how to say “I can’t afford” in Hebrew
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/להרשות-לעצמי-#.m4a” /]אֲנִי לֹא יָכוֹל לְהַרְשׁוֹת לְעַצְמִי
To afford something, such as a new car or a failing grade on an exam, in Hebrew, is to allow oneself – להרשות לעצמו[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/להרשות-לעצמי-#.m4a” /] (literally, to allow himself).
Here it is when speaking to a female:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/להרשות-לעצמי-#.m4a” /]את יכולה להרשות לעצמך רכב כזה?
Can you afford a car like this?
I can’t afford is אני לא יכול להרשות לעצמי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/להרשות-לעצמי-#.m4a” /]. If you’re female, switch יכול[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/להרשות-לעצמי-#.m4a” /] with יכולה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/להרשות-לעצמי-#.m4a” /].
להרשות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/להרשות-לעצמי-#.m4a” /], literally to allow or to permit, is a הפעיל verb of the root ר.ש.ה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/להרשות-לעצמי-#.m4a” /].