Function words · 60/60

Adverbs and everyday speech words

Very, a bit, exactly, at all, actually, okay, no way

These words never change form, but no conversation works without them. The first table has adverbs of degree and manner, the second the words you hear on the street every day.

Degree and manner
HebrewMeaningExample
מְאוֹדme'odveryטוֹב מְאוֹדtov me'odvery good
קְצָתktsata littleאֲנִי מְדַבֵּר קְצָת עִבְרִיתani medaber ktsat ivritI speak a little Hebrew
הַרְבֵּהharbea lot, muchהַרְבֵּה תּוֹדָהharbe todathanks a lot
יוֹתֵר / פָּחוֹתyoter / pachotmore / lessיוֹתֵר טוֹבyoter tovbetter
מַסְפִּיקmaspikenoughמַסְפִּיק!maspik!enough!
דֵּיdeiquite, fairlyדֵּי טוֹבdei tovquite good
מַמָּשׁmamashreally, trulyמַמָּשׁ יָפֶהmamash yafereally beautiful
לְגַמְרֵיlegamreicompletelyלְגַמְרֵי לְבַדlegamrei levadcompletely alone
בִּכְלָלbichlalat all; in generalלֹא הֵבַנְתִּי בִּכְלָלlo hevanti bichlalI didn't understand at all
בְּדִיּוּקbediyukexactlyבְּדִיּוּק!bediyuk!exactly!
בְּעֶרֶךְbe'erechapproximatelyבְּעֶרֶךְ עֶשֶׂר דַּקּוֹתbe'erech eser dakotabout ten minutes
מַהֵר / לְאַטmaher / le'atquickly / slowlyתְּדַבֵּר לְאַט, בְּבַקָּשָׁהtedaber le'at, bevakashaspeak slowly, please
בְּיַחַד / לְבַדbeyachad / levadtogether / alone
רַקrakonlyרַק רֶגַעrak regajust a moment
אֲפִלּוּafiluevenאֲפִלּוּ אֲנִיafilu anieven me
אוּלַיulaimaybe
בֶּטַחbetachsure, certainlyבֶּטַח שֶׁכֵּןbetach shekenof course
בֶּאֱמֶתbe'emetreally, trulyבֶּאֱמֶת?be'emet?really?
בְּעֶצֶםbe'etsemactually
דַּוְקָאdavkaactually (contrary to expectation); on purposeדַּוְקָא אָהַבְתִּיdavka ahavtiI actually liked it
סְתָםstamjust because, for no reason; just kiddingסְתָם שָׁאַלְתִּיstam sha'altiI was just asking
פָּשׁוּטpashutsimply, justזֶה פָּשׁוּט מְעֻלֶּהze pashut me'uleit's simply great
Words from the street
HebrewMeaning
בְּסֵדֶרbesederokay, fine
סַבָּבָהsababagreat, cool, fine
אַחְלָהachlaawesome
יָאלְלָהyallacome on, let's go
נוּnuwell, come on
יָפֶהyafenice, well done
כֵּיףkeffun
אֵיזֶה כֵּיף!eize kef!how fun!
אֵין בְּעָיָהein be'ayano problem
אֵין מַצָּבein matsavno way
מָה פִּתְאוֹםma pit'omwhat?! no way (surprise/objection)
חֲבָל עַל הַזְּמַןchaval al hazmanamazing (or: a waste of time)
בָּלָגָןbalaganmess, chaos
חֲבָלchavalpity, too bad
הַכֹּל בְּסֵדֶר?hakol beseder?everything okay?
מָה נִשְׁמָע?ma nishma?how's it going?
מָה הָעִנְיָנִים?ma ha'inyanim?how are things?
בְּכֵיףbekefwith pleasure, gladly
תַּכְלֶסtachlesbottom line, basically
וָאלְלָהwallawow, really? (surprise, agreement)
דַּיdaistop it, enough
לֹא נוֹרָאlo norano big deal
בְּהַצְלָחָהbehatslachagood luck
בְּתֵאָבוֹןbete'avonenjoy your meal
לְחַיִּיםlechayimcheers!

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