If You Can’t Say Anything Nice, Say It in Yiddish

The Book of Yiddish Curses and Insults

LITA EPSTEIN

CITADEL PRESS
Kensington Publishing Corp.
www.kensingtonbooks.com

All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

1

From Secret for Survival to Worldwide Language

Yiddish is the language that helped Jews survive when being persecuted in Europe and Russia during numerous periods, starting with the First Crusades in 1096. This secret language only understood by Jews allowed them to communicate and transact business outside the earshot of their persecutors. By the time of the Holocaust, ten to eleven million Jews spoke Yiddish worldwide and it was the most widely spoken Jewish language.

Half of the Jews who spoke Yiddish were killed during the Holocaust. Few of those who suffered the horrors of the Holocaust wanted to pass the language on to their children because it was so tied to Eastern Europe and unhappy memories. Instead, most Yiddish speakers wanted to assimilate with their new language and home—primarily in the United States. So the use of Yiddish gradually died off.

Today it’s estimated that only one to two million people speak Yiddish fluently and they can be found primarily in the Orthodox Jewish communities of New York, Chicago, Miami, Toronto, Los Angeles and Israel. Hebrew is the official language of Israel. In fact, at first Israel banned the use and study of Yiddish, but that changed in the 1960s and 1970s.

Luckily the language does survive today and there is also a resurgence of interest in Yiddish and its culture—its music, theater and literature. Many believe the only way one can truly understand the lives and culture of Jews in Eastern Europe and Russia during the period before the Holocaust is to learn Yiddish and read the stories, poetry and plays written during that period.

I’ll talk more about that in Chapter 3. First I’ll review how Yiddish got started and how it grew into the language of the East European Jews up to the time of the Holocaust.

Where Yiddish started

Someone didn’t get up one morning and say it’s time to start a new language. Yiddish gradually built into a language over hundreds of years. Most historians believe Yiddish started to flourish sometime in the Middle Ages between 900 and 1100. Before that time Jews in Europe were speaking a Jewish dialect of Old French and Old Provençal. Early Yiddish included words from the Romance languages, as well as Hebrew, but today three quarters of Yiddish words find their basis in German.

The language developed primarily among the Jews who escaped the First Crusades and moved north to the German lands, which at the time was called Ashkenaz by the Jews, Ashkenaz being the Hebrew word for Germany. Descendants of these Jews are called Ashkenazi Jews.

There was another group of Jews that never learned Yiddish: Sephardic Jews. Sephardic Jews, from Spain and Portugal, took a different path to get away from the persecutions in Europe and moved to Syria, Egypt and other Middle Eastern communities. They were never influenced by the German language and never learned Yiddish.

Now back to the Jews who went North. These Jews who settled along the Rhine River spoke a Jewish-French dialect known as Laaz. They started incorporating German words, primarily from an early form of medieval German, known today as Middle High German. In fact some German scholars today are learning Yiddish because there are more Middle High German words in Yiddish than in modern German. Hebrew words also found their way into everyday Yiddish.

As Jews continued to live in the German lands, the language they spoke gradually became known as Jewish, which meant Yiddish in German. That’s how Yiddish became the name for the new language. The first recorded use of this term was found in 1597. The word itself is related to the German word for Jewish, which is Judisch. Germans called the Jews ein Jude. Yiddish speakers call a Jew Yid and a non-Jew a goy.

But long before Yiddish was named as a language, it became widely spoken among the Jews. By the 13th century the new language had made such inroads among the Jewish population that it replaced both Hebrew and the local Christian languages in daily conversation. Yet there was still much respect for the Hebrew language, and translation of the Torah, the Jewish name for the Old Testament and its related writings, into Yiddish was discouraged.

Yet books were written in Yiddish, but featured a disclaimer saying they were primarily for women, who were considered the uneducated. Few women received Hebrew training at that time. For this reason, Yiddish became a women’s language and the name mam’eh loshn (mother tongue) is maintained for Yiddish even today. Yet, don’t make the mistake of thinking men didn’t use it. It was the primary language of business.

Women who did receive training in Hebrew translated many of the Hebrew prayers into Yiddish, embellishing them for women at the same time as well. Many of the women’s Yiddish prayers were embellished with additional thoughts that focused on family and community. These prayers focused on the matriarchs of the Jews—Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah. Prayers in Hebrew are primarily focused on the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Moving east splits the language

In the 13th century the Jews were forced by persecution to move again. They moved to eastern Germany, Poland and other Eastern European territories. Yiddish was then exposed to the Slavic languages, primarily Lithuanian, Polish and Ukranian. Words from those languages are still found in Yiddish today.

Yiddish then divided into two dialects: Western and Eastern Yiddish. The Western dialect was spoken primarily in Germany, Holland, France, Switzerland and Hungary. The Eastern dialect was spoken in Eastern Europe. But speakers of both dialects could understand each other. The differences between these two dialects were primarily heard in pronunciation, much like the differences in accents between the North and the South in the United States.

