Photo: Zipa Kempinsky

Lachtoch (לחתוך) means ‘to cut,’ like when we cut onions. But in slang, this word and its root ח.ת.כ can be used in many ways to mean many different things. From ‘breaking up’ to ‘you clean up nice,’ or ‘a hunk‘ and ‘a hottie.’

Listen to the All-Hebrew Version of this Episode

New Words and Expressions:

Lachtoch – To cut – לחתוך

Eich hotchim batsal? – How do you cut onions? – איך חותכים בצל

Eich lachtoch batsal bli dma’ot – How to cut onions without tears – איך לחתוך בצל בלי דמעות

Ani hotech la-rochav dak dak dak – I cut it to the width thinly – אני חותך לרוחב דק-דק-דק

Ani ose kama hatachim – I make a few cuts – אני עושה כמה חתכים

Hatach, hatachim – Cut, cuts – חתך, חתכים

Hituch – Cutting – חיתוך

Hituchei ets – Wood carving – חיתוכי עץ

Oto hituch dibur – We speak the same way – אותו חיתוך דיבור

Hatachta mukdam – You left early – חתכת מוקדם

Ki avar alecha yom kashu’ach – Because you had a rough day – כי היה לך יום קשוח

Hatachti mi-sham – I am out of there – חתכתי משם

Nira li ani hotech/hotechet – I am out, I think I am going to make a move – נראה לי אני חותך/חותכת

Bo’i pashut nachtoch – Let’s just be decisive (and break up) – בואי פשוט נחתוך

Nire’ li she-ani hotechet mimeno, bishvil ma lechakot? – I think I am going to leave him, why should I wait? – נראה לי שאני חותכת ממנו, בשביל מה לחכות?

Ani hotechet ve-dai – I am cutting it and that’s the end of it – אני חותכת ודי

Lifnei she-hu ya’ase et ze – Before he will do it – לפני שהוא יעשה את זה

Ha’im gever amiti haya omer li she-ze lo mat’im lo ve-hotech? – Would a real man tell me he’s not into me and cut out? – האם גבר אמיתי היה אומר לי שזה לא מתאים לו וחותך?

O she-ze gam beseder lahtoch le-lo hoda’a? – Or is it also ok to bail on me without a message? – או שזה גם בסדר לחתוך ללא הודעה?

Ata yachol lachtoch mi-Allenby – You can cut through Allenby Street – אתה יכול לחתוך מאלנבי

Hu hatach oti ba-kvish – He cut me off on the road – הוא חתך אותי בכביש

Lachtoch mishehu – To stop someone in mid sentence – לחתוך מישהו

Nechtachti ba-gilu’ach – I cut myself while shaving – נחתכתי בגילוח

Lehechatech – To be cut – להיחתך

Nechtachti ba-etsba – I got a cut on my finger – נחתכתי באצבע

Haticha – Piece – חתיכה

Hatichat shamayim – “A a piece of sky” – חתיכת שמיים

Hatich – Hunk – חתיך

Haticha – Attractive woman – חתיכה

Hatichat zevel (hat’chat zevel) – (You) piece of trash – חתיכת זבל, חת’כת זבל

Hitchatachti – I groomed myself – התחתכתי

Aval at lo ba-inyan – But you’re not into me – אבל את לא בעניין

Ma kara hitchatachta? – Why are you all dressed up? – מה קרה התחתכת?

Playlist and Clips:

Lahakat Pikud Merkaz – Anachnu Me-oto Ha-kfar (lyrics)

Nofar Salman – Boom Ba-lev (lyrics in YouTube description)

Shir Preda

Hatach oti ba-kvish

Lior Porat – Nechtachti Ba-gilu’ach

Lea Shabat – Hatichat Shamayim (lyrics)

Lior Narkis – At Lo Ba-inyan (lyrics)

Eich hotchim batsal? – How do you cut onions?

Meir Ariel – Terminal (lyrics)

Previous Episodes

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2 comments on “What a Hunk!

  1. Sue Mackson says:

    These podcasts are such a brilliant way of teaching Hebrew. Learning a list of nouns by itself won’t help you make sentences. Such a wonderful introduction to Hebrew as used today.

    1. Guy Sharett says:

      Toda raba Sue! Thanks for these kind words.

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