how to say “just a second” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שנייה-1.m4a” /]רַק שְׁנִיָּה

The unit of time called the second is called such because it’s the second unit of time after the minute. Its Hebrew translation, שנייה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שנייה-2.m4a” /], conveys the same meaning, coming from the word for two – שניים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שנייה-3.m4a” /].

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שנייה-4.m4a” /]יש שישים שניות בדקה.

There are sixty seconds in a minute.

To say to someone, just a second, you’d use רק שנייה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שנייה-1.m4a” /], or simply, שנייה.

For example, if your phone connection is subpar, you might say:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שנייה-5.m4a” /]שנייה, אני לא שומע אותך.

Just a second, I can’t (don’t) hear. (spoken by a male)

שנייה also means second as in:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/שנייה-6.m4a” /]היא השנייה בתור.

She’s (the) second in line.