How do we say “I told you so” in Hebrew? And “Who said?” or “You don’t say!” In this episode, host Guy Sharett teaches these useful expressions and more for, well, talking about what people say. They all stem from the root ‘amar,’ meaning ‘he said.’ What say you, Guy?

Words and expressions discussed:

Amar – He said – אמר

Amarta – You (m.) said – אמרתָ

Amart – You (f.) said – אמרתְ

Ma she-ne’emar – What was said – מה שנאמר

Amart li etmol – You (f.) told me yesterday – אמרת לי אתמול

She-halamt alai ba-laila – That you dreamt about me last night – שחלמת עליי בלילה

Kshe’elohim amar – When god said – כשאלוהים אמר

Ba-pa’am ha-rishona – In the first time – בפעם הראשונה

Mi amar – Who said so? – ?מי אמר

Hi amra li – She said to me – היא אמרה לי

Az amarti lo – So I told him – אז אמרתי לו

Hu amar li – He told me – הוא אמר לי

Az ma hu amar – So what did he say? – ?אז מה הוא אמר

Ve-ma at amart? – And what did you (f.) say? – ?ומה את אמרת

Amarti lecha/lach – I told you so – אמרתי לך

Ma amarnu? – What did we say? – ?מה אמרנו

Amru lo – They told him – אמרו לו

Omrim she-haya po same’ach lifnei she-noladeti – They say that happiness was here before I was born – אומרים שהיה פה שמח לפני שנולדתי

Ma omrim? – What do you say? – ?מה אומרים

Omrim she – They say that – …אומרים ש

Ma at omeret? Ma ata omer? – You don’t say? – ?מה את אומרת? מה אתה אומר

Tamshich lahlom – Keep dreaming – תמשיך לחלום

Zot omeret – It means – זאת אומרת

Maztomeret (Ma zot omeret)? – What does it mean? – (?מזתומרת? (מה זאת אומרת

Amur la’asot – Supposed to do – אמור לעשות

Hu amur lehagi’a be-shmone – He is supposed to come at eight – הוא אמור להגיע בשמונה

Music:
Yehudit Ravit – Amarta (lyrics)
Avtipus – Tash’iri Li Makom Lehabek Otach (lyrics)
Matti Caspi – Kshe’elohim Amar Ba-pa’am Ha-rishona (lyrics)
Monica Sex – Maka Afora (lyrics)
Etti Ankri – Lech Titragel Ita (lyrics)
David Broza – Yihye Tov (lyrics)
Arik Einstein – Amru Lo (lyrics)
Adriano Celentato – Azzuro
Tzlil Mechuvan – Yachol Lihyot She-ze Nigmar (lyrics)
Gazoz – Roni (lyrics)
Shoshana Damari – Zot Omeret (lyrics)
Ehud Banai – Starter (lyrics)

 

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Want Guy to talk about a pressing Hebrew issue? Find him at StreetWiseHebrew.com or follow him on Twitter.

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