#366 Diving Head First

Streetwise Hebrew

The Hebrew word לקפוץ means to jump. But its root has many more uses than just that. For instance, there's a common phrase that's used to describe the actions of a person who has no shame: להשתין מהמקפצה. The phrase involves a diving board and… urine. Guy explains.

Listen to the All-Hebrew Episode on Patreon

New Words and Expressions:

“Kol ha-yeladim koftsim rokdim” – All the kids are jumping and dancing – כל הילדים קופצים רוקדים

Likpots (Coll.: Likfots) – To jump – לקפוץ

Kafatsti rega la-super – I popped into the supermarket for a sec. – קפצתי רגע לסופר

Ani kofets rega la-rofe – I am going for a quick doctors’ visit – אני קופץ רגע לרופא

Kafats al ha-hizdamnoot – He jumped at the opportunity – קפץ על ההזדמנות

Kafats kita – He skipped a grade – קפץ כיתה

Kofetset li po hatra’ah – I have an alert popping up here – קופצת לי פה התראה

Kofets li po eize halon – There’s some kind of popup window – קופץ לי פה איזה חלון

Kfots li, kfetsi li, kfetsu li – Bite me – קפוץ לי, קפצי לי, קפצו לי

She-yikfots, she-tikfots, she-yikfetsu li – I couldn’t care less about them – שיקפוץ, שתקפוץ, שיקפצו לי

Hu yachol likfots, hi yechola likfots, hem yecholim likfots – They can go to hell – הוא יכול לקפוץ, היא יכולה לקפוץ, הם יכולים לקפוץ

She-yikfots kol ha-olam – The whole world can go take a hike, see if I care – שיקפוץ העולם

Koftsim le-Eilat – We’re hopping over to Eilat – קופצים לאילת

Ve-she-kulam yikpetsu – And everyone else can go take a hike – ושכולם יקפצו

Kfitsa, kfitsot – Jumping – קפיצה, קפיצות

Kitsa la-mayim – Diving – קפיצה למים

Kfitsa la-gova – High jump – קפיצה לגובה

Kfitsa la-rohak – Long jump – קפיצה לרוחק

Kfitsa le-hul – A short visit abroad – קפיצה לחו”ל

Kafatsti le-hul la-sofash / Natati kfitsa le-hul ba-sofash – I went abroad for the weekend – קפצתי לחו”ל לסופ”ש / נתתי קפיצה לחו”ל בסופ”ש

Likfots la-mayim – To try a new task you’re not familiar with – לקפוץ למים

Yalla, kfots/kfetsi kvar la-mayim – Come on, take the plunge already – יאללה, קפוץ/קפצי כבר למים

Makpetsa – Diving board, springboard – מקפצה

Lehashtin me-ha-makpetsa – To pee from the springboard (To do something which is immoral or forbidden, without feeling any shame or regret about it) – להשתין מהמקפצה

Keresh kfitsa – Springboard (stepping stone) – קרש קפיצה

Playlist and Clips:

Shotei Ha-nevu’ah – Ha-yeladim Koftsim (lyrics)

Linoy – She-yikfots Kol Ha-olam

Eilat Campaign

Noa Kirel – Trilili Tralala (lyrics)