how to say “poor thing” in Hebrew
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/מסכן-#.m4a” /]מִסְכֵּן
In Biblical Hebrew, מסכן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/מסכן-#.m4a” /] refers to someone unable to support themselves financially, but over time the word came to refer to anyone in a position arousing compassion or pity – a poor thing.
Here’s an example in the feminine:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/מסכן-#.m4a” /]היא נפלה מהמגלשה וקיבלה מכה, מסכנה.
She fell off the slide and got hurt, poor thing.
Though they appear to be from the same root ס.כ.נ[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/מסכן-#.m4a” /], the words מסכן and מסוכן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/מסכן-#.m4a” /] – the word for dangerous – may not be related.