It wasn’t until the 16th century that Yiddish became a written language. The language was written using Hebrew characters, but vowels were added to make it easier to read. When you see Yiddish today, you usually see Yiddish written using transliteration. I do use transliteration in this book. That’s actually the Yiddish written out according to sound equivalents in English. In this book I primarily use YIVO Yiddish transliteration, which was developed by the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. There are other Yiddish transliterations, which is why you will see Yiddish words spelled differently sometimes, but the original Yiddish using Hebrew lettering is all the same. I show you some basics of transliteration in chapter 4.

Finding a home in Poland

The Polish kings welcomed the Jews and encouraged them to work as merchants, traders and bankers. They liked the Jews because they had no ties to the Polish political system and could be used as political pawns. The Jews maintained a separate social place, somewhere between the Polish landowners and the peasants. Since the Jews had their own language, they kept pretty much to themselves outside of business dealings. Jews preferred to use Yiddish, as well, and doing so allowed them to keep a separate society.

The Jews were happy not to be persecuted. The Poles enjoyed the Jews’ trading contacts with other parts of Europe. The Jews served as buying agents for the nobility. They maintained, produced and distributed staples, including wheat, wine, sugar, lumber and fur. Serving as middlemen, the Jews deflected the peasants’ ire from the landowners, which helped as well.

For the first time, the Jews in Poland had a sense of stability and were allowed to control their own communities. The Jewish communities were built around Jewish law and tradition, including their own religious-run educational system. Yiddish helped the Jewish community construct its unique and private way of life. So everyone benefited.

Peace did not last long though because the Jewish communities in Poland became pawns, as control of Polish lands switched back and forth between Polish kings and Russian nobility. Persecution started again, but Yiddish held the community together and gave the community the ability to communicate privately amongst themselves.

Yiddish also flourished in Eastern Europe as a language for theater, music and literature written about the Jewish culture at the time. In fact, Yiddish is a language of culture unlike any other language today. All other languages have a country base. For Jews, Hebrew is a language of country—Israel.

This book looks at the humorous side of Yiddish—the curses and insults. Not the kind of stuff that grandparents normally would teach their children. Since it is against Jewish law to curse other Jews, you’ll find Jews got very creative with how they cursed others. Many of the more direct curses you’ll find in the book were developed in modern-day usage. The Jews of Eastern Europe were probably more likely to use the longer, more descriptive curses and insults you’ll find in this book.

Acknowledgments

Many of the phrases I used in the book were gathered by numerous Yiddish scholars over hundreds of years. One of the most famous of these scholars was Sholem Aleichem, whose Yiddish stories are still read today. They are the source of at least one play you’ve probably seen—Fiddler on the Roof.

A good source for finding these Yiddish blessings and curses is Yosef Guri, whose book Let’s Hear Only Good News: Yiddish Blessings and Curses was published by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

2

You Too Speak Yiddish and You Might Not Even Know It!

Let’s set the stage. Imagine you’re standing in line at a bagel shop in just about any major city in the United States. You overhear the discussion between two women as they decide what they want to eat and shmooze about personal news and friends:

SARAH: So, what are you going to eat?

HANNAH: I think I’ll get lox and a shmear of cream cheese on a bagel.

SARAH: I don’t know if I’m that hungry. Maybe I’ll just get a nosh.

HANNAH: So, nu?

SARAH: Did you hear that shmuck Isaac asked Lisa for a date?

HANNAH: Oy vay, he’s such a klutz.

SARAH: So what are your plans for the weekend?

HANNAH: I’m going to see the new play at the Yiddish theater. I hear the shtik is hysterical.

SARAH: Sounds like fun. Unfortunately, I’m moving into my new apartment so I have to shlep lots of stuff across town and won’t have time.

Do you realize there are ten Yiddish words in that short scene? Most people don’t even realize they are actually speaking Yiddish. Words that find their basis in Yiddish above include: bagel, shmooze, lox, shmear, nosh, nu, shmuck, oy vay, shtik and shlep. Just in case you haven’t heard them or are not sure of their English meaning, here’s the scoop:

• Bagel: Probably one of the most popular Jewish foods that has found its way into many American hearts, is a hard, ring-shaped bread roll that finds its beginnings in Yiddish with German origins. The official Yiddish word is beygl from the Middle High German word bougel.

• Lox: Smoked salmon from the Yiddish word laks, which means salmon. This actually comes from the German word for salmon, lachs, which was taken from an Indo-European word meaning salmon.

• Shmooze: To engage in casual conversation, many times in order to gain an advantage or make a social connection. This word comes from the Yiddish word shmuesn with a basis in either shmues (chat) or schmue (rumor).

