לחכות — meaning in English: wait

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Guess the translation for to wait

לחכות

lekhakot

מקובלת

mekubelet

סכסוך

sikhsukh

אספקת

aspakat

דומים

domim

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neutral very common

Usage

Native speakers often use 'לחכות' in everyday situations, such as waiting for a friend at a café or waiting in line at the grocery store. It's also common in more formal contexts, like waiting for a presentation to start during a business meeting.

Synonyms & nuances

While 'לחכות' specifically means 'to wait,' a similar term is 'להמתין' (lehamtin), which is more formal. You might choose 'לחכות' in casual conversations and 'להמתין' in more official or serious contexts.

Culture

'לחכות' comes from the Hebrew root ח-כ-י, which is associated with time and patience. In Israeli culture, waiting is often seen as a part of daily life, reflecting a laid-back attitude; for instance, people might say 'just a minute' but mean anywhere from five to fifteen minutes!

FAQ

Q.What is the meaning of לחכות in English?

'לחכות' translates to 'wait' in English, indicating the action of staying in one place until something expected occurs.

Q.How do you conjugate לחכות?

'לחכות' is a regular verb in Hebrew and can be conjugated in various tenses. For example, in present tense, it becomes 'מחכה' (mekhake) for 'waiting' when referring to a male speaker.

Q.Are there any common mistakes when using לחכות?

A common mistake is using 'לחכות' when a different verb is more appropriate. For example, if you mean to 'expect' rather than just 'wait,' you might want to use 'להמתין' instead.

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