how to say “the day before a holiday” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ערב-חג-1.m4a” /]עֶרֶב חַג

In English, we have the expression on the eve of… meaning the day before an event, or the time leading up to it. Hebrew has the same, so that the day before a holiday – a holiday eve – is ערב חג[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ערב-חג-1.m4a” /].

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ערב-חג-2.m4a” /]אין לנו זמן לשבת בבית קפה היום – ערב חג.

We don’t have time to sit in a cafe today – it’s a holiday eve.

Note that it’s eve–ערב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ערב-חג-3.m4a” /] even though it’s still daylight.

Since it’s ערב חג הסוכות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ערב-חג-4.m4a” /] – Sukkot holiday eve – I’ll wish you:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ערב-חג-5.m4a” /]חג שמח!

Happy holiday!