• Shmear: In this conversation it means to use a dab of cream cheese on the bagel, but you will also hear shmear used when people talk about buying a bunch of things together, such as “She bought the whole shmear.” The actual Yiddish word is schmir, which means smear or smudge, from the word shmirn or grease, which stems from the Middle High German word smiren, also meaning to smear or grease. When not used in the context of eating, shmear can mean the whole works or to be excessively kind for selfish gains.

• Nosh: A light snack or light meal. This comes from the Yiddish word nash or nashn, which means to eat sweets or to nibble on food. The basis for this Yiddish word can be found in the Middle High German word naschen, which means to nibble.

• Nu: A commonly used Yiddish slang for “What’s new?” but has many other uses as well. It can also be used as a question, such as “Nu? When does he show up?”; to show impatience, such as “Nu! What was said?”; to dare someone, “Nu, prove it to me!”; or to just make a strong statement, “Nu, I told you so!”

• Shmuck: A clumsy or stupid person. This comes from the Yiddish word shmock, which means penis or fool, but some think its beginnings are actually in the Polish word smok, which means serpent or tail.

• Oy vay: Means Oh, no, but in Yiddish actually means Oh, pain. People also use it to say things like “How terrible,” “That’s horrible.”

• Shtik: An entertainment routine, usually a comedy act. This comes from the Yiddish word shtik, which means piece or routine, but has its origins in the High Middle German word stucke or piece.

• Shlep: A Yiddish word that means to drag an object with difficulty. It can also be used to describe a long, tedious or difficult journey. For example, “Wasn’t that trip to the city a shlep?” It comes from the Yiddish shlepn and its origin is the German word schleppen, which means to drag.

Yiddish at your breakfast or dinner table

Food makes up a large part of every Jewish family get-together. Every Jewish holiday has its collection of favorite foods. So it’s not surprising that a lot of Yiddish words regarding foods have made it into everyday language. Here are some of the most common words:

• Bialy: A roll, shaped like a disc, that is thicker around the outer edges and flattened in the middle. The middle of a bialy is traditionally filled with onion pieces and sometimes cheese. It gets its name from the Polish city Bialystok, which is credited with its creation.

• Blintz: One of my favorite breakfast foods—looks like a thick crepe or thin pancake that’s folded around some type of filling. Cheese, potatoes and fruit, individually or combined, are the most common fillings used. This comes from the Yiddish word blintse, which finds its origins in the Russian word blinets or “little pancake.”

• Gefilte fish (ge-fil-teh): Nope, there is no such thing as a gefilte fish swimming around in the ocean. I can remember my mother spending hours making gefilte fish before a major holiday. She even had a special bowl and chopping tool for making it. It’s actually made by starting with a whole fish, then chopping it into very small pieces. Most often, whitefish, carp or pike and sometimes salmon is used, and sometimes a mixture of more than one of these types of fish. Other common ingredients include: onions, celery, carrots, sugar, white pepper, salt, eggs and matzo meal. The mixture is then stuffed back into the fish’s skin or body cavity (bones and all) and boiled or baked. Today, most people just buy balls of gefilte fish mixture in jars or cans, and you will find it on the dinner table at all Jewish holiday celebrations. The Yiddish word gefilte literally means “stuffed fish.”

• Halvah: Claimed not only by the Jews, but also by many Middle Eastern cultures. It originated in the Balkans and eastern Mediterranean regions. It’s made using sesame seeds and honey or sugar syrup. Other ingredients can be added, such as: dried fruit, pistachio nuts and almonds. Some people add cinnamon and cardamom. The ingredients are blended together, heated and poured into bars or loaves. In addition to the Yiddish word halvah, Turkish call it helva, Greeks call it halva, Arabs call it halwa or halawi. In each case it translates to “sweetmeat.”

• Kaiser roll: A breakfast roll that is light and fluffy on the inside with a thin outer crust. It’s made by using a square piece of dough and folding the corners of the dough into the center. Sometimes it’s made with poppy seeds and sometimes without seeds. The name for this roll actually comes from Germany, called Kaisersemmel for the German emperor, plus semmel, which means roll.

• Knish (k-nish): A piece of dough stuffed with potato, meat or cheese and baked or fried, commonly eaten as a snack or an appetizer. The Yiddish word knish comes from the Ukrainian word knysh.

• Kosher: Means conforming to dietary laws, when talking about food. Its route is Hebrew, and means fitting or proper. Today as a slang term, it’s used when talking about nonfood items and means that the material is legitimate, permissible, genuine or authentic. For example, it’s commonly used in phrases such as: “Using bikes on the path is kosher,” or “The story about New York is kosher.”

• Kugel: Traditionally it’s made with noodles or potatoes, baked with eggs and seasoning. A sweet kugel is common as well, and is made with noodles, raisins and apples. In Yiddish, kugel actually means ball, which related to its puffed-up or mound shape. The word originates in Middle High German.

