שיהיה
she-yihyé[ʃɛ(ɪ̯)ˈje]
The English phrase "so be it" is translated into Hebrew as שיהיה (she-yihyé).
In colloquial Hebrew, שיהיה is frequently used to express reluctant acceptance or to signal that one is moving on from a topic, functioning similarly to the English words "fine" or "whatever." It can also mean "okay."
Meaning: indication of acceptance (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the conjunction ש meaning "that" and the third-person masculine singular future form of the verb יהיה meaning "to be," literally translating to "that it will be."
How does it change in a sentence?
The form שיהיה functions as a jussive or optative, which is used to express a wish or a command for a specific state of being to occur.
How do you pronounce it?
she-yihyé
Did you know?
- The root of שיהיה is היה, which is the same root used for the divine name of God in the Bible when He says 'I am that I am'.
- While שיהיה is used in daily life, the deeply religious equivalent of 'so be it' is אמן, which is the origin of the English word 'Amen'.
- In Israeli culture, שיהיה is often used sarcastically to show that the speaker thinks the other person is wrong but is too exhausted to continue the argument.
Examples in context
- שיהיה כך!So be it!This sentence shows how to use שיהיה to express a firm command or acceptance.Tatoeba #1895856 by Eldad, translation #873107 by sacredceltic
- כֵּן יְהֵאSo be it.
- שיהיה, אם זה מה שאתה רוצהSo be it, if that is what you want
- אם זה מה שצריך, שיהיה.im ze ma she'tzarich, she'yihiye.If that is what is necessary, so be it.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rotem and Noam are discussing a change in their travel plans.
- רוטם Rotemהטיסה שלנו בוטלה, אנחנו חייבים להמתין.Ha-tisa shelanu butla, anachnu chayavim le-hamtin.Our flight was cancelled, we have to wait.
- נועם Noamאני באמת רציתי להגיע היום.Ani be-emet ratsiti le-hagia hayom.I really wanted to arrive today.
- רוטם Rotemאין לנו ברירה, אז שיהיה.Ein lanu brira, az she-yihiye.We have no choice, so so be it.
- נועם Noamאת צודקת, רוטם. נחכה בסבלנות.At tsedeket, Rotem. Nachake be-savlanut.You are right, Rotem. We will wait patiently.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry שיהיה, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
how do you say “so be it” in Hebrew as used at the end of a prayer?