לא בא ליLo ba li
I don't feel like it, not in the mood, can't be bothered
What does Lo ba li mean in Hebrew?
Lo ba li (לא בא לי, pronounced loh bah LEE) means "I don't feel like it", "I'm not in the mood", or "I can't be bothered". It's a uniquely Israeli construction (literally "it doesn't come to me") that expresses honest disinterest or lack of motivation. Israelis use it without apology. It's considered direct rather than rude. The positive form "ba li" means "I feel like it / I want to".
How to pronounce Lo ba li
לא בא לי
The Hebrew script reads right-to-left. The English transliteration uses the Israeli Sephardic pronunciation standard.
When do Israelis use Lo ba li?
One of the most quintessentially Israeli phrases, expressing a very Israeli comfort with saying exactly what you're feeling without social padding. "Lo ba li" is the honest answer to invitations you don't want to accept. Extremely common in text messages and casual conversation.
Fun fact
The phrase perfectly encapsulates Israeli directness: no excuse-making, just honest expression of how you feel.
Lo ba li in a sentence: examples
רוצה לבוא? לא בא לי להיום.
Rotse lavo? Lo ba li lahayom.
Want to come? I'm not feeling it today.
לא בא לי לבשל, בוא נזמין משלוח.
Lo ba li levashel, bo nezamen mishloch.
I can't be bothered to cook, let's order delivery.
לא בא לי בכלל להיות שם.
Lo ba li bikhlal lihiyot sham.
I really don't feel like being there at all.
Origin of Lo ba li
Uniquely Israeli Hebrew construction: literally "it doesn't come to me" as in the motivation/desire doesn't arrive. Direct expression of unwillingness.
Heard "Lo ba li" and need to translate it?
baba includes curated support for expressions like Lo ba li. Compare the literal words with the intended meaning and use the surrounding sentence to choose the right translation. To translate a whole message with the right gender and register, use the free Hebrew to English translator.
iOS & Android · Unlimited slang translations with Pro