• Rugelach (ru-ge-lach): A crescent-shaped cookie made from a cream-cheese dough filled with jam, chocolate, cinnamon, sugar or nuts, or some combination of these ingredients, cut into a triangle and rolled up. My mom could never make them fast enough when we were growing up. They were eaten as soon as they came out of the oven.

• Shmaltz and shmaltzy: When talking about food, it relates to something greasy, gooey or with a lot of fat drippings. But, you’ll also hear it when someone is talking about something corny or overly sentimental. In that case a “y” is added at the end. For example, “Wasn’t that a shmaltzy play?” Some people also use shmaltzy to describe something as flattery, sweet talk or overpraise. For example, “Wasn’t that a shmaltzy introduction?” The word comes from the Yiddish word smalts, which literally means “melted fat,” which is originally from the German word schmalz of the same meaning.

• Traif: Means forbidden food and not prepared by the rules of Jewish dietary laws. It’s the opposite of “kosher.” You may hear this word also used for non-food items, such as books or movies, that are forbidden. For example, “Don’t go to see Deep Throat [a pornographic flick]—it’s traif.”

Yiddish for when you need that special expression

• Feh: Can serve as a multipurpose word. Use it when you want to say “Fooey!”; “That’s terrible!”; “I hate that!”; “That stinks!”; or “How disgusting!”

• Gevalt or Oy gevalt (ge-valt): Use it when you hear shocking news. It’s usually used to express alarm, dismay, fear, terror or astonishment. When used with “oy,” it can mean “That’s dreadful!” or “Holy shit!” It comes from the Yiddish expression G’vald, which literally means force or violence.

• Gezunt-heit (ge-zunt-heit): Means good health. Commonly used when someone sneezes, sometimes in conjunction with “God bless you.” You can also use it as part of a toast.

• Gottenyu (got-ten-yu): Use it to express despair, anguish or to show pity for something. It’s a substitute for “Oh, God!”

• Megillah (me-gil-lah): When someone blows something way out of proportion, you can call it a big megillah. It’s also used to say that someone has told you the entire story with complete details—many times in a very longwinded way. The word actually is the name of the story of Esther and read on the holiday of Purim.

• Plotz (plots): When you feel like you are ready to explode from too much excitement or anger, you can say, “I want to plotz.” It means to burst.

• Shalom (sha-lom): A Hebrew word with lots of different meanings, including, hello, peace, good-bye, so long and other similar words of welcome when someone comes in or good-bye when someone leaves. But it’s only good-bye until you can welcome someone again.

• Tough toches (too-ches): Use when you want to say “Tough luck” or “Too bad.” Toches is another word for butt, ass, backside or fanny. You get the idea.

• Shandeh (shan-deh): Use when you are embarrassed about something or think something is a shame. For example, when you hear someone has just experienced a misfortune or embarrassment, you can say, “That’s such a shandeh.”

Yiddish for categorizing people and what they do

• Bubbeh meisseh (bub-eh my-seh): Use it when you think someone is telling you an old wives’ tale or something completely unbelievable. It literally means a grandmother’s story, but don’t use it around your grandmother if she knows Yiddish, or she’ll be pretty angry. It’s usually used when you just don’t believe what someone is telling you.

• Chutzpah (chutz-pah): Means a lot of nerve. This can be a good thing or bad thing. When you use it positively it means someone has a lot of nerve and daring. But negatively it can mean someone has a lot of nerve and has gone too far.

• Emmes (em-mes): Means truth or on the level. If you want to indicate that you believe something someone is telling you, you say that it’s emmes.

• Farblondjet (far-blond-jet): When you think someone is totally confused, you can say they are farblondjet. Also used when you think someone is lost.

• Farcockt (far-cocked): When you think someone is full of shit, you can say, “you’re farcockt.” It also means shitty or badly soiled.

• Farmisht (far-misht): When you think someone is all mixed-up or confused, another phrase you can use is “You’re farmisht.”

• Kibbitz and Kibbitzer (kib-itz and kib-itz-er): When someone talks too much or gets involved in a subject when they shouldn’t, they’re called a kibbitzer. Kibbitz usually means to give unsolicited or unwanted advice. A person that offers that advice is a kibbitzer, also known as a meddlesome spectator.

• Koved (ko-vid): When you hold high respect for someone or something, you are said to koved it. Koved means respect, honor, revere or hold in high esteem.

• Kvell: Used when you are gloating over your children, showing pride in their accomplishments. Someone might also kvell when they are enjoying an enemy’s bad luck.

• Maven (may-vin): When you think someone is an expert, you can call him a maven. Also used to indicate someone is an authority on a subject, or a connoisseur.

