סירב
serév/seˈʁev/
The English word 'refused' is translated into Hebrew as סירב (serév).
The verb סירב is typically followed by the preposition ל (to) when refusing an action or a thing.
How does it change in a sentence?
The infinitive form of the verb is לסרב. If you want to say 'I refused' in the first-person singular past tense, use סירבתי. The feminine singular past tense form is סירבה, and the masculine plural past tense form is סירבו.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced [seˈʁev].
Did you know?
- The conceptual essence of the root behind סירב is tied to the idea of 'defiance' or being 'rebellious'. This provides a deeper psychological layer to the word than a simple 'no'.
- In modern Israeli culture, a polite 'refusal' often involves a long explanation or a 'soft' no. Simply saying סירבתי can sound unusually blunt or cold compared to the social norms of the region.
- The verb סירב is part of the 'Pi'el' stem, a grammatical pattern used to signify that an action is deliberate and intensive. This suggests that when you use this word, you are describing a conscious, forceful act of refusal rather than a passive one.
Examples in context
- תום סירב לקבל עזרה.Tom refused help.This sentence shows how to use סירב to say someone refused help.Tatoeba #13081366 by fekundulo, translation #11946560 by CK
- הייא סירבה להצעה שלו.She refused his proposal.This sentence uses סירב to describe someone refusing a proposal.Tatoeba #1849668 by MrShoval, translation #316380 by CK
- היא סירבה להודות בכך.She refused to admit it.This sentence uses סירב to show someone refused to admit something.Tatoeba #3788966 by Eldad, translation #3788703 by Hybrid
- 30 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rotem and Itay are talking about a job offer.
- רוטם Rotemאיתי, קיבלת תשובה מהחברה?Itay, kibalta tshuva me-ha-chevra?Itay, did you get an answer from the company?
- איתי Itayכן, אבל סירבתי להצעה שלהם.Ken, aval siravti la-hatza'a shelahem.Yes, but I refused their offer.
- רוטם Rotemלמה סירב?Lama sirav?Why did he refuse?
- איתי Itayהשכר היה נמוך מדי.Ha-sachar haya namuach midai.The salary was too low.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry סירב, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
