chas v'chalila

Pronunciations

chas v'chalila (khas vih-khah-LEE-lah) listen
chas v'chalila (HAHS VEH hah-lee-LAH) listen

Definitions

  • interj. God forbid; expresses the desire that something not happen.

Example Sentences

  • "She might fail her bar exam." "Chas v'cholile."

Languages of Origin

  • Textual Hebrew
  • Yiddish

Etymology

  • TH חס וחלילה > Y חס־וחלילה khas vekholile

    • Who Uses This

      • Orthodox: Jews who identify as Orthodox and observe halacha (Jewish law)
      • Israel: Diaspora Jews who feel connected to Israel and have spent time there

      Regions

      • Australia / New Zealand
      • South Africa
      • Great Britain
      • North America

      Dictionaries

      • Yiddish and English: A Century of Yiddish in America, by Sol Steinmetz (Tuscaloosa, 1986).

      Alternative Spellings

      khas v'kholileh, khas v'kholile, khas v'kholilah, khas v'kholila, khas v'khalileh, khas v'khalile, khas v'khalilah, khas v'khalila, khas vekholileh, khas vekholile, khas vekholilah, khas vekholila, khas vekhalileh, khas vekhalile, khas vekhalilah, khas vekhalila, chas v'cholileh, chas v'cholile, chas v'cholilah, chas v'cholila, chas v'chalileh, chas v'chalile, chas v'chalilah, chas vecholileh, chas vecholile, chas vecholilah, chas vecholila, chas vechalileh, chas vechalile, chas vechalilah, chas vechalila

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