Definition | Sample Use | |
bob(kes) | beans, nothing | He gave me babkes. |
kakameyme | crazy | He's got cacamaimey ideas. |
khalishes | ugly | That tablecloth is chalcious. |
khazer | a pig | He eats like a chaza. |
khazeray | junk | The dollar store is full of chazarai. |
khutspe | unmitigated gall | Oy, you have got a lot of khutspe! |
farkatk(e) | lousy, ridiculous | That's a facacta idea. |
farklempt | bummed out, bad mood | She looks very ferklempt. |
farbisine | bitter | Don't be so forbissima. |
farblondzhet | all mixed up | I got all furblungit. |
gey shlofn | go to sleep | Gay schloffing! |
gelt | money | I got a lot of gelt for Hanukah. |
goyim | non-Jewish people | The place was full of goyim. |
goyish(e) | mind of a goyim | He's got a real goyishke kup. |
ganif | thief | Don't be such a gunnif. |
kvetsh | complainer | Don't be such a kvetch. |
landtslayt | from your home town | They are luntslite. |
makheteyneste | in laws | My makatenista are coming.(male= mkhutn) |
mazl-tov | congratulations | Mazel tov on the new baby. |
miskayt | ugly | The daughter is a real meeskite. |
mentsh | a nice gentleman | He was such a mensch. |
meshugine | crazy person | He acts like a real meshungina. |
mishigas | craziness | What kind of mishigas is that? |
mishpokhe | family | Bring the whole mishpacha. |
mitsve | a good deed | That was a real mitzvah you did. |
mamzer | born out of wedlock | He's a mumza. |
nebekh | little nerd | He is such a nebish. |
nosh | to eat a little something | I was noshing all morning. |
pupik | belly button | You could see her pupick. |
shlep | to drag | I had to schlep it across town. |
shmendrek | jerk | He's a real schmendrick. |
shviger | mother in law | The schvigger is coming. |
shvitsn | sweating | Oy, am I schvitzing.
(note: the ending "ing" is an English ending, in Yiddish: I shvits, you shvitst, he/she shvitst, we/they shvitsn, you in plural shvitsn you in polite version shvitst) |
sheygets | non-Jewish male | She married a shagitz. |
sheyner ponim | pretty face | Oh, shayna punim. |
shikse | non-Jewish female | He's going out with a shikse. |
shmates | rags | Your cloths look like shmatas. |
shmuz | dirt | It's covered with schmootz. |
shpilkes | nervous energy | I had shpilkes before the interview. |
shtik | routine | So, that's his shtick. |
treyf | non-kosher | That food is trafe. |
tokhes | tush | I'll pinch your tuchis. |
utzing | needling, bothering | Stop utzing me. |
mekhaye | particularly delicious | That dinner was a mechaya |
bobe | a "tall" story | That story was no bobbe myse. |
khokhme | bright idea | That's a real good chochmeh. |
kholem | dream | That's a cholem of a house! |
khutspe | nerve | She has a lot of chutzpah to talk like that! |
glik | happiness | Glick in the office makes for glick in the home. |
golem | clumsy and sluggish | The guy I work with is a real golem. |
handl | bargain (verb) | If you handel long enough, you'll get a good price. |
kibitz | to meddle | She likes to kibbutz with everyone at the office |
kunts | an accomplishment | It was a real koontz to finally reach you on the phone. |
kreftik | hearty | That is some kreftig soup! |
kvel | to glow with pride | Oy, I could kvell watching those kids in the play |
luftmentsh | dreamer | He's a real luftmensch when it comes to working hard! |
meyvin | connoisseur | She's quite the mavin when it comes to wine. |
megile | a long story | I had to sit and and listen to the whole megillah |
metsiye | bargain (noun) | That store has a great metziah onshoes. |
mezumen | cash | I have to borrow some mezuma from the bank. |
mishmash | hodge-podge | There's a whole mishmash of words here. |
nakhes | joy | I get such nachas from putting these words down. |
nosh | snack | We'll have a little nosh and then we'll talk |
nosher | nibbler | I'm a nosher all morning long. |
nudnik | pest | Stop being a nudnick and leave me alone! |
ongepatsht | a little too much | That outfit is a little ongapatchka |
pisk | big mouth | Let's hope he doesn't open up that pisk. |
plats | burst | You'll laugh until you plotz. |
zay gezundt | bless you | (when you sneeze) |
shlekht | bad | That restaurant is generally schlecht |
shlemil | dope, fool | He's a real schlemiel - always screwing up! |
shmendrik | fool | The kid is a real schmendrick |
shnorer | beggar | That guy is a real schnorrer. |
shiker | drunkard | That shicker has had too much to drink. |
shver | father in law | My shver is a nice enough guy |
tumul | noise, confusion | there's a lot of tuml coming from the kid's rooms |
tsures | troubles | That car gives me nothing but tzorress! |
genuk | enough | I've had genoog out of you today! |
makhn ash un porekh | destroy | He'll make ashen porach out of that report! |
tsigangnye / bobkelekh | small portions | Don't worry - you'll get tziganna bibkalach |
tsibele | onion | It will taste better if you spice it up with some tzibeleh. |
shlemazl | unlucky person | The poor schlemazel had his car stolen. |
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