• Mazel or Mazel tov (ma-zel): Mazel in Hebrew means luck. Tov is the word for good. Also used to say “Congratulations !”

• Mensch: Someone who does good works and helps others is called a mensch. Literally it means person or human being. Use this word when you want to give others the impression that someone is truly worthy of respect for his good deeds, would make a good husband or business partner, treats others fairly and meets his obligations.

• Mitzvah (mits-veh): Means a good deed. When you do something to help someone else, it’s called a mitzvah.

• Naches (nach-es): Means joy or happiness. Used most often by parents to say their children give them great naches.

• Nudnik (nood-nik): If someone is badgering you and they are a very annoying person, you can call them a nudnik. Also used when someone is a bore, being obnoxious, nagging you or generally being a nuisance.

• Nudge: Means someone who pesters, annoys or complains persistently. It comes from the Yiddish word nudjen, which means to pester or to bore. Its actual origin is from the Polish word nudzi, which means the same.

• Saichel (say-chel): When you think someone is very smart or wise, you say they have saichel. This can also mean someone has common sense, tact or diplomacy.

• Shmo: If you think someone is a complete jerk or patsy, you can call him a shmo. It comes from the Yiddish word shmok, which means penis or fool.

• Shnook: When someone is easily victimized, in other words stupid, a sucker or a dupe, you can call them a shnook. The Yiddish word shnook is actually from the Lithuanian word snukis, which means mug or snout.

• Shikker (shik-er): Someone who is a drunkard is a shikker. This Yiddish word comes from the Hebrew word sikkor or sakar “to be drunk.”

• Tsores (sor-es): When you have a lot of problems or troubles, you can say you are facing a lot of tsores. Also can be used to express misery.

Yiddish for when things just aren’t right

• Mishegass (mih-sheh-gas): When everything is just crazy or has gone insane, you can call it a big mishegass. This is a variation of the Hebrew word meshugga (meh-shu-ga), which means crazy.

• Mishmash: When everything is a mess, you can call it a mishmash. Also fits when you think something is a hodgepodge or a jumble. It is believed this comes from the 15th century and was formed by a repetition of the word mash.

• Shlok joint: When you go into a store that sells cheap stuff, you can call it a “shlok joint.” It means that something has no value or is junk. It comes from the Yiddish word shlak, which means stroke or evil. Its route is the Middle High German word slag.

• Shmutz: Means lots of dirt or slime.

3

The Yiddish Worldwide Revival

You may wonder how Yiddish survives today. During the Holocaust, half of the Jews who spoke Yiddish were killed. After the Holocaust, the language began to die off. Many Jews from Eastern Europe and Russia that escaped the Holocaust didn’t want to have anything to do with the culture they left behind. Yiddish in Jewish homes in the 1950s to 1980s was spoken primarily by grandparents and few children were taught the language.

Many started to declare Yiddish a dying language and few anticipated the revival we are seeing today—a worldwide revival of Yiddish literature, music, radio, books and plays—that is gaining international momentum. Today, Yiddish is offered for study in more than fifty universities and there are more than fifty published Yiddish newspapers. Worldwide exchanges through Internet-based organizations keep the momentum growing.

Only about one to two million people still speak Yiddish today and you’ll find them primarily in the Orthodox Jewish communities of Israel, New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles and Toronto. But that’s not the whole story. Many groups are helping to revive the rich language and culture of Yiddish, which is really the only way to study the culture of the Jews of Eastern Europe in mam’eh loshn (the mother language). I’ll review some of the top sources for finding more about Yiddish today.

YIVO Institute for Jewish Research

The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in New York (www.yivoinstitute.org), which opened its doors eighty years ago, serves as the center of Yiddish scholarship. The institute was founded in 1925 in Vilna, Poland. It is the only pre-Holocaust scholarly institution to transfer its mission to the United States—a mission that fosters better understanding of the Eastern European roots of the American Jewish experience. YIVO’s archives include a collection of more than twenty-two million letters, manuscripts, photographs, sound recordings, artworks and artifacts.

Today YIVO continues its mission that was started in 1925 by publishing scholarly books and journals, sponsoring academic conferences and courses in Yiddish language and literature, and sponsoring activities for the general public, including concerts, lectures and exhibitions. In 1995, YIVO was the cofounder of the Center for Jewish History, which is located at 15 West 16th Street in New York City. You can call the institute at 212-246-6080.

National Yiddish Book Center

The National Yiddish Book Center, located in Amherst, Massachusetts, was founded in 1980 by MacArthur Fellow Aaron Lansky, who serves as president of the center today. He started his work when, as a twenty-three-year-old graduate student, he was alarmed to learn that throughout North America thousands of priceless Yiddish books, which had survived the Holocaust, were being discarded or destroyed. Children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, who no longer understood Yiddish, were tossing out books because they couldn’t read the language.

