# (לשבת למישהו על הראש / לשבת עם מישהו על משהו (כמו מסמך



## Lyberty

hi, 
I'm looking for slang expressions or idioms to translate these two phrases to English. 
I cannot come up with anything, even though I'm sure these are pretty basis phrases.
Any ideas?



לשבת למישהו על הראש
לשבת עם מישהו על משהו (כמו מסמך וכדומה)
 
Thank you, Liz


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## arielipi

You should ask in English forum, explain what these mean


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## Drink

It would help if you could explain what they mean.


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## origumi

לשבת למישהו על הראש = to nudge, as in Hebrew slang לנג'ס.
לשבת עם מישהו על משהו = to get around the table (I guess there are better alternatives).


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## Drink

origumi said:


> לשבת למישהו על הראש = to nudge, as in Hebrew slang לנג'ס.



"To nudge" is the wrong word. I think "to be all over someone about something" is a good fit.


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## origumi

Drink said:


> "To nudge" is the wrong word. I think "to be all over someone about something" is a good fit.


Sounds good, with a caveat: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/be-all-over-sb


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## Drink

origumi said:


> Sounds good, with a caveat: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/be-all-over-sb



Yes, make sure to include the "about ..." even if it is just "about it".


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## arielipi

But it's not sexual


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## Drink

arielipi said:


> But it's not sexual



That's why there's a caveat. If you forget the "about ...", it might sound sexual.


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## Lyberty

I wouldn't translate לשבת למישהו על הראש as 'nudge'. 'Nudge' (and 'to be all over someone about something') has a meaning that is negative and inappropriate for a work setting (and this is a meaning I need). You don't 'nudge' your team members or your subordinates to finish a report or respond to a client. While לשבת למישהו על הראש has a meaning of insisting that things are done, in an assertive way, but without the negative meaning. 
I guess i need to try asking the English forum  )). 
Thank you all for your help.


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## Drink

Lyberty said:


> I wouldn't translate לשבת למישהו על הראש as 'nudge'. 'Nudge' (and 'to be all over someone about something') has a meaning that is negative and inappropriate for a work setting (and this is a meaning I need). You don't 'nudge' your team members or your subordinates to finish a report or respond to a client. While לשבת למישהו על הראש has a meaning of insisting that things are done, in an assertive way, but without the negative meaning.
> I guess i need to try asking the English forum  )).
> Thank you all for your help.



"Nudge" does not have any "meaning that is negative and inappropriate for a work setting", but I agree that it is simply the wrong word. My suggestion has the intended meaning and also works in a work setting: "My boss was all over me yesterday about finishing the report."


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## bazq

Maybe לשבת על משהו = to go over something?


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## arielipi

But the Hebrew expression *is* negative


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## Drink

arielipi said:


> But the Hebrew expression *is* negative



The English one is negative as well.


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## arbelyoni

How about "to be on one's back"?


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## origumi

Drink said:


> "Nudge" does not have any "meaning that is negative and inappropriate for a work setting", but I agree that it is simply the wrong word.


You keep saying it's the wrong word but give no reason. Nudge as in nag (= "to annoy by demands"), pester (= "annoy someone with frequent or persistent requests"), has very similar meaning to לשבת למישהו על הראש.

Of course subtle differences may make this translation inappropriate in specific contexts, as the thread opener wrote above.


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## Drink

origumi said:


> You keep saying it's the wrong word but give no reason. Nudge as in nag (= "to annoy by demands"), pester (= "annoy someone with frequent or persistent requests"), has very similar meaning to לשבת למישהו על הראש.
> 
> Of course subtle differences may make this translation inappropriate in specific contexts, as the thread opener wrote above.



A "nudge" is a "small successful push" and is not equivalent to nagging or pestering.

I did however remember another idiom that was on the tip of my tongue before: "*to be on someone's back/neck (about something)*".

A ruder alternative is "to be up someone's ass (about something)".


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## origumi

Drink said:


> A "nudge" is a "small successful push" and is not equivalent to nagging or pestering.


My English is not perfect and therefore I follow dictionaries and other material. See _nudge_ here and here and here and here etc.


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## Drink

origumi said:


> My English is not perfect and therefore I follow dictionaries and other material. See _nudge_ here and here and here and here etc.



I see now, you're referring to the Yiddish slang "nudge/noodzh/noodge" (pronounced /nʊdʒ/). I was thinking of the native English "nudge" (pronounced /nʌdʒ/). The former is not so common in English and I'd guess it's mostly used in New York.


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## arielipi

Can someone tell me how they're pronounced please?


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## Drink

arielipi said:


> Can someone tell me how they're pronounced please?



The Yiddish borrowing is pronounced with the same vowel as in _b*oo*k_, while the native English word is pronounced with the same vowel as in _b*u*ck_.


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