This Yiddish Glossary was last revised on: 19 August 2008   בּס"ד
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 Yiddish Glossary   אידישער ווערטערשאַץ 
רשימה פֿון אידישע ווערטער און אויסדרוקן
List of Yiddish Words and Expressions (& some Definitions)

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Food & Dining Newspaper Terminology
Essay: Use of the Article in Yiddish

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Prologue:    1. What's the Proper Way to Spell "Yiddish" (in Yiddish/Hebrew Characters)?
2. How Do You Use "Yiddish" as an Adjective?
3. Yiddish Words and Expressions Pertaining to Yiddish itself.
Litvaks like myself, as well as Jews from the northern Ukraine and many other areas, write and pronounce it אידיש. For years אידיש was used universally in printed and written texts. But due to YIVO's influence, the spelling יידיש now prevails in secular Yiddish circles.
"In Israel, where people speak 'Litvish' Yiddish, they say 'איד' & 'אינגל' - not 'ייד' or 'יינגל'. These quotes are from Sholem Berger's blog of 11/08/2004.
„אין ארץ ישראל, וואו מ'רעדט אַ ליטווישן אידיש, זאָגט מען 'איד', 'אינגל', נישט 'ייד' אָדער 'יינגל.'“
There is also a discussion on the subject אידיש vs יידיש on Sholem Berger's blog of 09/13/2004.
This subject is also discussed on WhyJudaism.com.
Note: Sholem Berger's blog, as well as WhyJudaism.com, are written in Yiddish text using Unicode non-precombined letters. This means that if you are not running Windows 2000 or Windows XP, you'll have to use Internet Explorer to access that site. Sorry ....
My opinion: Since Yiddish spelling is NOT 100% phonetic anyway, why not just write it in the traditional manner "אידיש?" You can still pronounce it "Yiddish"if you wish!

Accordingly, on this website, I spell it אידיש. (Please, האָט ניט קיין פֿאַראיבל!)

English Yiddish, in Latin Letters Yiddish, in Hebrew Letters Alternate
Spelling(s)
Yiddish-English-Hebrew Dictionary yidish-english-hebreyisher verterbukh אידיש־ענגליש־העברעאישער ווערטערבוך העברייאישער העברעיִשער
Modern English-Yiddish Yiddish-English Dictionary moderner english-yidish yidish-englisher verterbukh מאָדערנער ענגליש־אידיש אידיש־ענגלישער ווערטערבוך ייִדיש
Russian-Yiddish Dictionary rusish-yidisher verterbukh רוסיש־אידישער ווערטערבוך ייִדישער
Yiddish Dictionary Online yidisher verterbukh afn veb אידישער װערטערבוך אויפֿן װעב ייִדישער
Yidish-English-Hebreyisher Verterbukh is the title of Harkavy's 1928 Dictionary. Notice that ער is appended to the word "Hebreyisher" - which is the last of the 3 languages that are listed in the title.

Rusish-Yidisher Verterbukh is the title of the 1984 hardcover Russian-Yiddish Dictionary by  Shapiro, Spivak, and Shulman. Note again that the suffix ער is appended to the last of the languages that are listed in the title.

Appending ער to the last of the languages listed in a dictionary name is the accepted usage. By extension then, the title for Weinreich's Dictionary should be Moderner English-Yidish Yidish-Englisher Verterbukh.
(נאָך אַלעמען - After all, who knew Yiddish better - Weinreich, or Harkavy and Shapiro-Spivak-Shulman?)
Speak Yiddish with me! Redt tsu mir yidish! ‫רעדט צו מיר אידיש! יידיש
"The nice thing about your Yiddish is that it sounds like a dialect." Di mayle fun ayer yidish iz vos er klingt vi a dialekt! ‫די מעלה פֿון אײער אידיש איז װאָס ער קלינגט װי אַ דיאַלעקט! יידיש דיאלעקט
This compliment was once given by the great Yiddish scholar (and author of the Great Dictionary of the Yiddish Language) Yudel Mark עה"ש to the (then) young and talented Yiddish scholar Richard Zuckerman.
"Klal-Yiddish" (inauthentic "Standardized Yiddish") has torn away young students from true Yiddish roots, & estranged them from the common (Yiddish speaking) people. Der "klal yidish" hot avekgerisn di shtudirndike yugnt funem shoyresh'dikn yidish, un zey dervaytert fun di folks-mentshn. ‫דער "כּלל אידיש" האָט אַװעקגעריסן די שטודירנדיקע יוגנט פֿונעם שוֹרש'דיקן אידיש, און זײ דערװײטערט פֿון די פֿאָלקס־מענטשן. שורשדיקן יידיש
He speaks Yiddish from birth. er redt yidish fun geborn on. ‫ער רעדט אידיש פֿון געבאָרן אָן. געבארן געבוירן
He speaks Yiddish from his earliest childhood years. er redt yidish fun di same friste kinder-yorn. ‫ער רעדט אידיש פֿון די סאַמע פֿריסטע קינדער־יאָרן. יידיש סאמע פריסטע קינדער־יארן
Yiddish is a language with much variety. Yidish iz a shprakh fun variantn. ‫אידיש איז אַ שפּראַך פֿון װאַריאַנטן. יידיש שפראך װאריאנטן
Yiddish is a vast inexhaustible sea. Yidish iz a yam nit uystsushepn. ‫אידיש איז אַ ים ניט אויסצושעפּן. יידיש איז א ים ניט אויסצושעפן.
Yiddish is NOT a translated English! Yidish iz nit ken ibergezetster english! ‫אידיש איז ניט קײן איבערגעזעצטער ענגליש! ---




