Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
John: The Four Most Basic Slang Expressions
John: Hi everyone, and welcome back to HebrewPod101.com. I'm John.
Katja: And I'm Katja!
John: This is Must-Know Hebrew Slang Words and Phrases, Season 1, Lesson 16. In this lesson, you'll learn the four most basic slang expressions.
John: These expressions are must-know, as they are the most basic. They are used often by everyone in Israel.
SLANG EXPRESSIONS
John: The expressions you will be learning in this lesson are:
Katja: אחלה (akh-lah)
Katja: סבבה (sababa)
Katja: באסה (ba-asa)
Katja: יאללה (yalla)
John: Katja, what's our first expression?
Katja: אחלה (akh-lah)
John: The word is originally Arabic. In Arabic, it means "the sweetest" and in Hebrew, it is used as "great, good, or OK." But when it's used as a slang expression, it means "good or great."
Katja: [SLOW] אחלה [NORMAL] אחלה
John: Listeners, please repeat.
Katja: אחלה
[pause - 5 sec.]
John: Use this slang expression when you would like to express your satisfaction with something, or when you understand and accept something you've been told to do.
John: Now let's hear an example sentence.
Katja: [NORMAL] המלון שהיינו בו היה אחלה.נקי, חדש ובאמצע העיר. [SLOW] המלון שהיינו בו היה אחלה.נקי, חדש ובאמצע העיר.
John: "The hotel we were in was great. Clean, new, and located in the center of the city."
Katja: [NORMAL] המלון שהיינו בו היה אחלה.נקי, חדש ובאמצע העיר.
John: Okay, what's the next expression?
Katja: סבבה (sababa)
John: This is also originally an Arabic word. In classical Arabic, it means "nostalgia" or "intense love." In Hebrew, this word has been in use since the 60's and means "very good, excellent, good, desirable, or right." But when it's used as a slang expression, it means "yes, good, OK, or great."
Katja: [SLOW] סבבה [NORMAL] סבבה
John: Listeners, please repeat.
Katja: סבבה
[pause - 5 sec.]
John: Use this slang expression when you wish to express your satisfaction with something, or you want to express your agreement to do something.
John: Now let's hear an example sentence.
Katja: [NORMAL] היה מה זה סבבה באילת, כל היום היינו בים ובבריכה. [SLOW] היה מה זה סבבה באילת, כל היום היינו בים ובבריכה.
John: "It was great in Eilat, all day we were on the beach and in the pool."
Katja: [NORMAL] היה מה זה סבבה באילת, כל היום היינו בים ובבריכה.
John: Okay, what's our next expression?
Katja: באסה (ba-asa)
John: literally meaning
Katja: ba-asa
John: It is originally an Arabic word meaning "frustration, disappointment, or depression." In Hebrew as well, it is used to describe a bad feeling caused by "humiliation, mental anguish, or disappointment." But when it's used as a slang expression, it means "What a bummer!"
Katja: [SLOW] באסה [NORMAL] באסה
John: Listeners, please repeat.
Katja: באסה
[pause - 5 sec.]
John: Use this slang expression when you want to describe your own bad feeling, sorrow, or disappointment about something, or when you want to express your empathy for someone else's bad feeling, sorrow, or disappointment.
John: Now let's hear an example sentence.
Katja: [NORMAL] למרות שרצתי את כל הדרך כדי להספיק, המוכר בדיוק נעל את החנות. איזה באסה! [SLOW] למרות שרצתי את כל הדרך כדי להספיק, המוכר בדיוק נעל את החנות. איזה באסה!
John: "Although I ran all the way there to make it, the seller just locked the store. What a drag!"
Katja: [NORMAL] למרות שרצתי את כל הדרך כדי להספיק, המוכר בדיוק נעל את החנות. איזה באסה!
John: Okay, what's the last expression?
Katja: יאללה (yalla)
John: This word is originally Arabic, where it is also used as a speeding word. So when it's used as a slang expression, it means "come on faster, hurry up."
Katja: [SLOW] יאללה [NORMAL] יאללה
John: Listeners, please repeat.
Katja: יאללה
[pause - 5 sec.]
John: Use this slang expression when you want someone to do something faster.
John: Now let's hear an example sentence.
Katja: [NORMAL] יאללה נו עזוב כבר את הבשמים אנחנו חייבים להגיע לשער הטיסה תכף יוצאת. [SLOW] יאללה נו עזוב כבר את הבשמים אנחנו חייבים להגיע לשער הטיסה תכף יוצאת.
John: "Come on, leave those perfumes. We must get to the gate, the flight is leaving in a few minutes."
Katja: [NORMAL] יאללה נו עזוב כבר את הבשמים אנחנו חייבים להגיע לשער הטיסה תכף יוצאת.
QUIZ
John: Okay listeners, are you ready to be quizzed on the expressions you just learned? I will describe four situations, and you will choose the right expression to use in your reply. Are you ready?
John: If you feel wonderful and someone is asking you "How are you?", you can say…
[pause - 5 sec.]
Katja: סבבה
John: "yes, good, OK, or great"
John: If your mother tells you: "I put your sandwich in your bag.", you can answer...
[pause - 5 sec.]
Katja: אחלה
John: "good or great"
John: If you are really in a hurry and your girlfriend is still at the entrance trying to decide which shoes to wear, you can tell her...
[pause - 5 sec.]
Katja: יאללה
John: "come on faster, hurry up"
John: If, although you ran really fast, you could not get on the bus before he drove off, you’d say...
[pause - 5 sec.]
Katja: באסה
John: "What a bummer!"

Outro

John: There you have it; you have mastered four Hebrew Slang Expressions! We have more vocab lists available at HebrewPod101.com so be sure to check them out. Thanks everyone, and see you next time!
Katja: lehitraot להתראות .

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