Israeli Slang Words And Phrases
One of the biggest things that will surely help you create Israeli characters is to know the kind of the everyday “street” Hebrew that Israelis speak.
The majority of the Hebrew slang words and expressions consist mainly of a mixture of Arabic, English and Yiddish. Obiviously, slang is more used among teenagers and young adults, but adults use it as well. In addition, some slang words are dates back many years, even decades. For example:
Phrases and words:
- Chaval Al Ha’Zman - חבל על הזמן
Literal meaning: too bad for the time, waste of time. But, when we say “chaval al ha’zman” about something, we mean to say that it’s cool, awesome, fantastic.
Example:
Person A: E’ich ha’pitza? (How is the pizza?)
Person B: Ha’pitza - chaval al ha’zman (he means to say that he really likes it)
- This one is really weird
: ochel/et sratim - אוכל/ת סרטים
Literally, it means “eating movies”. But, when someone says “you’re eating movies”, he means to say that you’re too anxious about what will happen in the future.
(For men: ochel - אוכל; for women: ochelet - אוכלת; m.p ( and m+f): ochlim - אוכלים; f.p: ochlot - אוכלות)
*to eat movies = (le’echol sratim) לאכול סרטים
- Al Ha’panim - על הפנים
Lit. “On the face”. When someone says it about something, he means to say that it’s awful, terrible.
- Sof Ha’Derech - סוף הדרך
Literally: “end of the road”. It means great, cool, awesome.
- Sof sof - סוף סוף
Means “finally!”. (the word “sof” means “end”)
- Go’al nefesh - גועל נפש
Literally: revulsion of the soul (“go’al” means disgust, revulsion). It is said when you’re disgusted with something.
- Ein matzav - אין מצב
Means: definitely no, no way. Literally: “There is no situation”.
Yesh matzav - יש מצב
Literally: “There is a situation”. Means: it is possible, yes.
- Ani met/a alecha/alayich - אני מת/ה עליך
Literally: I die about you (or I die for you (?) ).
Hey, don’t worry . If you ever hear someone saying it to you, it means he likes you a lot.
If a couple says to each other, they mean to say that they love each other madly.
Big time, it can be said to friends, family relatives, your spouse.
If it’s said to a man and you’re a girl, then it’s “(ani) meta alecha”; and if it’s the opposite - “(ani) met alayich”. A girl/woman says to another girl/woman - “(ani) meta alayich”; a boy/man says to another boy/man - “(ani) met alecha” (but in that case, they usually add “(ach sheli) אח שלי” {bro}).
Similiar phrase:Chole/Chola alecha/alayich - חולה עליך (lit. meaning: I’m sick about you)
- Achalt/a ota - אכלת אותה
Literally: you ate it. Means: you’re screwed. Usually, it is said between friends.
(For man - achalta; for female - achalt)
- E’in alecha/alayich - אין עלי(י)ך
When someone says it to you, they mean to say “you’re the best”. Literally: “there is no one like you”.
Be’iima shelcha (m)/shelach(f) - באמא שלך
Literally, it means “by your mother”. But it’s NOT said to insult your mother! Actually, when someone says it, he’s asking you to swear what you’re saying is true (so it’s said mainly when people are kind of shocked by what you said)
- Magniv - מגניב
Means “awesome”. Used when you want to describe something as extremely cool.
- E’in li musag - אין לי מושג (it’s a very common saying)
Means “I have no idea”. Lit. meaning: “I don’t have a concept”
- chai/ya be’seret - חי/ה בסרט
Lit. “(you/he/she/) live(s) in a movie”. It’s actually used as an adjective to describe a person with exaggerated, unrealistic expectations. It is also used as a way to tell someone that he’s unrealistic.
If you wanna say it shortly, then it’s “chaibes/it” (חיבס/ית)
- La’asot chaiim - לעשות חיים
Literally: “to do life”. If someone says “ta’ase/ta’asi/ta’asu chaiim”, it is said as a blessing for a great time.
Example:
Person A: Eama, ani holechet le’valot iim chaverot. (Mom, I’m going to spend time with (girl) friends)
Mom: Ta’asi chaiim (she means like “have a great time”)
- Hakol d’vash - הכל דבש
Literally: everything is honey. It means “everything is great”. If someone asks “how are you”, then you can say “everything is honey” (hakol d’vash)
- Balagan - בלגן
It’s a word for “mess” or “disorder”.
“Eize balagan” (what a mess)
- Chofer/et - חופר/ת
The word “חופר” literally means (you/he/she) dig(s), Digger. But it’s used to describe someone who talks incessantly and it gets irritating.
You can also say “chofer/et ba’rosh” (lit. digging in the head)
- Yesh - יש
Well, it has a number of meanings:
Literally: there is, there are…
It is similiar to the word “yes!”; it is also can be like “did it!”. It’s like “wohoo!”.
- Emmm - …אממ
Well, in English they say “ummm…”, but in Hebrew we say “emmm…”
- Ichs! - !איכס
It’s a Hebrew word for “yuck, ew”. You can also say (icchhh. It’s like “ewww”) איכככ or (ichsa) איכסה.
- ashkara - אשכרה
Meaning: really, totally, actually, so true.
It’s a good word that adds emphasis to what you are saying or shows real agreement with what someone else says.
- Stam - סתם (used a lot)
Meaning: just, ordinary, simple, just joking.
People say it when they make a joke or tease others and they don’t realize that you’re joking 
.
On the other hand, it can be used as “just”.