(native) Yiddish speakers yidish-redndike
NOT yidish-reders		 ‫אידיש־רעדנדיקע יידיש־רעדנדיקע
Yiddish teacher (teacher of Yiddish) yidisher lerer
(lerer fun yidish)
NOT yidish-lerer		 אידישער לערער
(לערער פֿון אידיש) 		יידישער לערער
(לעהרער פון אידיש)
Professor of Yiddish profesor fun yidish
NOT yidish-profesor		 פּראָפֿעסאָר פֿון אידיש פראפעסאר פון יידיש
Note: Terms like yidish-reders, yidish-lerers, and yidish-profesors were NOT used in pre-war Eastern Europe!
These monstrosities are probably the creations of the vaynraykhistn, a/ka the yidishe kalikes.






Miscellaneous Vocabulary

Word or Phrase in English
How It's Said in Real "Kosher" Yiddish
JNF (Jewish National Fund)
 KKL (Keren Kayemes LeYisro'el)
קק"ל (קרן קימת לישראל)
It's not your job (responsibility) to do that! Dos gehert nit tsu dir!
I wouldn't put it / anything past him! (Meaning: I wouldn't be surprised if he did something bad because I think his character is bad.) Af em ken men alts gloybn (Litvish: gleybn)!
אויף אים (אַף עם) קען מען אַלץ גלויבּן!
אויף אים (אף עם) קען מען אלץ גלויבן!
To the terrorists, it's a recommended religious practice to lie to us "infidels," in order to deceive us. Bay di teroristn, iz (gor) a mitsve tsu zogn ligns undz "umgloybike," kedey undz optsunarn.
How to Say "PLEASE" in Yiddish
zayt azoy gut; zayt moykhl; m'bet ...; ... nor; bamit zikh
זייט אַזוי גוּט; זייט מוֹחל; מ'בעט ...; ... נאָר; באַמיט זיך
Please wash the dishes.
 Zayt azoy (azey) gut, vasht di geFES.
Please, if you don't mind, give that old man your seat. (in a bus or train)
 Git-op ayer ort dem altitshkn, zayt moykhl (meykhl).
"Please Post" (a flyer or placard)
 "M'bet uys|hengen"
Please make sure that when you see him, you tell him this.
 Ze nor, az ven du vest ba em zayn, zolst em dos ibergebn.
Please try to come to the synagogue tonight, to make sure that there's a minyan. Bamit zikh, kumt in shul haynt in ovnt, tsu farzikhern az s'vet zayn a minyen.

How could I have done such a stupid thing?!!
 Vi iz gekumen tsu mir aza beheymishkayt?!!
ווי איז געקומען צו מיר אַזאַ בהמישקייט?!!
His only concern is his health, Er hot "eyn dayge."
Explanation: In Yiddish, eyn dayge (איין דאגה)  -- literally "one worry" -- is a euphemism for one's health, just as oysoy hamokoym (אותו המקום) -- literally "that place" -- is a euphemism for a woman's private parts.
It's obvious! Me zet!
It should be obvious to you that .... Zest dokh az ....
Pay attention! Gib akht!
I didn't pay attention (didn't notice). Ikh hob nit geleygt ken akht.
WHERE IS ...... When you know for sure that something does in fact exist, and you want to know where it is, you say "vu iz...." or "vu gefint zikh...."

