how to say “no big deal” in Hebrew

 

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אֵין דָּבָר, בַּקְּטַנָּה
 

 

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Someone spills wine on your new white shirt. It’s an accident. Knowing that the stain will probably come out in the laundry, you might say to them in English, no big deal.
 
In Hebrew, the traditional expression is אֵין דָּבָר  listen and repeat – literally, there is nothing or no matter.
 
The younger generation in Israel, however, seems to prefer the colloquial expression, בַּקְּטַנָּה  listen and repeat – literally, in the small (thing).
 
בית קפה בשם בקטנה
 
 
For example, you might hear:
 
אֵין דָּבָר, אֶמְסוֹר אֶת הַחֻלְצָה לְנִקּוּי יָבֵשׁ.
No big deal, I’ll get the shirt dry-cleaned (literally, I’ll pass the shirt to dry cleaning).
 
or 
 
לֹא גָּרַמְתָּ נֶזֶק בִּלְתִּי הָפִיךְ. בַּקְּטַנָּה.
You (a male) didn’t cause irreversible damage. No big deal.
by Ami SteinbergerFounder and Director, Ulpan La-Inyan
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