# Slang: תכלס



## Chazz

Hi,

alot of israelis use it, but what does it mean? when do you use it? can you give me an example ?

thanks.


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## Tamar

After giving it some thought, I think I can explain it as one saying "(that's the) bottom line". When you say it in a conversation you mean to say that the last thing that was said is actually what's important, not anything else (hope I'm clear, if not don't hesitate...)


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## hadronic

How is it vocalized ?


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## ostrovskaya

'tahles'; in IPA, roughly, ['taχles] (χ is the uvular fricative)
They also sometimes say בתכלס [be'taχles], but I think it has exactly the same meaning. I am not quite sure that "(that's the) bottom line" is exactly what it means, although that would be close... The other shades of its meaning: 'as a matter of fact, actually, in reality'. If you know the expression בפועל [be'foal] and have intuitions about its use in Hebrew, then I think the two are used in very similar contexts, except that [be'foal] is more standard/literary, while ['taχles] is slangy.


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## ostrovskaya

Example:
את אומרת ומבטיחה כל מיני דברים אבל תכלס כל מה שאת רוצה זה ליהנות מהחיים
'You say and promise all sorts of things but in reality all you want is enjoy life.'
(should be correct, but native speakers will correct if I have any minor glitches


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## Tamar

> את אומרת ומבטיחה כל מיני דברים אבל תכלס כל מה שאת רוצה זה ליהנות מהחיים


 
כאן הייתי אומרת "*ב*תכלס". אבל בתכל'ס, אחלה של הסבר 
 פתאום נזכרתי, לפני כמה זמן מצאתי במקרה את זה:http://www.safa-ivrit.org/imported/yiddish.php תכל'ס היא ככל הנראה ההגיה היידית ל"תכלית".It says what ostrovskaya says at post #4​


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## `Omer

http://morfix.mako.co.il/Default.aspx?q=תכלס


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## ickodelcampo

I think this is of Arabic origin (root of "to finish" - 'halas' חלס) and it was adםpted??

It is very common slang in Israel: esp. to say 'tahles ba-inyan' when speaking of a topic/matter - it is a negative/contradiction implication - implies that "at the end of the day" (so to speak) you say/preach one thing and do something else - or do nothing about it! 

Good example by ostrovskaya - but I also agree with Tamar about 'baTahles' in the quote - because 'ba' ב is like 'the' in "at 'the' end of the day" 

<keep on sharing your thoughts> always encouraged


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## ickodelcampo

btw Tamar's "bottom line" translation/interpretation is almost perfect in this case!!  well done


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## rmsberger

The origin is the Biblical and Rabbinic Hebrew word תכלת ("takhlit"), from the root \כלה\, finish or conclusion.

It got borrowed into Yiddish, where it would be pronounced "tachlis", and with more emphasis on the idea of the end-goal and from there, about the process's purpose and "bottom line".

Then it got borrowed back into Israeli Hebrew, but with Yiddish pronunciation. So, the spelling shifted, as Israeli Hebrew doesn't have an /s/ sound for the undotted sav (ת). Yielding "תכלס".


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