Lansky took a two-year leave from graduate school and started what turned out to be his lifelong work—to save Yiddish books and the entire language from extinction. He sent out a public appeal for all Yiddish books that were unwanted. Working with a small group of people over the next six months, he rescued books from cellars, attics, synagogues and abandoned buildings. Within six months, Lansky and his crew had rescued 70,000 books. Today his library has over 1.5 million. Two of his largest finds include a 15,000-volume Jewish library that Lansky and his crew rescued from the basement of a demolished building in Bronx, New York, and 8,000 books that were left in a garbage Dumpster.

The extensive duplicate holdings of the center have helped to stock 450 Yiddish collections around the world, including libraries at Harvard, Yale, the U.S. Library of Congress, the British Library, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, as well as national libraries in Australia, China and Japan.

The National Yiddish Book Center is not only a collection of books. The center is probably best known for its popular thirteen-hour radio series, Jewish Short Stories from Eastern Europe and Beyond, which was done for National Public Radio. In the summer months, it runs its annual Summer Program on Yiddish Culture. Its quarterly magazine, Pakn Treger (Book Peddler), has been called the best Jewish magazine in America.

You can access a large collection of the books saved by the center online at www.yiddishbookcenter.org. If you join the center for $36, you can also get its quarterly magazine. The center plans to scan and put all the books in its collection online as part of its Steven Spielberg Digital Yiddish Library.

Mendele

You’ll find a lively exchange of views, information, news and just about anything else about Yiddish language and literature, if you subscribe to the Internet-based mailing list called Mendele (shakti.trincoll.edu/~mendele/index.utf-8.htm). The mailing list is moderated and subscriptions are free.

Mendele is a fictional character, a bookseller, from the works of Yiddish writer Sholem-Yankev Abramovitch. Mendele itself is like the pages of a Letters to the Editor section of newspapers with submissions of material of general interest. The owners of the list do moderate what is sent out and sometimes do minor editorial revisions. Mendele is distributed several times a week. In addition, subscribers get an e-mail of Personal Notices and Announcements regarding Yiddish-related events and commercial offerings.

The group also distributes a literary supplement called The Mendele Review, which reviews new and newly discovered Yiddish literature, and a theater review called the Yiddish Theatre Forum. The list owners include Victor Bers (Yale University), Iosif Vaisman (University of North Carolina) and Noyekh Miller (Trinity College).

Folksbiene Yiddish Theatre

The longest-running Yiddish theatre in the United States is the Folksbiene Yiddish Theatre company (www.folksbiene.org), which has entertained audiences for over eighty-five years. It is the oldest continuous-running venue for Yiddish theater in the world and is one of the last of the Yiddish theaters that flourished in the first half of the century.

All productions are in Yiddish, but if you don’t know the language, don’t despair. You can rent earphones that permit you to hear simultaneous translations in Russian or English.

Living Traditions

Living Traditions (www.livingtraditions.org), founded in 1994, focuses on bringing Yiddish culture to contemporary Jewish life. Twenty years ago it started introducing Yiddish music, dance, history, folklore and crafts and visual arts through its KlezKamp, a weeklong program in which participants immerse themselves in the Yiddish folk arts. Living Traditions also offers classes, publications, recordings and documentaries.

The organization’s executive director, Henry Sapoznik, was a coproducer of the Peabody Award-winning radio show Yiddish Radio Project. The show was a critically acclaimed ten-part radio series on the history of Jewish broadcasting that ran on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered in the spring of 2002.

Jewish Theater

A global website that promotes Jewish theater and other performing arts worldwide is the Jewish Theater (www.jewishtheater.com). The website strives to encourage an intercultural dialogue among Jewish communities worldwide using the Internet. The Jewish Theater also maintains a global network for professionals in the theater.

The website was started in December 2001 after a conference called “Toward a Vibrant and Coherent Theatre of the Jewish People,” which included thirty Jewish theater directors and academics. The conference was held in Tel Aviv and was hosted by the Jewish Agency’s People to People Center.

The website was spearheaded by Moti Sandak and is based on his ten years of research in Jewish theater. This includes a rare collection of plays and professional articles. The Jewish Theater also maintains connections with leading libraries and databases around the world. Information you can find on the website includes comprehensive and targeted coverage of the international community of Jewish theater. It serves as the leading source of industry news in the world.

The Workmen’s Circle

Yiddish cultural life is inspired year-round by activities of The Workmen’s Circle (www.circle.org), which has fostered both Jewish and Yiddish culture for over 100 years. The circle seeks to provide a connection to Yiddish culture and language and a broad knowledge and understanding of Jewish heritage. The circle sponsors year-round cultural events in various Jewish communities in the United States.

