In Israel you’ll come across plenty of people who get carried away, overreact to things, or go over the top. How do you deal with these people? What should you say to them in Hebrew? Host Guy Sharett explains what you should say when you’re overcharged for something that should be really cheap, and what you should do with your hands when someone is saying something totally exaggerated.

New words & expressions:

Al tagzim/i/u! – Don’t exaggerate! – !אל תגזימ/י/ו

At magzima – You exaggerate – את מגזימה

Dai, lo tsarich lehagzim –  Come on, it’s not necessary to exaggerate – די, לא צריך להגזים

Hagzama – Exaggeration – הגזמה

Ani tsarich lomar, ve-im ktsat hagzama – I must say, and with a bit of exaggeration – אני צריך לומר, ועם קצת הגזמה

Eize hagzamot! – Such exaggeration! – !איזה הגזמות

Mugzam – Exaggerated – מוגזם

Ipur mugzam – Exaggerated makeup – איפור מוגזם

Ze ma-ze mugzam – This is so exaggerated / over-the-top – זה מה-זה מוגזם

Achalti be-keta mugzam – I overate – אכלתי בקטע מוגזם

Ay yai – [An exaggeration exclamation] – איי-יאי

Mi she-yishma – What an exaggeration (fig.)

Efshar lachshov mi at – One might think you were someone (lit.) What an exaggeration, who do you think you are? (fig.) – מי שישמע, אפשר לחשוב מי את

Ani nischefet – I’m getting carried away – אני נסחפת

Nischafta – You got carried away – נסחפת

Nahar sohef – A river that carries things away – נהר סוחף

Eize hisachfut! – What a getting-carried-carried-away! (lit.) That’s so over-the-top! (fig.) – !איזה היסחפות

Mamash – Yeah, right; As if – ממש

Ani yotze be-chamesh ba-boker kedey lihyot batuach she-ani agi’a le-yerushalayim lifnei shmone – I’m leaving at 5am to be sure I’ll make it to Jerusalem before 8 o’clock – אני יוצא בחמש בבוקר כדי להיות בטוח שאני אגיע לירושלים לפני שמונה

Ata tagi’a sha’atayim lifney ha-zman – You’re going to get there two hours early – אתה תגיע שעתיים לפני הזמן

Looking for the monologue text? It’s available to our patrons at patreon.com/streetwisehebrew.

Playlist and clips:
Hava Alberstein – Machshava Tova (lyrics)
Ran Efron – Rak Od Yom (lyrics)
Yossi Banai – Hatsotsrat Ha-tehila (lyrics)
Original song in French: Georges Brassens – Les Trompettes De La Renommée
Ahad Ha-am Echad (Reshet TV)
Sarit Haddad – Or Kochav (lyrics)

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