מה לעזאזל?
ma la'azazel?
The Hebrew phrase for "what the hell?" is מה לעזאזל? (ma la'azazel?)
מה לעזאזל? is an expression used to convey surprise, confusion, disbelief, annoyance or frustration, functioning very much like the English "what the hell?"
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of מה, meaning "what" and לעזאזל, meaning "to hell".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
This is an informal expression. You should avoid using it in formal or polite settings.
How do you pronounce it?
ma la'azazel?
Did you know?
- Historically, the term comes from the ritual of sending a 'scapegoat' off a cliff to the wilderness, an act mentioned in the Bible.
- In Hebrew, עזאזל is not the general word for 'hell', which is גיהנום, making this phrase a specific cultural idiom rather than a literal translation.
- In some contexts, לעזאזל can be used alone as an interjection similar to 'damn it' without the word מה, turning a destination into a curse.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries לעזאזל, מה, CC BY-SA 4.0.
