למעלה
lemá'ala/leˈma(ʕ)la/
The Hebrew word for "up" (away from the earth's surface) is למעלה (lemá'ala). Wiktionary also lists מעלה (má'ala).
Meaning: away from earth’s surface (adv)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| למעלה | lemá'ala | /leˈma(ʕ)la/ (Modern Israeli) |
| מעלה | má'ala | /ˈma(ʕ).la/ (Modern Israeli) /ˈmaʕ.lɔː/ |
Both מעלה and למעלה can be used to mean "up" or "toward the top". While מעלה can mean "up" or "above", adding the prefix ל (למעלה) is the standard way to indicate a location that is "up there" or "above".
What does it mean word for word?
The word למעלה consists of the preposition ל (to/towards) and מעלה (up/above).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In the context of "Hands up!", the phrase ידיים למעלה uses the prepositional form to indicate the direction or position of the hands.
How do you pronounce it?
lemá'ala
Did you know?
- In Hebrew, מעלה can also be used as a noun meaning 'a virtue' or 'a merit'. When describing a person's character, it refers to their high moral standing.
- While למעלה means 'up', the opposite 'down' is למטה. The word מטה can also mean 'a staff' or 'a clan', creating a potential for puns in literature.
- When used to indicate a number, such as 'more than ten', למעלה is used to mean 'above' or 'over'. It functions similarly to the English 'upwards of'.
Examples in context
- שלח את תום למעלה.Send Tom up.This sentence demonstrates how to use למעלה to mean sending someone up.Tatoeba #5429149 by fekundulo, translation #2235883 by CK
- שמעתי רחש שם למעלה.I heard a noise up there.This sentence shows how to use למעלה to describe a noise located up there.Tatoeba #5588383 by fekundulo, translation #5207748 by CK
- ידיים למעלה! זה שוד.Hands up! This is a robbery.This sentence uses למעלה to indicate the position of hands during a command.Tatoeba #1296492 by Eldad, translation #1296486 by Shishir
- 45 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Agur and Ido are looking at a kite in the sky.
- עגור Adiתראה כמה גבוה העפיפון עף למעלה!Tireh kama gavoha ha-afifun af lemala!Look how high the kite is flying up!
- עידו Idoזה באמת מרשים מאוד.Ze be-emet marshim me'od.That is really very impressive.
- עגור Adiהוא כמעט מגיע לעננים למעלה.Hu kim'at megia la-ananim lemala.It almost reaches the clouds up there.
- עידו Idoאני מקווה שהוא לא יקרע.Ani mekave she-hu lo yikra.I hope it doesn't rip.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “up” translations and entries למעלה, מעלה, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
