Top 25 Israeli Quotes and Slang Expressions to hear in Israel

Top 25 Expressions and Quotes That Can Only Be Heard in Israel

Welcome to the ultimate guide to sounding like a true Israeli! Whether you're planning a trip to the Holy Land, or just want to impress your friends with some authentic Israeli flair, you've come to the right place. Buckle up, because you're about to dive into a world where saying "bomb" is a compliment, and "good luck" might just mean the opposite. These 25 expressions will have you speaking like a local faster than you can say "Sababa!" So, grab your falafel, sit back, and let's get started on this fun and hilarious journey through the quirkiest and most colorful phrases Israel has to offer!

Let's get started!

1. She iIe Leha Labriut / She Iye Leha Behazlaha

For the most part, this is not a real wish, on the contrary. 'What you chose to do is a complete contradiction in my opinion, and I wish you would come back to me in a month on all fours and say I was right. But since I do not like to tell you I wish you would fail, I wish you good luck and hope you fail, "or" I wish you health in the hope that you will catch shingles."

2. Azov Oti Be Ima Shelha

I have no interest in fulfilling your request. There is nothing to do here with mothers or parents at all, it is not clear exactly why mom got up here, but maybe the intention is to leave you quietly and go harass his mom (so what if she passed away 15 years ago).

3. Lama Mi At?

It will not happen, it is unthinkable, there is no situation. Works great, but it's best to make sure first that the person you are referring to has not recently lost a relative. By the way, this is an untranslatable combination. "Why, Who Died?" Does Not Sound Good.

4. Ma Ata Omer?

It is said in two ways, and both, there is no expectation of receiving an answer. One is an exclamation of admiration and annoying amazement during a conversation: "She left him and now lives with a foreign worker in Mykonos." "What Are You Saying?!" A second option is contemptuous concrete, to the point of contempt on the face: "Madam, there is no entrance to this area." "What Are You Saying?" Or in short, I have no interest in what you say, and I say jump on me.

5. Od Lo Avda Tikvatenu

One of the highlights of our honorable anthem is also used to disparage someone who still thinks he will achieve a hopeless goal. "He's balding just like his dad, but we have not lost hope yet. He continues to move from side to side as if he still has hair."

6. Saruf Aleha

Instead of describing a reason to call the fire department, this has become the ultimate compliment that the Israeli man directs at his dearest of all - a woman or a football team. Can be replaced with another term from the same world - lit on it, or from other painful worlds - cut on it, destroyed on it.

7. Al Apanim

Not related to cosmetics, but to a description of mental state or at all. "Ever since he moved in with his secretary, I'm on the face of it. Do not eat or leave the house."

8. Ein Dvarim Kaele

A one-of-a-kind sentence that can be used for positive or negative. Notice that in today's Hebrew, it begins with a negative word. "No, she's a host that has no such thing." Alternatively: "No, he's dumb, stingy, and snooty, that there is no such thing."

9. Ma Kore

In the contemporary sense, the reference is not to a pertinent interest in your situation but more to: "Dude, I've been waiting here for an hour, what's going on?"

10. Kfoz Li

Of course, there is no intention here to encourage sporting activity in others, but to want to say in an insulting way: that your request is unacceptable to me, and I have no intention of carrying it out. It is not clear where and where that jump is supposed to take place. It does not seem to me that anyone has an interest in having their interlocutor jump on a strategic place in their body, it might hurt.

11. Pzaza

As a combat country, it is not surprising that some of our biggest compliments use war language. Not sure telling someone she "looks like a bomb" will work anywhere else in the world, certainly not in Dresden or Hiroshima. The expressions "eyebrow bombs" and "shards for lashes" are also familiar, which also belong to the bead family ("What is the connection between a needle and an ass", "What are the things? Building buildings", and more).

12. Ohel Oto Le Aruhat Boker

Comes to make it clear that there is no equality between the two people in question, and one surpasses his friend immeasurably. It will never be said in the context of lunch or dinner, nor the context of a snack. Sometimes it will also be said on the seasoning note: "I will eat it without salt."

