The verb ‘lavo,’ meaning ‘to come,’ is an important verb in Hebrew. This week, Guy teaches a few handy expressions with it. How do we say, “let’s say…” or, “you’re getting carried away”? Bonus: What do you say to someone who is mansplaining to you?

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Words and expressions discussed:

Lavo – To come – לבוא

Bo, bo’i, bo’u – Come (imperative, m., f., pl.) – בוא, בואי, בואו

Bo hena – Come here – בוא הנה

Bo’i le-Eilat – Come to Eilat – בואי לאילת

Bo’u nashir – Let’s sing – בואו נשיר

Bo nagid – Let’s say – בוא נגיד

Bo netse – Let’s go out – בוא נצא

Bo’i lo nisachef – Come on, let’s (f.) not get carried away – בואי לא ניסחף

Bo’i! (abbreviation of the former) – Let’s not get carried away – !בואי

Lo, bo’i – Right, you’re way over the top – לא, בואי

Ata ba elai – You’re coming to me – אתה בא אליי

Ata ba le’echol? – Are you coming to eat (with me)? – ?אתה בא לאכול

Ata ba la’azor li rega? – Do you have a sec to help me here? – ?אתה בא לעזור לי רגע

Ata ba lehagid li? – You’re telling me? – ?אתה בא להגיד לי

Ata ba lehasbir li? – You’re telling me? – ?אתה בא להסביר לי

Ata ba li tov – I like you/what you’re doing – אתה בא לי טוב

Hayiti rak rotse lavo elaich – I would love just to come to you – הייתי רק רוצה לבוא אלייך

Lavo? – Should I come? – ?לבוא

Matai lavo? – When should I come? – ?מתי לבוא

Eich lavo? – How do I get there? – ?איך לבוא

Eich lavo, efshar be-jeans? – How should I dress, is it okay to wear jeans? – ?איך לבוא, אפשר בג’ינס

Lavo? – [Is it worth leaving home for?] – ?לבוא

Ani ba ha-baita – I coming home – אני בא הביתה

Ani ba la-malon, ve-ma ani ro’e? – I am coming to the hotel, and what do I see? – ?אני בא למלון, ומה אני רואה

Hu, ha, mi ze ba, rosh ha-memshala ha-ba! (chant used in demonstrations) – Hu-ha, who is coming, the next prime minister! – !הו-הא, מי זה בא, ראש הממשלה הבא

Hu-ha, mi ze ba, oniya im aruba – Hu-ha, who is coming, a ship with a chimney – !הו-הא, מי זה בא, אונייה עם ארובה

Playlist:
Lior Yayni – Bo’i Le-Eilat (lyrics)
Nurit Galron – Ha-shir al Ha-aretz (lyrics)
Micha from Shenkar (Tom Yaar)
Sharon Lifshitz – Ata Ba Elai (lyrics)
Eden Ben Zeken – Bahur mi-zaha (lyrics)
Daniel Ben–Haim – Lavo Ela’yich (lyrics)
Danny Robas – Ani Ba Ha-baita Me-halaila (lyrics)
Amir Dadon – Mitgalgelim (lyrics)
Ofira Gluska – Oniya im Aruba
Ha-proyekt Shel Idan Raichel – Bo’i (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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