how to say “to calm down” in Hebrew
having trouble seeing the print?
If you’ve listened to Israeli radio, you may have heard the jingle for a calm weekend: סוֹף שָׁבוּעַ רָגוּע (sohf shah-VOO-ah rah-GOO-ah). רגוע comes from the same root as the Hebrew expression meaning, in effect, wait a minute!: !רֶגַע (REH-gah!) – literally, a moment!
So with the weekend and שַׁבָּת (Shabbat) fast approaching, it’s almost time to move into a state of being more calm – or simply, to calm down – לְהֵרָגַע (leh-heh-rah-GAH).
להרגע is a verb falling into the form that’s difficult to classify, נִפְעַל (neef-AHL).
Listen to an example of the word used in one of my new favorite songs, a masterpiece by Rita and Idan Raichel: מְחַכֶּה (meh-khah-KEH).
And if you’re ready להרגע right now, check out this YouTube slideshow with Pachelbel’s Canon in D in the background… and take a deep breath:
