how to say “helpless” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/חסר-אונים-1.m4a” /]חֲסַר אוֹנִים

The Hebrew word און[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/חסר-אונים-2.m4a” /], meaning power or vitality, is itself used in Modern Hebrew only in literary contexts, or as a name or part of a name.

However, a form of און is used in everyday speech in the expression חסר אונים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/חסר-אונים-1.m4a” /] – helpless, or literally, lacking powers.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/חסר-אונים-3.m4a” /]הוא בסך הכל ילד חסר אונים.

He’s only (all in all) a helpless boy.

Likewise, חוסר אונים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/חסר-אונים-4.m4a” /] is helplessness.

Adding a form of חסר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/חסר-אונים-5.m4a” /] to another word (pronounced חָסֵר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/חסר-אונים-6.m4a” /] when not connected to another word) is often like adding un- to the beginning of a word in English, or –less to the end.

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/חסר-אונים-7.m4a” /]אברהם עשה דברים חסרי תקדים.

Abraham did unprecedented things.