When you want to know if something does in fact exist at all, you say "vu iz do ...." or "tsi iz do bikhlal ...."
Despite that, .....
nik gekukt af dem, ... ניט געקוקט אויף דעם, ...
trotsdem, ... (daytshmerish) טראצדעם, ... (דייטשמעריש)
Give it up -- it's no use! Shrayb deruf tsvey fey'en!  (Stutchkoff, 496)
שרייב דערויף צוויי פֿא'ען! צוויי פא'ען
Lit., ascribe two "feys" to the situation. The two feys stand for farfaln, meaning "hopeless, it's no use."
It backfired! (produced an unexpected, undesired result) S'iz uysgefaln bokem!
I'm not asking your opinion! Ikh FREG zikh ba dir nit!
You've got a BIG mouth! (You indiscriminately reveal info best kept secret) Du host a langer tsung! (Lit., You have a long tongue.)
Shhhh! Don't SAY anything! Sha (Shtil)! ZOG gornit!
(Note: In this expression, the word ZOG is stressed.)
Keep your mouth shut! Nem-on a fuln muyl vaser!
(Literally, fill up your mouth with water.)
He has no common sense. Es felt em der seykhel hayoshor.
He slammed the door shut with a vengeance. (with great violence or force) Er hot farklapt di tir mit a retsikhe! (Litvish, also: retshikhe)
‫ער האָט פֿאַרקלאַפּט די טיר מיט אַ רציחה! (רעטשיכע)
He has (in this matter) an ulterior motive (a hidden agenda). Er hot (derbay) a farBORgener kavone.
ער האט (דערביי) א פארבארגענער כוונה.
I'm a simple guy! Ikh veys nit fun ken khokhmes!
I'm a simple guy! [Lit, I know just one thing: If people are eating and don't give me some (of the food), I get upset.] Ikh veys nor eyn zakh: Az me est un me git mir nit, ver ikh beyz!
‫איך װײס נאָר אײן זאַך: אַז מע עסט און מע גיט מיר ניט, װער איך בײז!
‫איך װײס נאר אײן זאך: אז מע עסט און מע גיט מיר ניט, װער איך בײז!
Careful, you might catch something! (a disease) Hit zikh - du vest zikh farzaRAZen! (oder, farzaRAZHen)
היט זיך ־־ דו וועסט זיך פארזאראזען (פארזאראזשען)!
Be careful, take it slow! (walk slowly) Pamelekh vi du geyst!
פאמעלעך ווי דו גייסט!
One should avoid that like the plague! M'darf dos uysmaydn vi a pest!
It doesn't take much to get him angry! Bald epes, vert er in kayes (in kaas).
בּאַלד עפּעס ־־ ווערט ער אין כּעס! (with nikud)
באלד עפעס ־־ ווערט ער אין כעס! (w/o nikud)
He's got nothing to offer! Er hot nit vos tsu farkoyfn (farkeyfn)!  (Do NOT use the word onbotn -- that's translated from the English "offer!")
My feeling (opinion) is .... Ikh halt az ....
She'll drive you crazy (if you do that). (Do that & you'll never hear the end of it!) Zi vet dir makhn dem toyt (Litvish: Teyt)
She's just imagined it. Zi hot zikh ayngeredt a kind in boykh. (Lit., She convinced herself that she was carrying a fetus in her stomach.)
I'll tell you what .... Ikh'l aykh vos zogn ....
I'll let you in on a little secret ... Ikh'l aykh uys|zogn a sod ...
That's the only way that I know (to do it). Andersh ken ikh nit.
That's the only one that I have. Ken andern hob ikh nit.
That's all I know. Mer veys ikh nit.
That's not (quite) the gospel truth, Dos iz (nokh) nit ken toyre misinay.
‫דאָס איז (נאָך) ניט קען תּורה מסיני!
"Yours, truly" (meaning "I myself") ani hakoton


What is the Jewish law (in this case)? Vi iz der din?
What is your opinion? Vi iz ayer meynung?


What is your name? 		Vi heyst ir?
Viyazoy (viyazey) heyst ir?
Vi iz ayer nomen?
What's your first name? Vi iz ayer ershter (oder yidisher / perzenlekher / privater / gegebener) nomen?
What's your last name? Vi iz di familye (oder Vi iz ayer familye-nomen)?
Initials (of one's name)
 initsialn
Come sit with us. ("Join us; Pull up a rock.") Zets-zikh tsu. (Said to a new person approaching a group of seated people, inviting him to sit with them)
I just can't get through to her! (communicate with her)
 Ikh ken nit uf-redn zikh mit ir! (Not "comunikirn" - ugh!)
Okay, I'll defer to him! Nu, gut -- vel ikh em tsuLIB-ton!
נו גוט ־־ וועל איך עם צוליב־טאן!
He has no clue as to how to do that! Er veyst nit mit vos m'est es! [Literally, he doesn't what utensil to use to eat that (food).]
Visit, Visitor, Company
They visited our website. Zey hobn bay undzer veb-punkt (internet-stantsye) opgeshtat a viZIT.
They visited us. Zey zaynen gekumen tsu undz tsu gast.
I have company. (a visitor) Ikh hob (bay zikh) a gast.
We have company. (visitors) Mir hobn gest.
I don't want to be in the company of that person. Ikh vil nit shteyn in zayne daled ames
Note 1: Although it is frequently done, one should NOT use bazukhn (באַזוכן) to mean "to visit."
That usage is German (Daytshmerish).
In Yiddish, bazukhn (באזוכן) means "to search" (somebody).

