists, … Continue reading →

“Bassa”

Bassa is the rough equivalent to the American English word, “bummer.” It is usually (but not always) used with the word “Eizeh” (“What a…”) and properly expresses typical Israeli impatience. Bassa fittingly is derived from the Arabic word for onion. … Continue reading →

“Eser”
Eser, the Hebrew word for the number ten, is a common positive reply to a question or statement that requires a short answer, i.e. “How do you feel?” “Eser.”
One should infer that they are being asked for a response on … Continue reading →

“Sababa”
The Hebrew language is loaded with Arabic slang, and has been for many years. The original pioneers thought that the Yiddish was not an appropriate language to be used in the Middle East, and preferred to cull the harsh sounds … Continue reading →