how to say “check, please” in Hebrew
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/חשבון-בבקשה-#.m4a” /]חֶשׁבּוֹן, בְּבַקָּשָׁה
The word חשבון[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/חשבון-בבקשה-#.m4a” /] refers to several things in Hebrew: artithmetic, an account, a bill, and even an ancient Biblical city ruled by the Amorite king Sihon.
So to ask for the bill in a restaurant, you would say:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/חשבון-בבקשה-#.m4a” /]חשבון, בבקשה.
Check, please.
Still sitting there ten minutes later, you might say to your waiter:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/חשבון-בבקשה-#.m4a” /]אנחנו מחכים כבר עשר דקות לחשבון!
We’ve been waiting here already ten minutes for the bill!
The root of חשבון is ח.ש.ב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/חשבון-בבקשה-#.m4a” /] meaning to think: calculations require thinking.
