לא
lo/lo/
The English word "no" is translated into Hebrew as לא (lo).
לא is used as a particle to show disagreement or negation. While it can be used to mean "no" when responding to a question, it is more commonly used as the adverb "not" to negate a statement.
Meaning: used to show disagreement or negation (particle)
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /lo/ (lo).
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use אין (meaning "there is no") when they should use לא to negate a verb or an adjective.
Did you know?
- Depending on the intonation, לא? placed at the end of a sentence turns it into a tag question, similar to 'right?' or 'isn't it?' in English.
- In modern Israeli slang, לא can be used as an intensifier for agreement. Saying לא יכול להיות ('it cannot be') is often used to express that something is incredibly amazing or shocking, similar to 'no way'.
- In Israel, it is common to hear the word לא followed by a quick אבל ('but'), even when the speaker fully agrees with the premise. This 'no-but' pattern is often used as a conversational filler to soften a counter-suggestion.
Examples in context
- אף אחד לא בא.No one came.Tatoeba #652217 by Eldad, translation #2238072 by gleki
- הוא לא זר לי.He is no stranger to me.Tatoeba #6032003 by fekundulo, translation #295809 by CK
- איש לא שם לב.No one noticed.Tatoeba #6081217 by fekundulo, translation #2249602 by CK
- לא, תודהNo, thanks
- באמת לאReally not
- אני לא רוצהI don't want (male/female)
- אין לי כוחI don't have the energy
- זה לא נכון.That is not true.
- 1459 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ido asks Rotem if she wants some coffee.
- עידו Idoאת רוצה קפה, רוטם?At rotzeh kafe, Rotem?Do you want coffee, Rotem?
- רוטם Rotemלא, תודה.Lo, toda.No, thank you.
- עידו Idoבטוח? אני כבר מכין.Betach? Ani kvar mechin.Sure? I am already making some.
- רוטם Rotemכן, אני באמת לא צריכה.Ken, ani be'emet lo tzricha.Yes, I really don't need any.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry לא, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
