Yalla יָאללָה

Yalla, let’s learn some more Hebrew! Or, as an Israeli counselor at my Jewish summer camp used to say when he wanted to get us going, “Yalla balagan,” which (roughly) translates to “Let’s go all out.”

Yalla, it turns out, is a loanword from Arabic, a portmanteau of ya + Allah, or “oh God” (in Arabic, the “L” sound is more drawn out, and the “ahh” is a bit closer to an “uhh”). To demonstrate a few different uses of the word, StreetWise Hebrew TLV1 podcast host Guy Sharett uses soundbites from advertising, the Israeli Knesset, and popular music:

— Part of an ad for Pepsi (“yalla now”—in this case, in Arabic);

— How to tell your boyfriend to go home when you’re mad at him, in song (“Yalla lech ha-bayita, Motti,” or, “Motti, just go home now”)

— A way to motivate your friend to get up off the couch and start learning Hebrew (“Az yalla,” or, “So come on already”)

— A chant for your favorite sports team (“Yalla Bulls,” or, “Let’s go Bulls”)

— A pointed rejection (“Yalla-yalla,” or, “yeah right,” “as if!” etc.)

Yalla – יָאללָה

Ya Allah – יָא אַללָה Whow Goodness

Yalla zazim – יָאללָה זָזִים Lets Go

Yalla lech ha-bayita Motti – יָאללָה לֵךְ הבַּיתָה מוֹטִי Go home

Az yalla – אָז יָאללָה Then lets get at it

Yalla beitar – יָאללָה בֵּיתָ”ר Go Beitar

Yalla-yalla – יָאללָה-יָאללָה Quick quick

Tov, yalla bye – טוֹב, יָאללָה בַּיי Ok Bye

Tov, yalla mmmmmmbye – טוֹב, יָאללָה מְמְמְמְמְ-בַּיי Goodbye