Ruby's World ofRuby's World of Yiddish
| Definition | Sample Use | |
|---|---|---|
| beans, nothing | He gave me babkes. |
| a "tall" story | That story was no bobbe myse. |
| lousy, ridiculous | That's a facacta idea. |
| bummed out, bad mood | She looks very ferklempt. |
| bitter | Don't be so forbissima. |
| all mixed up | I got all furblungit. |
| go to sleep | Gay schloffing! |
| money | I got a lot of gelt for Hanukah. |
| non-Jewish people | The place was full of goyim. |
| happiness | Glick in the office makes for glick in the home. |
| clumsy and sluggish | The guy I work with is a real golem. |
| mind of a goyim | He's got a real goyishke kup. |
| bargain (verb) | If you handel long enough, you'll get a good price. |
| crazy | He's got cacamaimey ideas. |
| ugly | That tablecloth is chalcious. |
| a pig | He eats like a chaza. |
| junk | The dollar store is full of chazarai. |
| unmitigated gall | Oy, you have got a lot of khutspe! |
| bright idea | That's a real good chochmeh. |
| dream | That's a cholem of a house! |
| nerve | She has a lot of chutzpah to talk like that! |
| to meddle | She likes to kibbutz with everyone at the office |
| an accomplishment | It was a real koontz to finally reach you on the phone. |
| hearty | That is some kreftig soup! |
| to glow with pride | Oy, I could kvell watching those kids in the play |
| complainer | Don't be such a kvetch. |
| from your home town | They are luntslite. |
| dreamer | He's a real luftmensch when it comes to working hard! |
| in laws | My makatenista are coming.(male= mkhutn) |
| congratulations | Mazel tov on the new baby. |
| particularly delicious | That dinner was a mechaya |
| a nice gentleman | He was such a mensch. |
| crazy person | He acts like a real meshungina. |
| connoisseur | She's quite the mavin when it comes to wine. |
| ugly | The daughter is a real meeskite. |
| craziness | What kind of mishigas is that? |
| family | Bring the whole mishpacha. |
| a good deed | That was a real mitzvah you did. |
| born out of wedlock | He's a mumza. |
| a long story | I had to sit and and listen to the whole megillah |
| bargain (noun) | That store has a great metziah onshoes. |
| cash | I have to borrow some mezuma from the bank. |
| hodge-podge | There's a whole mishmash of words here. |
| little nerd | He is such a nebish. |
| joy | I get such nachas from putting these words down. |
| to eat a little something | I was noshing all morning. |
| nibbler | I'm a nosher all morning long. |
| pest | Stop being a nudnick and leave me alone! |
| a little too much | That outfit is a little ongapatchka |
| big mouth | Let's hope he doesn't open up that pisk. |
| burst | You'll laugh until you plotz. |
| belly button | You could see her pupick. |
| bad | That restaurant is generally schlecht |
| dope, fool | He's a real schlemiel - always screwing up! |
| fool | The kid is a real schmendrick |
| beggar | That guy is a real schnorrer. |
| drunkard | That shicker has had too much to drink. |
| to drag | I had to schlep it across town. |
| jerk | He's a real schmendrick. |
| mother in law | The schvigger is coming. |
| sweating | Oy, am I schvitzing. (note: the ending"ing" is an English ending, in Yiddish: I shvits, you shvitst, he/sheshvitst, we/they shvitsn, you in plural shvitsn, you in polite versionshvitst |
| non-Jewish male | She married a shagitz. |
| pretty face | Oh, shayna punim. |
| non-Jewish female | He's going out with a shikse. |
| unlucky person | The poor schlemazel had his car stolen. |
| rags | Your cloths look like shmatas. |
| dirt | It's covered with schmootz. |
| nervous energy | I had shpilkes before the interview. |
| routine | So, that's his shtick. |
| non-kosher | That food is trafe. |
| tush | I'll pinch your tuchis. |
| noise, confusion | there's a lot of tuml coming from the kid's rooms |
| troubles | That car gives me nothing but tzorress! |
| onion | It will taste better if you spice it up with some tzibeleh. |
| needling, bothering | Stop utzing me. |
| bless you | (when you sneeze) |