The California Institute for Yiddish Culture and Language

One of the leading groups for fostering the increased interest in Yiddish culture and language in the western United States is the California Institute for Yiddish Culture and Language (www.yiddishinstitute.org). The institute is a not-for-profit organization that provides intensive Yiddish learning programs, seminars and web-radio broadcasts.

The institute also assembles and disseminates a Living Yiddish Treasures DVD archive. Its programs are open to adults of all ages, and are offered in collaboration with other local academic and cultural institutions. The institute seeks to inspire and empower individuals to become Yiddish activists, educators, artists and writers.

Bar Ilan University Rena Costa Center for Yiddish Studies

The largest university program for Yiddish studies is at the Bar Ilan University Rena Costa Center for Yiddish Studies (www.biu.ac.il/JS/li/yiddish) in Israel. Over 200 students, ranging in age from twenty to eighty, attend Yiddish classes each year. The school also plans to offer courses on the Internet.

Rena Costa in establishing the center said, “If Yiddish dies, Hitler will have won, and that is a victory we must make sure he does not have.”

Shortly after the establishment of Israel, Yiddish was banned because it was seen as the language of the ghetto and Hebrew was the primary language. Formal prohibitions against Yiddish entertainment were not lifted in Israel until 1960s and 1970s as the desire for Yiddish entertainment grew. Finally, in 1996 the Israel Knesset passed a law establishing a National Authority for Yiddish and allocated funds for the program.

The Forward

Once the most respected Yiddish daily newspaper, The Forward (www.forward.com) is still being published today in English, Russian and Yiddish. The newspaper was started in 1897 by Abraham Cahan and served as the voice of Jewish immigrants. In its heyday in the 1930s, the circulation was 275,000 copies and was read around the world. As Yiddish declined, so did the circulation of the newspaper, which was cut to a weekly in 1983. Today, with the revival of interest in Yiddish, the newspaper is again becoming a trusted guide to the Jewish experience.

Der Bay

Der Bay is an international Anglo-Yiddish newsletter (www.derbay.org). Its goal is to foster the preservation of the Yiddish language and the associated Yiddish culture, music, theater, literature and poetry via the International Association of Yiddish Clubs (IAYC). You’ll find an extensive collection of links to Yiddish music, theater and literature on its website.

Ari Davidow’s Klezmer Shack

You’ll find an impressive collection of Yiddish music at Ari Davidow’s Klezmer Shack (www.klezmershack.com). You’ll find lists of Klezmer bands and their locations, as well as Yiddish radio shows you can access on the Internet. Ari Davidow also provides numerous Internet links to stores and equipment, music books, and Klezmer organizations and associations.

4

Now How Do I Say That?

Yiddish is predominatly a combination of German and Hebrew. Other languages are mixed in as well, including Aramaic, Polish, Ukranian and Lithuanian, as well as words from the Romantic languages, such as French.

This chapter will focus on the keys to pronouncing Yiddish words and understanding Yiddish sentence structure. Yiddish uses the Hebrew alphabet, but I won’t be using that in this book. Instead I’ll offer transliteration of that Yiddish, which is English lettering used to spell out Yiddish words according to sound equivalents. There are several different styles of Yiddish transliteration. I predominantly use YIVO, which was developed by the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. In some cases I was only able to find the phrase as a transliteration, so the spelling may be different since I didn’t have the original Yiddish to work with.

I’ve also included an additional version of each word or phrase to show you how to pronounce the word. Even that won’t help without a bit more explanation. Probably the most difficult sound is the guttural version of “ch” that you’ll find in words throughout Yiddish. Unless you’ve learned Hebrew or German, you probably are not familiar with the sound. If you’ve ever heard a German say “achtung” where the “ch” is pronounced by rolling the sound from deep inside the throat—that’s how the “ch” should be pronounced.

Otherwise most of the pronunciations will be more familiar to you. Here’s a basic chart based on the YIVO version of transliteration for some key vowels, consonants and sounds unique to Yiddish that you’ll come across in the book:

Letters | Sound Equivalent
a | Pronounce like the a in father
o | Pronounce like the o in sort
u | Pronounce like the u in hut or put
oo | Pronounce like the oo in goo
ey | Pronounce like the ey in grey
ee | Pronounce like the ee in feet
oy | Pronounce like the oy in boy
ay or y | Pronounce like the y in sky
e | Pronounce like the e in end
ch | Pronounce with a guttural sound like the ch in “achtung”
ts | Pronounce similar to the ts in fruits

You will see ayf, ahf and oyf used throughout the phrases in the book. These words were used interchangeably in Yiddish, depending on how the author heard the original phrase, so don’t worry about differences in meaning. I do include an English translation of all the words and phrases.

Many times when the letter h is added after a vowel, it is used as an indication that you need to stretch out the vowel. For example, when you see ahf that means to pronounce the a as you would in “harvest.” When h is added to the end of the word, that means you should pronounce that vowel as a separate syllable.

