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PricingAboutSupportIsraeli Hand Gestures
Israelis talk with a small set of named hand moves. Each entry is the phrase said with the gesture, or the name people give it.
| Hebrew | Reads | What It Is | Good to Know | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מה אתה רוצה | ma ata rotze | bunched fingers pointing up, shaken | The classic Israeli "what do you want / obviously / why." | |
| רגע | rega | flat palm toward the other person | Stop talking for a second; not a threat. | |
| יאללה | yalla | forward wave, let's go | ||
| נו | nu | open hands, impatience | ||
| אין מה לעשות | ein ma la'asot | palms-up shrug | ||
| ככה ככה | kakha kakha | tilting hand, so-so | ||
| על הראש | al ha-rosh | palm on the head | I take full responsibility; it will be done. | |
| לא מעניין | lo me'anyen | flick under the chin | Dismissive "I don't care." | |
| כֶּסֶף | kesef | thumb rubs fingers | ||
| סע | sa | dismissive flick away | Get lost; stronger than "no." | |
| וואלק | wallak | shake the hand as if burned | The verbal wallak (from wallah) often rides with this shake: unbelievable, painful, or "come on." | |
| חזק | khazak | raised fist, be strong | ||
| על הלב | al ha-lev | palm on the chest | Sincerity, thanks, or "I mean it." | |
| קצת | ktzat | pinch in the air, a tiny bit | ||
| די | dai | chopping hand, enough | ||
| תגיד | tagid | pointing at you while talking | ||
| הצדעה | hatzda'a | loose salute | Can be real respect or sarcasm, depending on the face. Drivers use it to thank a car that let them in. | |
| בוא הנה | bo hena | palm down, fingers waving toward you | The Israeli come-here. The American palm-up wave is not how people call you over. | |
| מה קרה | ma kara | wrist rotating, palm up | What happened, or why are you making this a problem. |
Hand Gestures מחוות
Say It
| מה אתה רוצה | ma ata rotze | What do you want? / Why are you even asking? |
| רגע רגע | rega rega | Hold on, hold on. |
| יאללה בוא | yalla bo | Come on, let's go. |
| נו כבר | nu kvar | Come on already. |
| אין מה לעשות | ein ma la'asot | Nothing to be done. |
| על הראש | al ha-rosh | On my head: I will handle it. |
| ככה ככה | kakha kakha | So-so. |
| וואלק | wallak | Unbelievable. |
Terms
| מה אתה רוצה | ma ata rotze | bunched fingers pointing up, shaken |
| רגע | rega | flat palm toward the other person |
| יאללה | yalla | forward wave, let's go |
| נו | nu | open hands, impatience |
| אין מה לעשות | ein ma la'asot | palms-up shrug |
| ככה ככה | kakha kakha | tilting hand, so-so |
| על הראש | al ha-rosh | palm on the head |
| לא מעניין | lo me'anyen | flick under the chin |
| כסף | kesef | thumb rubs fingers |
| סע | sa | dismissive flick away |
| וואלק | wallak | shake the hand as if burned |
| חזק | khazak | raised fist, be strong |
| על הלב | al ha-lev | palm on the chest |
| קצת | ktzat | pinch in the air, a tiny bit |
| די | dai | chopping hand, enough |
| תגיד | tagid | pointing at you while talking |
| הצדעה | hatzda'a | loose salute |
| בוא הנה | bo hena | palm down, fingers waving toward you |
| מה קרה | ma kara | wrist rotating, palm up |
Say It
What do you want? / Why are you even asking?
Hold on, hold on.
Come on, let's go.
Come on already.
Nothing to be done.
On my head: I will handle it.
So-so.
Unbelievable.
Good to Know
The Bunched Fingers Are Not a Threat
מה אתה רוצה is argument, impatience, or "obviously," depending on the eyebrows.
רגע Is a Pause, Not a Promise of Speed
The palm comes up and the sentence continues two minutes later.
על הראש Is a Serious Offer
You are taking the task; do not say it as a joke unless you know the person.
Match the Face to the Salute
A loose הצדעה can thank a driver or mock a rule; the mouth tells you which.
Same Format, Other Situations
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the bunched, upward-pointing fingers rude?
Not on their own. "מה אתה רוצה" reads as argument, impatience, or "obviously," depending on the face that goes with it.
What does the flat palm held up mean?
רגע, hold on a second. It is a pause, not a promise the sentence will end quickly.
Is palm-on-the-head a joke gesture?
No, על הראש is a real commitment: I am taking responsibility, it will be done. Using it casually with a stranger can be read as a genuine offer.