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ממש
Mamash
/mah-MASH/
Really, truly, absolutely, literally
💬What does Mamash mean in Hebrew?
Mamash (ממש, pronounced mah-MASH) is the Hebrew intensifier meaning "really", "truly", "absolutely", or "literally". It's added to sentences for emphasis — "mamash tov" means "really good", "mamash lo yodea" means "I genuinely don't know". Unlike the English overuse of "literally", mamash is typically used accurately and retains its original sense of tangible truth.
🔊How to pronounce Mamash
ממש
Mamash
mah-MASH
Capitals = stressed syllable
The Hebrew script reads right-to-left. The English transliteration uses the Israeli Sephardic pronunciation standard.
🇮🇱When do Israelis use Mamash?
The Israeli intensifier — like "literally" or "genuinely" in English. Stacked before or after adjectives and verbs to add emphasis. "Ze mamash tov" (this is really good). "Ani mamash lo yodea" (I genuinely don't know). Unlike its English counterpart "literally", mamash is usually used accurately.
Fun fact
In Chabad Hasidic philosophy, "mamash" carries a deep spiritual meaning of physical, tangible divine reality — a concept explored extensively in the Tanya. Israeli secular slang borrowed the word and stripped it to a simple intensifier, unaware of this spiritual depth.
📝Mamash in a sentence — examples
זה ממש טעים, מאיפה קנית?
Ze mamash ta'im, me'eifo kanita?
This is really delicious, where did you buy it?
אני ממש לא מאמין שזה קרה.
Ani mamash lo ma'amin sheze kara.
I genuinely can't believe this happened.
הוא ממש בן אדם — לא כמו שחשבתי.
Hu mamash ben adam — lo kemo shakhashavti.
He's genuinely a good person — not like I thought.
📖Origin of Mamash
From Biblical Hebrew "mamash" (ממש — tangible reality, actual substance). The word appears in Talmudic and kabbalistic texts (especially in Chabad teachings) as a spiritual concept meaning "actual, physical reality". In modern Hebrew it evolved into an everyday intensifier.
Heard "Mamash" and need to translate it?
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