how to say “about to” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/עומד-ל-#.m4a” /]עוֹמֵד ל-

Different languages have different ways of expressing that someone is about to do something. Hebrew’s way is to say literally, standing to: -עומד ל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/עומד-ל-#.m4a” /] if it’s a male doing the action, and -עומדת ל[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/עומד-ל-#.m4a” /] if it’s a female.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/עומד-ל-#.m4a” /]אני עומד לעלות על מטוס, אחזור אליך כשאנחת.

I’m about to get on a plane, I’ll get back to you (a male) when I land.

עומד and עומדת are variations of the simple פעל verb לעמוד[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/עומד-ל-#.m4a” /] – to stand.