שלום יפה
shalom yafa
The English phrase "hello beautiful" can be translated into Hebrew as שלום יפה (shalom yafa).
This is a friendly greeting used to address a woman that includes a compliment on her appearance.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the word שלום (shalom), meaning "hello" or "peace" and the adjective יפה (yafa), meaning "beautiful".
How does it change in a sentence?
While יפה is the adjective for "beautiful", using the noun יפהפייה makes the compliment more intense, translating more closely to "Hello, gorgeous" or "Hello, beauty".
How do you pronounce it?
shalom yafa
Did you know?
- In modern Israeli culture, using שלום יפה with a stranger can be seen as overly forward or 'flirty'. It is more commonly reserved for people who already have a friendly or romantic rapport.
- In Hebrew, the concept of 'peace' (shalom) is not just the absence of war, but implies wholeness and completeness. Greeting someone as 'beautiful' while wishing them 'wholeness' adds a deep layer of meaning.
- The word שלום is used not only for 'hello' but also for 'goodbye'. This means שלום יפה could technically be said both when arriving and when leaving.
Examples in context
- שלום יפהפייה!Hello, beautiful!This sentence is useful for seeing how to express a more intense version of the phrase using שלום יפה.Tatoeba #649908 by Eldad, translation #1265548 by Jefepeters
- שלום יפה, מה קורה?shalom yafa, ma kore?hello beautiful, what's happening?
Example conversation
Itay greets Rotem when she arrives at a cafe.
- איתי Itayשלום יפה, איזה כיף לראות אותך!Shalom yafa, eize kef lir'ot otach!Hello beautiful, it's so great to see you!
- רוטם Rotemתודה, איתי! גם אני שמחה לראות אותך.Toda, Itai! Gam ani smacha lir'ot otcha.Thanks, Itay! I am also happy to see you.
- איתי Itayאת נראית נהדר היום.At nira'at nehedar hayom.You look great today.
- רוטם Rotemתודה רבה!Toda raba!Thank you very much!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