Note 2: Another Yiddish word for guest is oyrekh (אוֹרח). It usually refers to a "guest from afar." (Weinreich)
Caution: In Hebrew, oyrekh means a path or road, NOT a guest. The Hebrew word for "guest" is oyreyach. Both oyrekh and oyreyach are spelled the same in Hebrew - אוֹרח.
One should circulate among the common people (to learn their language). M'darf geyn in folk (tsu bakenen zikh mit zeyer loshn)..
Learn something new Zikh epes tsulernen
Narrow lips Dininke lipelakh
Many Jewish people (including my late mother) consider this a sign of a mean-spirited person. (On this website it says that "Narrow lips reveal an unemotional character who lives more or less an internalised life, never able to enjoy the pleasure of sharing deeper feelings.")
Back to Top
What a great (innovative) idea!
What'll they think of next!?
Wow, that's really, really neat!
(Possibly: Oh, you clever American!) 		(Oy,) Amerike ganef!
(אוי,) אמעריקע־גנב!

Note that the expression used is Amerike Ganef (meaning "America the Thief") -- NOT Amerikaner Ganef (meaning "American Thief"). It is often spelled America gonif.  Try this Google Search for further study.

 This expression originated with new immigrants (griner), who were bemused by the technological advances that they witnessed upon arriving in the USA. It is as if to say, "What'll those clever Americans think of next?!

I once used this expression while riding in an automobile. The driver proceeded right through the toll area, without stopping to pay, explaining that the toll was automatically collected by E-Z Pass. Seeing this, I exclaimed, Oy, Amerike Ganef!
Because this expression was created in America, its later use by Eastern European Jews -- who didn't fully understand its implications -- might be flawed. For example, see Zachary Baker's 1994 letter on this subject on the Mendele mailing-list.

The text in this Table is from BubbyGram.com's Yiddish Glossary

America gonif (Amerike ganef): literally, "America the Thief" which has both positive and negative connotations. On one hand, it referred to the New Land which robbed early immigrants of their culture, their language, sometimes their families and their fortunes. But the expression was also used as an an interjection, expressing admiration for the wonders, joys, possibilities of America. "Wow! What a country! Look what can happen here!" or "What'll they think of next!" or "Damn clever, these goyim!" "Imagine that! Only in America!"


Loose translation: If the crazy person weren't my own (close relative), I'd laugh (at him) too! (popular expression) Ven dos volt nit geven mayn meshugener, volt ikk oykh (eykk) gelakht!
You gave me a good idea! Du host mir arufgefirt af a gutn gedank!
I'm getting very sleepy. Es klepn zikh mir di eygn.
When I saw that (crime being committed), I was so frustrated (because I was powerless to prevent it)! Ven ikh hob dos derzen, bin ikh geshprungen in der luftn!
(Native Yiddish speakers don't use the word "frustrirt.")
ill at ease, uncomfortable geengt, krempirt
vapid, lackluster pareve
lively lebedik
That's a terrible shame, a tragedy! (ironic/sarcastic) Af dem (Litvish: af derayn) klogt der novi!
אויף דעם קלאָגט דער נביא (ליטוויש: אַף דעריין קלאָגט דער נביא)




Grass (in general) Di groz (Litvish)
Dos groz (Polish Yiddish)
A lawn Der groz (Litvish)
Water (in general) Di vaser (Litvish)
Dos vaser (Polish Yiddish)
A specific body of water (lake or sea) Der vaser (Litvish)
Money (in general) Di gelt (Litvish)
Dos gelt (Polish Yiddish)
A particular type of money (currency) Der gelt (Litvish)
Dos gelt (Polish Yiddish)



It just disappeared! Es iz NIT gevorn!  (The word NIT is stressed.)
Es iz NELm gevorn! (The word NELm is stressed.)
Representative Fartreter
Humorous definition of fartreter: Eyner geyt in gas un shpayt af dr'erd. A tsveyter geyt em nokh, un fartret mitn fus (di shpayekhts fun ershtn). Ot-der tsveyter heyst a fartreter.



A person's core being (essence) Eynem's mahus-mentsh - איינעמ'ס מהות מענטש
A person should take stock of himself. M'darf makhn a kheshbn ha-nefesh. - חשבון־הנפש
Note: The terms mahus-mentsh and kheshbn ha-nefesh are/were popular among mussar'niks.
Some who's just died (e.g., prior to burial)
 der geshtorbener
Some who has died in the past
 der farshtorbener

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Telephone Vocabulary
Hello (when answering the phone)
 Alo or Halo, with a soft lamed.
Click here for a full discussion on how to say "Hello" in Yiddish.    See also Yiddish Greetings, below.
Hello, This is Chayim-Yankel calling.
 Halo, dos redt Khayim-Yankl.
Halo, es redt (do) Khayim-Yankl.
Mobile telephone (cellphone) portaTIVer telefon
keshene-telefon
Who's calling? (upon answering the phone)
 Ver redt dos?
She answers the phone ("picks up") Zi nemt-arop.
I spoke with her on the telephone. Ikh hob mit ir geredt dukhn telefon.
I got a phone-call from her.
 Ikh hob fun ir bakumen a teleFON.
She has an unlisted number. Ir numer shteyt nit in telefon-bukh
Her line is busy. Ir telefon iz farnumen.
He smashed down the telephone!
(He hung up with great anger.)		 Er hot avekgeleygt di traybl mit a retsikhe! (Litvish, also: retshikhe)
She's hopelessly bogged down in a telephone conversation. Zi hot zikh funander-geredt (in telefon)!
In case you call her, please don't stay on the line too long. Tomir vet ir ir onklingen, zolt ir zi nisht tsu lang farhaltn.
Leave a message on her answering-machine. Lozt iber a yediye af ir avtomat.
Please! Never ever use onzog in this sense. Onzog is a special type of message, as in "an onzog af besere tsaytn" meaning "a harbinger of better times (to come)." Yiddish words for message include yedie, komunikat, ibergebung, depeshe ("dispatch" -- a written message sent with speed, e.g. a message sent by email or by wire).

