18 Jul Glossary of Yiddish Terms
Use this glossary to learn the meanings of Yiddish words in the Patreon memoir series, or to brush up on the Yiddish you may already know! New words will be added as more chapters are published.
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A gitn– A formal Yiddish version of hello
Baal Shem Tov– Polish Jewish mystic and healer born in 1698, regarded as the founder of Hasidic Judaism
Baales teshuva (BT)– Someone who returns to the faith
Bashefer– God, the Creator
Bashert– Predetermined; predestined partner
Bekishe– A black coat worn by Hasidic Jews, often for Shabbos and Jewish holidays
Bimhayru– Soon
Biyumaynu– “In our days”
B’meized– Something done on purpose
Bubby– Grandmother
Bubkes– Literally “little beans,” meaning absolutely nothing, nonsense, baloney!
Bucher– An unmarried boy
Chanyuk– Extremist pious person
Cheyder– A Hasidic boy’s elementary school
Chinush– Hungarian term for skinny, nice, and fit
Cholent– Traditional Jewish stew simmered overnight and eaten on Shabbos
Chumash– Bible, five books of Moses
Chutzpah-– Insolence, cheek, audacity, or person with those traits
Dayin– Learned men
Der Blatt– A weekly Yiddish newspaper, published by Satmar Hasidim in New York City
Farchanyukt– Zealously pious; a fanatic and a misfit
Farina– Meal made of grains or starchy roots
Farrikt–Insane
Ferfel– A type of couscous
Frauerishe Kep– Womanly minds
Gatke– Men’s long johns
Gehenom– Hell
Geredachts– Talk, idle talk
Goyishe-kup– Gentile mind (generally a term that implies a square, or a rule follower)
Goyishe velt– “Gentile world;” the expression for the secular world
Grisha– A divorcee; carries an extremely negative connotation, like a marked woman
Gut in himel– God in heaven
Ich veys nisht– I don’t know
Kallah-maude– A woman of bridal age
Kim– Come
Kishkas– Literally “intestines,” but can be used as a figure of speech. For example, in the phrase “You are digging in my kishkas,” it means “business”; in the phrase “You took out my kishkas,” it means “insides.”
Kofer– An apostate
Kol Isha– A woman’s voice, especially when singing; it is forbidden for a woman’s voice to be heard by any men who aren’t in her immediate family
Kollel– A married man’s study program; like the yeshiva concept but for married men
Kvitzes haderech– The belief that some holy men could miraculously travel long distances in a very short period of time; the term can also be used when someone is fast: “So you had kvitzes haderech?”
Lutzy– A pathetic person; the opposite of stylish and confident
Macher– A person who gets things done; busybody
Malchus Shel Chesid– Kingdom of kindness; Orthodox Jews believe themselves to be in exile until the coming of the messiah. Therefore, a kingdom of kindness is a country that treats Jews kindly, despite them being vulnerable while in exile.
Masmid– Studious from a young age
Meidel/Meidlech– Girl/Girls
Meshugah— Crazy
Misik— An idea; a clue
Moiredig– Extremely, wow, very
M’tur nisht– It’s not allowed
Munkatch Hasidic Sect– Hasidic sect of mostly Hungarian Jews, with large communities in Boro Park, Williamsburg, and Monsey
Mureh-shchoyra– Depressiveness, depression
Nahad– Technically a Hungarian term used by older generations to mean “would you believe it!” It expresses surprise, disbelief, or outrage.
Nebech– An unfortunate person
Nee– So, as in “So, how are you?”
Negel vasser– Observance of washing hands directly after waking up
Nivul Peh– Forbidden speech
Nu– A way to call to a person, or to hurry them up, or to say “so?” As in “so, you’re coming?”
Patchy Hentelech– An expression for clapping hands, especially when babies do so
Rashi– Commentary on the Bible
Rekel– Hasidic men’s long coat, similar to a suit jacket but calf length
Schmutz– Garbage
Second Bubbe Dvoshe– An expression meaning something like “a cousin’s neighbor’s cat,” ie., someone you know through several layers of remove and don’t really know well at all
Seforim– Jewish religious texts
Seshtyt– “It is written.”
Shidduch— An arranged marriage
Shkoyach– Thanks
Shmegegi– A fool
Shmeker– Someone who considers themselves to be very stylish; can also mean potpourri
Shoyn– Already, as in “okay already”
Shtik– Gimmick
Smicha– Status of those who passed their studies and can give religious ruling
Spast nisht– It’s not appropriate
Stam– Just (as in “I am just browsing online.”)
Sukkah– Temporary shelter used for meals during Jewish fesitval of Sukkot
Tipshus– Idiocy
Tish-bekishe– Men’s long coat worn on festive occasions
Vaad Hachinuch– An organization that supervises the piety of people
Veis nisht— Don’t know
Velt– World
Vus machstu?–How are you?
Yetzer Horah– Evil will
Yetzer Tov– Good will
Yidden– Jews
Yiddishkeit– Jewish way of life, customs, and practices
Yingel– Boy
Yom HaChupah– “The day of the canopy,” i.e., the day of the marriage
Yu (Yuh)– Yes
Yunchy-puprikash/Yunchy-paprika— An insult implying someone is not stylish; when something is so ugly it’s cute
Yungermanchik– Young man
Zaftig– Juicy (used to mean spicy)
Zah mir moichel– Please forgive me
Zeidy— Grandfather
Zeiskeit– Sweetie
Zeyer shayn– Very nice
Zug mir nisht– Don’t tell me
Zug nur– Say; pray tell; an expression to begin a sentence or conversation
Chaim
Posted at 19:35h, 19 JulyMeidlech is girls.