I’ll give examples:
- Stam as a word when people tease someone:
Person A: E’ich ha’michnasa’im? (how’s the pants?)
Person B: Ha’michnasa’im nir’iim mechoarim (the pants looks ugly)
Person A: Ma?! (what?!)
Person B: Staaaam 
! Hem nir’iim nehedar alaych (Just joking! It looks great on you).
- Stam as in the context of “simple, just”:
Person A: Ma ata ose achsav? (what are you doing now?)
Person B: Stam tzofe b’televiziya (just watching TV)
In addition, it can be used as an answer for a “why” question, like “for no particular reason”.
(By the way, if you want to emphasize this word’s context of teasing, you can write “staaaam”).
- Ke’ilu - כאילו
It’s a Hebrew’s equivalent for like, I mean. Especially used by teenagers (by the way, this word is so common). Well, it’s not actually a word that you need, but it does help mould sentences together and give a fluency to your speech.
“Ke’ilu” also means “I mean…”. So, if you say something and you need to explain what you mean, you can throw a ke’ilu before starting to explain.
When it is said quickly, it sounds like “kilu” and not “ke’ilu”).
- Gadol alay/alecha/alayich/etc. - 'גדול עליי/עליך/עלייך/וכו
Literally: “Big on me (you {m}, you {f} )”. It means “it’s too much responsibility” or “it’s too hard to handle”.
- Katan Alay/alecha/alayich - קטן עליי/עליך/עלייך
It’s the opposite of the phrase above (“Gadol alay”). When people say it, it means that it’s not a big deal to them, they can handle it.
- Waii - וואי
Pronounce it as “why”. It is the Hebrew equivalent for “jeez”.
- Dai - די
Well, this word is used really a lot. I mean it. It means “enough” or “stop”. Someone unfamiliar with Hebrew might be taken aback when hearing this word being blurted out since it’s pronounced as the English word “die”.
- E’ize basa - איזה באסה
It means “what a shame”. If you only say “באסה” (basa), it means “bummer”. You can hear it a lot in Israel.
Ma ani, ez? - ?מה אני, עז
Literally: “what am I, a goat?”. Israelis say it when they are ignored.
Ma yesh lecha/lach? - ?מה יש לך
Literally: "What do you have?. Idiomatically: “what’s your problem?” or “what’s wrong with you?”.
Be’gadol - בגדול
Means “big time”.
Common Abbreviations:
- Sofash - סופ"ש
Sof Savua - סוף שבוע. Meaning: weekend.
- Sh’natz - שנ"צ
Sh’nat Tzohorayiim - שנת צהריים. Meaning: a noon nap.
- Motzash - מוצ"ש
Motza’ei Shabbat - מוצאי שבת. Meaning: the going out of the Shabbat
- Datlash - דתל"ש
Dati le’she’avar - דתי לשעבר. Meaning: formerly/ex religious
- Baltam - בלת"ם
Beelti metuchnan - בלתי מתוכנן. Meaning: uplanned
- Mazlat - מזל"ט
Mazal tov- מזל טוב. Meaning: congratulations.
- Chazlash - חזל"ש
Chazara le’shigra - חזרה לשגרה. Meaning: back to normal.
- Looz - לו"ז
Lu’ach zmanim - לוח זמנים. Meaning: schedule.
- Chul - חו"ל
Chutz la’aretz. - חוץ לארץ. Meaning: abroad, outside of country. Many, and I mean many Israelis say it as “chul”.
- Da’sh - ד"ש
Drishat shalom. - דרישת שלום. Meaning: regards
- Lahatab (La-h-ha-tab) - להט"ב
Meaning: LGBT.
Other slang words/phrases from other languages:
Words from Arabic
Sababa - סבבה
This word is exactly like “cool, great”. It can also mean “okay”.
Yalla - יאללה
This word is widely used 
. It has a few meanings. It can be used as a word of rushing (someone) up, encouraging, expressing agreement, underestimate, distrust.
Achla - אחלה
It means “great”, “cool”, “awesome”. It also can mean “okay”.
Ahlan - אהלן
It’s another way of saying “hi”.
Fadicha - פדיחה
Halas - חלאס
It’s a way of saying “enough”, like “dai”.
Mabsut/a - מבסוט/ה
It means “happy”.
Walla - וואלה
Used to express: surprise and doubt. It’s like “really?” or “wow”.
Alek - עלאק
It’s like “yeah, right… 
”.
Dugri - דוגרי
It means truthfulness to the facts. It is said when people mean to say something frankly and directly, even a bit bluntly.
*Al Ha’kefak - * על הכיפאק
When somebody tells you that, he means to say “great”, “fantastic” or “wonderful”.
Words from Yiddish
Tachles - תכלס
A deformation of the word “תכלית” (tachlit) - “purpose” or “essence”. Tachles is usually used to ask for directness or to ‘get to the point. It can also express agreement with somebody.
Nu - נו
Well, depending on context and tone of voice. The word can mean “well?”, “and…?”, “so, what?”, and it can be used when rushing someone. It can also be said sarcastically.
(I’d not say that the words I’m gonna write below are slang, but whatever. They can be helpful)
Chutzpa (or hutzpa) - חוצפה
It means “insolence” or “audacity”. It can also mean “guts”.
Adj.
Chutzpan (חוצפן) - it’s said to a man/boy; chutzpanit (חוצפנית) - it’s said to a girl/woman.
Some of the slang word can sound for you rude at first, but when learning them you might find them awesome (even funny).