Also, Never ever say afn telefon. That's English ("on the telephone")!  Use in telefon or durkhn telefon.
Leave your name and telephone number (answering machine message)
 Git-on dem nomen un teleFON-numer (oder numer-teleFON).
[Note: Git-on means "submit."]
Call him next week.
 Git em a klung di ander vokh (di tsveyte vokh).
Call him next week.
 Kling em on di ander vokh (di tsveyte vokh).
"You've reached ..."
(outgoing message)
 Ir hot zikh derklungen tsu ...
The Ashkenazi family
 Di mishpokhe Ashkenazi
Goodbye!
 Zay(t) gezunt!

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Computers and the Internet
קאָמפּיוטער־ און אינטערנעט־טערמינען 
Notes:
1. Many terms hereinbelow are taken from Shoshke R Yuni's list of proposed computer terms on YuniSite.
2. Many of the terms on Shoshke's site are excellent, but others are simply not acceptable.
3. This Kosher Yiddish website will try to glean for you the good terminology on Shoshke's site from the chaff (opteyln dem soyles funem psoyles), as well as bring you reliable material from other sources.
English Yiddish, in Latin Letters Yiddish, in Hebrew Letters Alternate
Spelling(s)
Website (A set of interconnected webpages -- Dictionary.com) Internet-vinkl ("vinkl" proposed by Moshe Yassur)
Internet-ort
Internet-stantsye
Internet-plats (Proposed by this website)
 אינטערעט־ווינקל
אינטערעט־אָרט
אינטערעט־סטאַנציע
אינטערעט־פּלאַץ
אינטערעט־פּוּנקט 		אינטערעט־ווינקל
אינטערעט־ארט
אינטערעט־סטאנציע
אינטערעט־פלאץ אינטערעט־פונקט
Webpage vebzayt(l)  (YuniSite) אינטערעט־בּלאַט
אינטערעט־זייט(ל) 		אינטערעט־זייט(ל)
Homepage hoypt-zaytl (Litv., heypt)
hoypt-blat
(Proposed by this site)
heymzaytl
(Proposed by Sasaki on YuniSite)		 הויפּט־זײט(ל)
הויפּט־בּלאַט היים־זײט(ל)		 הויפט־זײט(ל)
הויפט־בלאט
"Return to Homepage" "Ker zikh um tsum hoypt-blat" קער זיך אום צום הויפּט־זײטל קער זיך אום צום הויפט־זײטל
computer kompyuter
(This is widely used.)
komputator
(better, but not used)		 קאָמפּיוטער קאָמפּוטאַטאָר קאמפיוטער
קאמפוטאטאר
computer science kompyuter visnshaft;
kompyuter forshung
(YuniSite)		 קאָמפּיוטער וויסנשאַפט
קאָמפּיוטער פֿאָרשונג 		קאמפיוטער וויסנשאפט
קאמפיוטער פארשונג
computing kompyuter-kentenish;
kompyuter-keneray; kompyuter-nitseray (Proposed by this site)		 קאָמפּיוטער־קענטעניש
קאָמפּיוטער־קענעריי קאָמפּיוטער־ניצעריי 		קאמפיוטער־קענטעניש
קאמפיוטער־קענעריי קאמפיוטער־ניצעריי
Please do NOT use the neologism "kompyuteray" to mean "computing."
IMHO, "kompyuteray" can only be used to mean "computer stuff," "computer junk," etc. For my analysis, click here.
computer supply store kompyuteray-gesheft;
kompyuteray-krom
(Proposed by this site)		 קאָמפּיוטעריי געשעפט קאָמפּיוטעריי קראָם קאמפיוטעריי געשעפט קאמפיוטעריי קראם
computerize (perfective) farkomputatorizirn;
farkompyuterizirn (Proposed by this site) 		פֿאַרקאָמפּוטאַטאָריזירן
פֿאַרקאָמפּיוטעריזירן 		פארקאמפוטאטאריזירן
פארקאמפיוטעריזירן
computerize (imperfective) komputatorizirn (Proposed by this site)
kompyuterizirn (YuniSite)		 קאָמפּוטאַטאָריזירן
קאָמפּיוטעריזירן		 קאמפוטאטאריזירן
קאמפיוטעריזירן
email Internet-briv (Proposed by this site)
Internet-post Internet-briv
(Internet-)depeshe (recommended by this site)
Elektro-post or e-post (proposed by Yidishnet)
Blits-post (ugh!) (This is widely used, but is strongly not recommended by this site.)
"Iymeyl / Imeyl"
(International word, from English)		 אינטערנעט־פּאָסט
אינטערנעט־בּריוו
(אינטערנעט־)דעפּעשע עלעקטראָ־פּאָסט
ע־פּאָסט
בליץפּאָסט
„אימעיל“ 		אינטערנעט־פאסט
אינטערנעט־בּריוו
(אינטערנעט־)דעפעשע
עלעקטרא־בּריוו
עלעקטרא־פאסט
ע־פאסט
בליץפאסט
„אימעיל“
send (it) by email
 shik (es) durkh der Internet-post שיק עס דורך דער אינטערנעט־פּאָסט שיק עס דורך דער אינטערנעט־פאסט
send (me) an email shik mir an Internet-briv שיק מיר אַן אינטערנעט־בּריוו שיק מיר אן אינטערנעט־בריוו
Example: Ir megt ibergebn mayn Internet-adres di studentn in Yidish in Universitet "Columbia."  Ikh vel gern oystoyshn mit zey gedanken un ideyen durkh der Internet-post.  --Yoynesn
Please do NOT spell it אימייל !  See here for the reason.
@
 shtrudl (Used universally in Israel, even in Hebrew) שטרוּדל שטרודל




