Learning a language does not always mean you have to stick with what the books tell you. You may also want to sound a little more native and street smart by using some sa-ba-ba slang and idioms. This listing I have below are just a few things you may hear and can use yourself. On some of them, be careful who you say them to or how you say it – you may end up losing a friend, or in a fight.
You may also notice that I haven’t put in the nikud in the Hebrew listings. This is because for the most part you’ll be speaking these phrases and if or when you see them written, nikud may not be present.
What’s up?
How’s it going? |
ma ko-re? |
מה קורה |
ma nish-ma? |
מה נשמע |
ma ha-ma-tsav? |
מה המצב |
Dear god! |
e-lo-him a-di-rim |
אלוהים אדירים! |
Good heaven! |
sho-mu sha-ma-‘im |
שומו שמיים! |
Geek |
laf-laf, kh-nun |
לפלף, חנון |
Cool (he/she’s cool) |
sa-ba-ba |
סבבה |
Cool (that’s cool) |
sa-ba-ba |
סבבה |
Really? |
be-‘e-met? |
באמת |
Oh no! |
oy lo! |
אוי לא |
damn! |
La-‘az-az-el! |
לעזאזל |
Enough! / stop! |
day (rhymes with ‘die’) |
דיי |
kha-las |
חלאס |
Idiot/moron (it) |
tem-bel |
מבל ית |
Idiot/moron (m) |
a-ha-bal |
אהבל |
Idiot/moron (f) |
a-ha-bla |
אהבלה |
No kidding/really |
wa-lla |
וואלה |
Finally! |
sof (kol) sof |
סוף (כל) סוף |
A groan of frustration or annoyance |
uf |
אוף |
Go to hell (to a man) |
lekh la-‘az-az-el |
לך לעזאזל |
Go to hell (to a woman) |
lekh-i la-‘az-az-el |
לכי לעזאזל |
What’s the point? |
ma ha-ta-‘am? |
מה הטעם |
Well..? |
nu |
נו |
Come on / get a move on |
yal-la |
יאללה |
Someone who nags |
nud-nik |
נודניק |
Ouch! |
ai (sounds like ‘eye’) |
איי |
Too bad/a shame.. |
kha-val |
חבל |
Cool |
mag-niv |
מגניב |
Floosy |
fre-kha |
פרחה |
Filth/Goo/icky stuff |
ji-fa |
ג’יפה |
What’s the rush? |
ma ha-la-khatz |
מה הלחץ? |
You wish! (m) |
ha-‘i-ta met |
היית מת! |
You wish! (f) |
ha-‘it me-ta |
היית מתה |
I’m dead tired |
a-ni met |
ה מעייפות |
a me-‘aye-fut |
אני מת |
a-ni sha-fukh |
אני שפוך |
I’m fed up! |
ni-m’as li |
נמאס לי |
I don’t feel like it |
en li khe-shek |
אין לי חשק |
lo mit-kha-shek li |
לא מתחשק לי |
lo ba li |
לא בא לי |
I don’t care |
lo i-khpat li |
לא אכפת לי |
I don’t mind |
lo ma-fri-‘ah li |
לא מפריע לי |
lo me-sha-ne li |
לא משנה לי |
Bite me (to man) |
kfotz li |
קפוץ לי |
kfetzi li |
קפצי לי |
How should I know? |
me-‘ey-fo li la-da-‘at |
מאיפה לי לדעת? |
You drive me crazy! (to m) |
a-ta me-sha-ge-‘ah li et ha-se-khel |
אתה משגע לי את השכל |
You drive me crazy! (to f) |
at me-sha-ga-‘at li et ha-se-khel |
את משגעת לי את השכל |
Comments:
Aaron Maroja:
Really nice! I could really use this list.
Could you please, send me this list with the nikud. Or at least send me a link where I can find them.
Thanks,
Aaron