Difference between revisions of "Yiddish phrasebook"

Revision as of 22:17, 3 September 2006

Yiddish is spoken as a daily language in some parts of America, mostly in New York City, and in some parts of Europe, particularly Eastern Europe, and South America, as well as in Israel. It is slightly higher than standard German, with a large admixture of words of Hebrew, Slavic, or other origin. As Yiddish is roughly 75% Germanic in origin, German speakers can understand a large part of it.

Yiddish is written with the same alphabet as Hebrew, with a few additional letters, and is written from right to left.

Pronunciation guide

Yiddish pronounciation is different from German or Israeli Hebrew. Words of European origin are spelled out, similar to most European languages, and can be said as they are spelled. On the other hand, words of Semitic (Hebrew and Aramaic) origin are written just as in the original Hebrew or Aramaic, without vowels. In many cases you must learn how to pronounce these words in Yiddish; you cannot necessarily work it out from their spelling, and they are mostly pronounced differently from Israeli Hebrew.

א shtumer alef 

silent; used before ו vov and י yud when they are vowels; e.g. איר (ir) you subj.

אַ pasekh alef 

axe

אָ komets aleph 

orange

ב beys 

like bear

בֿ veys 

like volume; only used in words of Hebrew or Aramaic origin

ג giml 

like gone

ד daled 

like dog

ה hey 

like harp

ו vov 

like or or tune

וּ melupm vov 

used in place of ו vov when it appears beside װ tsvey vovn

װ tsvey vovn 

like violin

ױ vov yud 

like boy

ז zayin 

like zebra

ח khes 

like the Scottish Gaelic loch, German ach, or as in חנוכּה (khanuke); used only in words of Hebraic or Aramaic origin

ט tes 

like tuck

י yud 

like yet (as a consonant) or internet (as a vowel)

יִ khirek yud 

used beside another vowel instead of י yud, to show that it is to be pronounced separately; e.g. ייִדיש (yidish) Yiddish

ײ tsvey yudn 

like bay

ײַ pasekh tsvey yudn 

like pie

כּ kof 

like keep; used only in words of Hebraic or Aramaic origin

כ ך khof 

like loch

ל lamed 

like leave

מ ם mem 

like mother

נ ן nun 

like never

ס samekh 

like some

ע ayin 

like set

פּ pey 

like upon

פֿ ף fey 

like free

צ ץ tsadek 

like boots

ק kuf 

like coo, but further back in the throat

ר reysh 

voiced gargle as in French, can be pronounced as root

ש shin 

'shoe

שׂ sin 

like seem; only used in words of Hebrew or Aramaic origin

תּ tof 

like teeth; only used in words of Hebrew or Aramaic origin

ת sof 

like smooth; only used in words of hebrew or aramaic origin

Phrase list

Some phrases in this phrasebook still need to be translated. If you know anything about this language, you can help by plunging forward and translating a phrase.

Basics

Hello. 

שלום־עליכם (sholem-aleykhem)

Hello (to you) (in response to a "Hello") 

עליכם־שלום (aleykhem-sholem)

How are you? 

װאָס מאַכסטו? (Vos makhstu?) (informal) / װאָס מאַכט איר? (Vos makht ir?) (formal) vos makht a yid (to a Jew)

Fine, thank you. 

Gut, a dank, Got tsu danken, Borukh Hashem

What is your name? 

Vi heystu? (informal)/ Vi heyst ir?(formal)

My name is ______ . 

Ikh heys ______.

Nice to meet you. 

Es frayt mikh aykh tsu kenen (formal)

Please. 

Zayt azoy gut/ Ikh bet dir

Thank you. 

A dank.

You're welcome 

נישטאָ פֿאַרװאָס (nishto farvos)

Yes. 

יאָ (yo)

No. 

נײן (neyn)

Excuse me. (getting attention) 

Excuse me. (begging pardon) 

I'm sorry. 

צום באַדױערן (tsum badoyern)

Goodbye 

Zay gezunt, A grus in der heym

Goodbye (informal) 

A gutn

I can't speak Yiddish [well]. 

Ikh red nisht keyn Yidish (gut).

Do you speak English? 

Redstu English? (informal)/ Redt ir English? (formal)

Is there someone here who speaks English? 

Iz es do emetz vos redt english do?

Help! 

oys-helfn!

Good morning. 

Gutn morgn.

Good evening. 

Gutn ovent.

Good night 

A gute nakht.

I don't understand. 

איך פֿאַרשטײ נישט (ikh farshtey nisht)

Where is the toilet? 

Vu iz dos bodtsimer?/ dos vanetsimer?