FAQs (frequently asked questions)
 ofte frages אָפֿטע פֿראַגעס אפטע פראגעס



































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Travel Vocabulary

Identify yourself! Legitimir zikh!
ID (identification -- document or card) Legitimatsiye (with a soft lamed)
Note: There is no such word as "identifikatsiye (or transportatsiye) in Yiddish!
Come on over (sometime)! (by walking, i.e., walk over) Kum tsu GEYN (amol)!
Come on over. (by vehicle) Kum tsu FORN.
(My late Aunt Maryasha Scolnik used to use the expression Kum tsu geyn.)
Next time we visit New York, we'll "crash" (sleep over) at your place. Ven mir veln vayter zayn in Nyu York, vel mir tsu dir farforn.
ווען מיר וועלן ווייטער זיין אין ניו יאָרק, וועלן מיר צו דיר פֿאַרפֿאָרן. 
Where in Israel is he located? Vu zitst er in Yisroel
He's "hanging out" in France. (humorous, slightly derogatory) Er "valgert zikh" in Frankraykh.
He doesn't stand still (for a minute)! Er shteyt nit af an ort!
He's on his way out. Er shteyt shoyn (sheyn) ba der tir.
He's on his way (he's coming here). Er geyt. (NOT kumt.)  For a humorous story (about my late Uncle Kalman) using this expression, click here.
He ran out of here like a bat out of hell! Er iz fun danet antlofn vi an untergeshosener! (Lit., He ran out of here like someone being shot at!) (Stutchkoff, 440)
ער איז פון דאנעט אנטטלאפן ווי אן אונטערגעשאסענער!
He ran out of here like a bat out of hell! Er iz antlofn vi a fayl oysn boygn.
Er iz antlofn vi a fayl uysn beygn. (Litvish) (Lit., He ran out like an arrow from a bow!) (Stutchkoff, 440)
There Dort, dortn (Some speakers of Litvish Yiddish pronounce dortn as though it were written with a khof, i.e., dokh-tn.)
Right over here (Ote) do - O! (Polish Yiddish)
A mountain never bumps into another mountain, but a human being can in fact bump into another human being. (classic Jewish answer to the question, "How is it that you know him?")
טורא בטורא לא פגע, איניש באיניש פגע.
אַ באַרג מיט א באַרג קומט זיך ניט צונויף,
אָבער א מענטש מיט א מענטשן יאָ!
(Stutchkoff, 47)     Yeshiva.org.il
This is a two-way street. Af der gas fort men in beyde zaytn.
I'm going in this direction. (when walking) Ikh gey af der (Litvish: dem) zayt.
I'm going in this direction. (when driving) Ikh for af der (Litvish: dem) zayt.
Make a U-turn. makhn (a) hashiveynu naZAD
Make a left turn (when driving); steer left. farkereven af rechts
farkireven af rechts
Make a left turn (when walking) farnemen zikh af rechts
[Related: Es farnemt zikh af regenen => It looks like (it's about to) rain.]
Let's go for a spin (in the car). Lomir geyn katayevn zikh.
That crazy driver cut me off! Yener vilder forer hot mir farmakht di (dem) veg!
Take it easy - don't rush! (when proceeding on foot) Pamelekh vi du geyst!
Go! (said while waiting at a red light, when it turns green) For! (This is like Sa! in modern Hebrew)
She is driving in the left lane. Zi fort in der linker linye
He drives as slow as molasses! Er fort vi af der eygener levaye!
(Literally: He's driving as if he were on the way to his own funeral!)
Blow your horn up your ass! (irate vulgar expression, uttered when another motorist blows his horn inappropriately) Truber dir in tokhes! (grob)
What bus (street car) do I take? Mit velkhn avtoBUS (tramVAY) zol ikh for'n?
Never say "nemen an avtobus (tramVAY)." That's English!
Bus stop Di (avtoBUS-) stantsye (NOT "opshtel")
=>  In Yiddish, stantsye refers to a designated place where a bus or train stops.
Opshtel means the actual physical stopping of a bus, train, or airplane (or person).
I took the bus (a taxi) to his house. Ikh bin tsu em tsugeforn mitn avtobus (mit a taksuvke).
This train goes from Boston to New York. Di (Litvish: Der) ban geyt fun Boston ken Nyu York.
I'm going by train from Boston to N.Y. Ikh for mitn ban fun Boston ken Nyu York.
The morning train. Di (Litvish: Der) inderfriyike(r) ban
דער/די אינדערפֿריאיקע(ר) בּאַן
The ship left New York. Di shif iz opgeshvumen fun Nyu York.
The ship goes from New York to Haifa. Di shif geyt fun Nyu York ken Khayfa.
The ship goes from NY to Haifa (and no further). Di shif geyt fun Nyu York biz Khayfa.
What is the flight-number? Vi iz der fli-numer?
Driver's license ShoFER-derloybenish (I've never heard anyone use "fir-litsents." Is that yet another "Weinreich invention?")
Have you got a car (automobile)? Ir hot a maSHIN?
Jump in! (into the car) Loyft (leyft) arayn!
Let me out (of the car) at the next corner. Ikh vil aropgeyn bam andern rog (oder ek-gas)
Look at that car with its lights on. Git a kuk af yener ongetsundener mashin.
My car has a stick-shift (standard transmission). Mayn mashin iz mit gangen.
מיין מאשין איז מיט גאנגן.
Headlights Fonar'n
I have to get gasoline. Ich darf on-nemen benZIN.
How much is a gallon of gas? Vos kost a galon benZIN?
This is a very steep hill. Dos iz a shtarker barg-arop (oder barg-aruf).
Use barg-arop for downhill slope; barg-aruf for uphill slope.
This is a dangerous place!
Dos iz a mokem-sakone! דאָס איז א מקום־סקנה!
M'ken do derharget vern! מ'קען דאָ דער'הרג'עט ווערן!
He gave me the "green light" (the "go ahead"). Er hot mir signalizirt af yo.
ער האט מיר סיגנאליזירט אויף יא.
See you later! Tsum zen zikh!
Godspeed (and let's hear from you)! Fort gezunterheyt (un lozt sheyn hern)!
Godspeed! (humorous & off-color) Fortst gezunterheyt un lozt sheyn hern!

