אפשר לקבל
efshar lekabel
The English phrase "can I have" is expressed in Hebrew as אפשר לקבל (efshar lekabel).
אפשר לקבל is a polite and indirect way to make requests or to order items, as it avoids the bluntness of saying "I want".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "is it possible to receive".
How does it change in a sentence?
The word אפשר is an impersonal construction, which means the phrase does not change based on whether the speaker is male or female.
How do you pronounce it?
efshar lekabel
Did you know?
- When using אפשר לקבל in a cafe, it is common to use a hand gesture of a slight palm-up motion to emphasize the request.
- The word אפשר can also be used as an adjective to describe something as 'tolerable' or 'passable' in a different context.
- If you use the word אני (I) with this phrase, it becomes much more direct and slightly less polite than the impersonal version provided.
Examples in context
- אפשר לקבל כוס תה?Can I have a cup of tea?This example shows how to request a cup of tea using אפשר לקבל.Tatoeba #2936069 by fekundulo, translation #693738 by ver
- אפשר לקבל עוד חלב?Can I have some more milk?This example shows how to request more milk using אפשר לקבל.Tatoeba #1864178 by fekundulo, translation #31270 by CK
- אפשר לקבל כוס קפה?Can I have a cup of coffee?This example shows how to request a cup of coffee using אפשר לקבל.Tatoeba #1999485 by fekundulo, translation #3328537 by CK
- אפשר את המסמך הזה?Can I have this document?
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Itay and Noa are at a bakery.
- נועה Noaשלום, מה תרצה להזמין?Shalom, ma tirze lehazmin?Hello, what would you like to order?
- איתי Itayאפשר לקבל קרואסון שוקולד, בבקשה?Efshar lekabel croissant shokolad, bevakasha?Can I have a chocolate croissant, please?
- נועה Noaבטח, תרצה משהו לשתות?Betach, tirze mashehu lishtot?Sure, would you like something to drink?
- איתי Itayלא תודה, זה הכל.Lo toda, ze hakol.No thanks, that is all.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
