What does Sababa mean in Hebrew?
Sababa in Hebrew is one of those words that sounds as good as it means: something great, great, fabulous! It’s the kind of expression you blurt out when everything is going great and you want to show your enthusiasm in style.
Arab origin
It comes from Hebrew, but its origin is in Arabic. The root word is “tzababa”, which means ‘excellent’ or “very good” in Arabic. So, sababa is the perfect way to say “this is delicious”.
My personal use
I’ve always loved to slip a good “Sababa“ (סַבָּבָה)” into conversations. It’s one of those little Israeli slang words that, besides sounding good, conveys pure good vibes. It’s like saying “cool” or “great” in English, but with much more flow.
¿Sababa or cool?
The best part is that it is one of those little gems that Hebrew-speaking Israelis have taken from Arabic. And truth be told, let’s be honest: saying “Sababa” sounds much better than the simple “cool”, doesn’t it?
Hebrew, Arabic and Urdu
As with many words, “sababa” means the same thing in Hebrew and Urdu. This is no coincidence. Both languages have connections to Arabic. Therefore, they share more than one linguistic gem.
Where does the word Sababa come from?
But, by the way… where did sababa come from? Is it still used in the same way today? Don’t go away, I’ll tell you all about this cool word that gives off a good vibe!
As I mentioned earlier, the word sababa comes from the Arabic root tzababa, which means something like “great” or “excellent”. Already from the start it promises!
But that is not all. In the Qur’an, sababa is also related to deep love. It also refers to an intense longing, those that touch the heart.
Over time, Israelis and others interested in the language adopted it. They gave it their personal touch and made it synonymous with all that is good.
When did it begin to be said sababa?
It began to be heard by Hebrew speakers back in the 1980s, and it hasn’t stopped since. Today, sababa is one of the most used expressions in Israel to say that everything is more than fine.
How to use sababa in modern Hebrew?
The term Sababa evolved, over time it has expanded and today it has many uses. It can be an adjective to describe someone or something that is great. For example, “That place is super-sababa”.
It is also used as a word of affirmation. It can be used as “Va!”, “Perfect!” or the classic “All good”.
To show agreement:
“So we’re going to the beach now?”
“Sababa.”
To express that you agree with something or that you are willing to accept it, similar to saying “whatever” or “I’m fine with it”.
Fancy shawarma?
“Sababa.”
To indicate that you understand and accept what someone has said:
I apologize if I disturbed you, are we okay?
“Sababa.”
To replace the word “cool”:
“People kept saying you were sababa, and they were absolutely right!”
Describing a person or thing as calm and approachable:
“The flea market was so sababa”
Idioms
Sometimes, Israelis get creative and instead of saying sababa, they drop a sababi? or even a more tender sababush. What’s that, you ask?
Well, it’s like when in English they add an “-ee” or an “-ey” to words to make them sound sweeter and cuddlier. So sababush would be something like saying “precious” or “sweetie”, but with a very local flavor. In other words, it is the street version of sababa.
The Hebrew slang term often appears in phrases such as “Aba sababa” or “Cool Dad,” which you can find printed on coffee mugs.
Bassa Vs Sababa
Outside of Israel, you may have heard sababa in the song Bassa Sababa by Eurovision winner, Israeli singer Netta. The song uses two Hebrew slang words, both with Arabic roots. Bassa is literally the opposite of sababa. When something is annoying or disappointing, we say “bassa”.
The song was inspired by a Hebrew saying. This saying goes “Lakahat ha-bassa ba sababa”. It means to take bad things in a positive way. It also means to calmly accept the bad things in life.
Now you are ready to use sababa like a pro!
After reading this post, you’re more than ready to drop a good sababa with confidence. Now you know what it means, where it comes from and when to use it like a local. So the next time you’re in beautiful Israel and someone asks you how you’re doing, tell them a strong sababa and see how they smile!
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