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Telling Time (Tseyln Tsayt - ציילן צייט)
12:00 Midnight halbe nakht
2:00 AM Tsvey (azeyger) banakht (not "inderfri") [Hebrew: Sh'tayim Balaylah]
4:00 AM Fir (azeyger) fartog [Hebrew: Arba Lif'not Boker]
6:00 AM Zeks (azeyger) inderfri (Traditionally written as one word, not "in der fri" as per YIVO)
11:00 AM El'f (azeyger) inderfri (written as one word, not "in der fri" as per YIVO)
El'f (azeyger) farmitog (written as one word, not "far mitog," as per YIVO)
12:00 Noon
 mitog oder mitog-tsayt
1:00 PM
 Eyns (azeyger) batog (written as one word: באַטאָג)
4:00 PM Fir (azeyger) batog (written as one word: באַטאָג)
Fir (azeyger) bayn-tog (Litvish)
Fir (azeyger) farnakht (written as one word: פֿאַרנאַכט , not "פֿאַר נאַכט" as per YIVO)
[This alternative can be used when the sun sets early, as in the winter months.]
7:15 PM A fertl af akht (oder zibn-fuftsn) (in) ovnt (Not Recommended: A fertl nokh zibn)
7:30 PM Halb akht (oder zibn-draysik) (in) ovnt (Not Recommended: Halb nokh zibn)
7:45 PM Dray-fertl akht (oder fuftsn minut far akht, oder a fertl tsu/far akht) (in) ovnt
11:00 PM El'f (azeyger) banakht
See also Time-Related Vocabulary below.