13. Ken Ken, Lo Lo

A strange phrase that makes no sense, but still everyone understands exactly what it means. It is also possible to "Good Good, No Good No Good". In any case, whoever says this sentence means that the other party should decide what he wants and that he will already decide. Or in the Polish case - if he does not say "yes", I will not talk to him alive. Does not sound good in English: "Yes Yes, No No".

14. Yesh Al Ma Ledaber?

A customer from the worlds of automotive and negotiation, when a price appears in the ad and the buyer hopes to pay less. "I'm in the Mitsubishi case, is there anything to talk about?" This will usually be followed by: "Dude, you're not in the right direction, that's how I did not come to Ramat Gan from Givatayim."

15. Li Ze Ole Yoter

The other side of the bargaining world. When an Israeli service provider or seller receives a quote that he does not like, he will not be content to say that it sounds small to him, but will make it clear that after deducting the raw materials and production costs, he is on his way to bankruptcy.

16. Hatihat Efes Meupas

This is not a concept from the world of mathematics. A dismissive emphasis that this is not a normal zero, but a zero that has undergone a kind of further reset. For example: "The man played the same marketing manager and digital expert for us, but this is a zero-zero who doesn't even have an Instagram account with three followers."

17. Ehad Betoh A Tahat Shel A Sheni

To the delight of us all, it is not something physical, but two people who are intertwined on a mental level, nourish each other, or are together a lot, unusually and inseparably. It is often said in a critical tone, bordering on jealousy.

18. Sihakta Ota

You succeeded, you got far and knocked the system. From the untranslatable phrases: "You played her" sounds like something someone who has never played it in their life will say.

19. Eifo Aita Ba Zava

The question that will someday (probably after half a minute) arise in any conversation between two Israelis. As Americans ask each other "Where Did You Go To College?". According to the answer you give, you will be rated and classified by your conversation partner. If the questioner is a tourist, the Israeli's answer will always be: "I was a fighter in the General Staff patrol."

20. Kaan Garim Bekef

A sign was placed on the doors of many families in Israel. True, sometimes people live here for fun, but it's more likely that "Here Lives Fine," or "Here Lives In A 3-room Apartment With A Mortgage And A Dog." To make the promise a reality, you should make signs with captions like "Here We Live With Mixed Feelings," "Here We Live In A Complex Way," "Here We Live With No Choice," or "Here We Live Without A Shekel - So It's Better To Break Into Neighbors, There Live Fun."

21. Efo Ata Lo Roim Otha

A kind of attack from someone who has not kept in touch and thinks that if he attacks, he will come out fine.

22. Ma Hiti Osa La

The Israeli man's way of complimenting a woman is actually to compliment himself. Instead of sailing in praise of the girl, describing her beauty, wisdom, and virtues, the man brags about his imaginary sexual performance. Probably the only thing that same man will do later in the day is sponge at home and shopping according to the list sent by his wife.

23. Tafas Tahat

Another phrase that started from the proctologist niche and went a long way. A person who is arrogant about the environment and thinks of himself more than he is. Probably also something in his gait and the way he conducts himself with his butt has changed, and the environment feels it. And yet, it's better to catch someone than to catch other people's ass without asking.

24. Gam Yafe Ve Gam Ofe

A girl who combines two positive qualities in one person, both looks good and knows how to cook. It started with a cake commercial in the '80s, and today it sounds like something only rabbis trying to get along with women can say. It can be updated with: both beautiful and a doctor, or for men: both beautiful and loaded in the buffet.

25. Lo Dofek Heshbon

Not considerate of others, doing what's in his head. There is nothing that Israelis like more than fully knocking an account. And after that, we are surprised that we are not good at math. For example: "Bibi says he is not knocking an account to these Russians. Bombing these Syrians and that's it."

Now you are ready to visit Israel!!!