Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| בְּסֵדֶר | beséder |
| טוֹב | tov |
These terms are used to express acknowledgement or acceptance. While they serve similar purposes, they carry different nuances: בְּסֵדֶר is often used to mean 'alright' or to indicate that everything is in order regarding a plan or situation, while טוֹב is used to signal agreement or that something is acceptable. In digital contexts, such as a computer interface, the word אישור is used for an 'OK' button to mean confirmation or approval.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase בְּסֵדֶר literally means 'in order'.
Which one should you use?
בְּסֵדֶר is frequently used to mean 'alright' or to signify that a situation or plan is in order. In contrast, טוֹב literally means 'good' and is used as 'ok' to show that something is acceptable or to signal agreement.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The transliterated word אוֹקֵי is a very common, informal way to say 'ok' in Hebrew. For a slang option, especially among Israeli youth, you can use סבבה to mean 'ok' or 'fine'.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
beséder
Did you know?
- While בְּסֵדֶר means 'ok' in daily life, it also refers to the 'Seder' meal during Passover, reflecting the word's root meaning of 'order'.
- While 'ok' is a global term, the Hebrew slang 'סבבה' is actually borrowed from Arabic. It is used to express that everything is cool, great, or 'ok'.
- Using בְּסֵדֶר with a specific falling intonation can turn 'ok' into a way of saying 'enough' or 'stop it'.
Examples in context
- סבבה, נפגש שם בשעה 7.OK, let's meet there at 7 o'clock.
- הַכֹּל בְּסֵדֶר, אַל תִּדְאַג.hakol beseder, al tid'ag.Everything is ok, don't worry.
Example conversation
Noam and Maya are deciding where to eat.
- נועם Noamבואי נאכל בפיצה.bo'i nachal be-pizza.Let's eat pizza.
- מאיה Mayaבְּסֵדֶר, נשמע טוב.beseder, nishma tov.OK, sounds good.
- נועם Noamאני אזמין שולחן.ani azmin shulchan.I will reserve a table.
- מאיה Mayaמעולה, תודה נועם.meule, toda Noam.Great, thanks Noam.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ok” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