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Time-Related Vocabulary
In the afternoon batog (NOT nokhmitog  nor  "nokh mitog")
In the evening (until about midnight) in ovnt oder afdernakht (written as one word)
Tonight haynt in ovnt (if before midnight)
Tomorrow night morgn in ovnt  oder  morgn afdernakht (if before midnight)
morgn banakht (if after midnight)
Tomorrow at 6 PM morgn 6 azeyger in ovnt
morgn 6 azeyger farnakht  (if before sunset, you may also use this)
(Late) at night (past midnight) (shpet) banakht (written as one word)
It's way past noon s'iz vayt nokh halbn tog.
A week ago today (exactly) farakhtogn (written as one word, not "far akht togn"; there's no such word as "togn." Sorry, YIVO.)
A week ago
 mit a vokh tsurik
Last week yene vokh (Litvish); fargangene vokh (forige vokh is Daytshmerish, & not recommended)
Note: Never say letste vokh! Letste means the latest/most recent. Conceivably, one could say di letste vokh, meaning the most recent week. Although not recommended, adding the article di would at least make this comprehensible to a native Yiddish speaker.
Last Wednesday yenem mitvokh (Litvish); fargangenem mitvokh, yene vokh - mitvokh
Last month yenem kheydesh (Litvish); fargangenem khoydesh (forign khoydesh is Daytshmerish & not recommended)
A year ago
 farayorn פֿאַראַיאָרן (Traditionally written as one word, NOT "פֿאַר אַ יאָרן" as prescribed by YIVO. After all, the independent word "yorn" means "years" - and you can't say a "years" ago!)  [Related: Farayoriker shney => Last year's snow.]


A week from today (exactly) iberakhtog (Traditionally written as one word, NOT "iber akht tog" as prescribed by YIVO. After all, there is no such independent word as "tog" meaning "days" in the plural).
Next week di ander vokh, di tsveyte vokh, kumedike vokh, in a vokh arum (Not nekste vokh!)
Next Wednesday kumedikn mitvokh, di ander vokh - mitvokh, di tsveyte vokh - mitvokh
The first of (the month) May dem ershtn may (rhymes with the English word "dry")
דעם ערשטן מאַי
Do NOT spell it מײַ or מײַ or מיי!  The classic spelling is מאַי.
Prospectively (from now on)
meyhayem vohole מהיום והלאה
fun haynt (on) un vayter  (Niborski) פֿון היינט (אָן) און ווייטער
Daylight Savings Time der Zumer Zeyger. [sh'on kayits, in modern Israeli Hebrew]
Overnight
 durkh nakht - דורך נאכט
ibernakht - איבערנאכט
Again nokhamol (written as one word, NOT "nokh a mol," as recommended by YIVO)
In the future
 af le-HA-be (not "in der tsukunf," which is Daitshmerish)
Eventually
 sof-kol-sof (sov-kol-sof) - סוף־כל־סוף
le-YO-mim  -  לימים
At the (very) latest tsum (sa-me) shpetstn
It has disappeared into oblivion. Es iz avek in der fargesnkayt.
עס איז אוועק אין דער פארגגעסנקייט.
All of my life
 זint ikh ken mikh (humorous)
I have an appointment with the doctor on Monday. Ikh hob bashtelt a viZIT bam dokter af Montik.
My watch is 5 minutes slow. Mayn zeygerl geyt ayngehaltn af 5 minut.
What's your schedule for today? Vos iz dayn proGRAM af haynt?
?וואָס איז דיין פּראָגראַם אויף היינט
This was actually asked of me by my late cousin Emma Alperovitch Zivony, a native Yiddish speaker, born in Europe.  Notice that she didn't use the word "tog-plan" or Yugntruf's "tsayt-plan" (fe!)
You will live to see the arrival of the Moshiach.
 Du vest derlebn m'shiakh'n.
דו וועסט דערלעבן משיח׳ן.
This was said by HoRav Moshe Feinstein  זצוק"ל to a friend of mine many years ago.
If you (just) live (long enough), you'll finally see (the realization of your dreams). Az me lebt (lept), derlebt men....
אַז מע לעבט ־־ דערלעבט מען!
At an ungodly hour (early in the morning)
 ven Gott shloft nokh.
The last (2) days of Passover
 di andere teg Peysakh
This week's Torah portion (sedra) is ....
 di hayntike-vokhedike sedra is ....
Many years ago I heard the expression hayntike-vokhedike sedra from a Rabbi (Friedman?), who was a Troah Reader at Yeshiva University (at the main minyan in the beis medrash, I think).
How old is he? Vi(fl) alt iz er
Vifl yorn hot er?
He's pushing ninety. Er rukt zikh tsu di nayntsik.
He's past eighty. Er hot aribergeshpant di akhtsik.
I've never seen that before! Dos ze ikh dem ERSHTN mol!
The time-difference between New York and Paris is 6 hours. Fun Nyu York biz Pariz iz a khilik in 6 sho.

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Holidays - Secular and Jewish
Jewish Holiday(s)
der YON-tef
(NOT Yom-tov!!!)		 Plural: yon-TOY-vim (yonteyvim)
(NOT Yomim-Toyvim!!!)
דער יום־טוב (יאָנטעף) ל"ר: ימים־טובים (יאָנטויווים)
Non-Jewish Holiday KHO-ge חגא (plural, khoges or khagoes per Weinreich)
Christmas
 nitl
rozhdestvo (рождество, Russian)
Christmas Eve nitl nakht (Nittel nacht)
New Years
 NAY-yor
New Years Eve