how to say “it’s the thought that counts” in Hebrew

ByAmi Steinberger

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/haikar-1.mp3″ /]הָעִקָּר הַמַּחְשָׁבָה

Your friend schleps all over town to find just the right movie poster with which to surprise you for your birthday.

But he doesn’t know that you don’t like movie posters.

When you open the gift, you might want to say it’s the thought that counts. In Hebrew, that’s הָעִקָּר הַמַּחְשָׁבָה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/haikar-1.mp3″ /] – literally, the main thing is the thought.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/haikar-2.mp3″ /]הַחֻלְצָה לֹא מַתְאִימָה לִי, אָבָל לֹא נוֹרָא, הָעִקָּר הַמַּחְשָׁבָה.

The shirt doesn’t fit me, but it’s no big deal, it’s the thought that counts.

 

This word העיקר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/haikar-3.mp3″ /] appears in other contexts as an expression meaning the main thing is, such as :

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/haikar-4.mp3″ /]לֹא סִיַּמְתָּ אֶת כָּל הָעֲבוֹדָה? הָעִקָּר שֶׁהִגַּשְׁתָּ אֶת הַטֹּפֶס – זֶה הָיָה הַדָּבָר הֲכִי חָשׁוּב.

You (a male) didn’t finish all the work? The main thing is that you submitted the the form – that was the most important thing.

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