how to say “disappointment” in Hebrew

Correction to earlier post: A couple of readers pointed out to me that while Israel’s diamond exchange is located in Ramat Gan, the stock exchange is in Tel Aviv. This information is now reflected in the corresponding post.

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

Disappointment is that feeling we get after being let down after we had formed an expectation.

It could be said that such an expectation is a lie, as it has proven false. Thus the application of the root כ.ז.ב (k.z.w) meaning falsehood makes sense for the word for to disappoint – לְאַכְזֵב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אכזבה-2.mp3″ /], and the word for disappointment: אַכְזָבָה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אכזבה-1.mp3″ /]. The א (a) forms a fourth root letter for conjugation purposes, but it is not part of the original root.

Here’s the word אכזבה in action, as it appears in a timeless adage translated to Hebrew:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אכזבה-3.mp3″ /]כְּגֹדֶל הַצִּפִּיָּה, כָּךְ גֹּדֶל הָאַכְזָבָה.

The higher the expectation, the greater the disappointment.
(literally, As is the size of the expectation, such is size of the disappointment.)