In most cases when you see a word with two syllables, the accent falls primarily on the first syllable. Words of three or more syllables usually have the accent on the second syllable. I show where to put the accent by putting that part of the word or phrase in italics. Since Yiddish is made up of at least two dialects, and some say four, pronunciation can differ depending upon where the Yiddish phrase was first found. You will hear and see different accents among Yiddish speakers today.

5

How to Hold a Grudge—Yiddish-Style

Now, let’s look in on Sarah and Hannah as they have dinner at a Kosher restaurant on the Lower East Side of New York. Sarah was just fired by her boss and Hannah is trying to cheer her up and maybe help her vent some of her anger and frustration....

HANNAH: Nu? What happened?

SARAH: (sobbing) Don’t know. I was just working diligently at my desk and my boss stopped by and asked to see me in his office.

HANNAH: You had no idea what was coming?

SARAH: Nope, no warning. Here’s a curse my mother would wish on him. “Vifil yor er iz gegangn oyf di fis zol er geyn af di hent un di iberike zol er zich sharn oyf di hintn,” which means, “As many years as he’s walked on his feet, let him walk on his hands, and for the rest of the time he should crawl along on his ass.” (Vi-fil yor er iz ge-gang-en oyf di fis zol er geyn af hi hent un di i-ber-ike zol er zich sharn oyf di hint-en.)

HANNAH: (laughs loudly) I can just see him walking on his hands, then crawling on his butt. He should have such pleasure for a long time.

SARAH: But, that one’s too good for him. Maybe this one from my Uncle Louie is more appropriate. “Got zol gebn, er zol hobn altsding vos zayn harts glist, nor er zol zayn geleymt oyf ale ayvers un nit kenen rirn mit der tsun.” That means, “God should bestow him with everything his heart desires, but he should be a quadriplegic and not be able to use his tongue.” (Got zol geb-en er zol hob-en alts-ding vos zhine harts glist, nor er zol zayn ge-leymt oyf ale ay-vers un nit ken-en rirn mit der tsun.)

HANNAH: Ha-ha. Now you’re getting into the groove. And since your boss likes to think he’s a big shot and meet with all those top politicians, let’s throw in this curse from my uncle Harry. “Me zol din aynladn tsum gubernator oyf a seydeh in du zolst im gebn a grepts in ponem arayn,” which means, “May you be invited to a feast by the governor and may you belch in his face. (Me zol din ayn-lad-en gu-ber-na-tor oyf sey-deh in du zolst im gebn a grepts in pon-em a-rhine.)

SARAH: (chuckles) Nice one. I’d love to watch that one. I’ve got a better one. Since he’s getting married next month, this curse from my aunt Sadie. “Zoln verem praven a chaseneh in dayn boyn in aynladn ale zeyere kroyvim—fun inupets biz sladobke,” which means, “May worms hold a wedding in your stomach and invite their relatives from all over.” (Zoln ver-em praven a chas-e-neh in dayn boyn in ayn-lad-en ale zey-ere kroy-vim—fun in-u-pets biz slad-ob-ke.)

HANNAH: Love it. We can even join in on the dancing.

SARAH: Nope. Wouldn’t want to dance at his wedding, but my uncle Harvey likes this curse about dancing. “Zoln dayne shunim oyslenken zeyere fim ven zey veln tantsn oyf dayn keyver.” That means, “May your enemies sprain their ankles dancing on your grave.” (Zoln day-ne shun-im oys-len-ken zey-ere fim ven zey veln tants-en oyf dayn key-ver.)

HANNAH: Good one, but before we get away from that stomach distress, how about this curse from my aunt Esther? “Sazol dir azoy dreyen boyd me zol meynen az sayiz a katerinke,” which means, “May your innards turn and grind so much, people will think you are an organ grinder.” (Sa-zol dir a-zoy drey-en boyd me zol mey-nen az say-iz a ka-ter-in-ke.)

SARAH: Yeah, and we should be sure to give him a monkey as a wedding gift.

HANNAH: Ah, you’re just being too good to him.

SARAH: (giggles) And of course we can’t forget to think about his new bride. How about this curse from my aunt Ruthie? “Zolst hobn di same fete gandz—nor kit keyn tseyner di beste vayn nor nit keyn chushtem di senste vayb—nor nit keyn zehrut.” That means, “May you have the juiciest goose—but no teeth; the best wine—but no sense of taste; the most beautiful wife—but be impotent.” (Zolst hob-en di sa-me fete gandz—nor kit key-en tseyn-er; di bes-te vine—nor nit keyn chush-tem; di sens-te vayb – nor nit keyn zehrut.)

HANNAH: That will make for some wedding night. Just to be sure they enjoy their ride to the honeymoon, let’s throw in this curse from my uncle Abe. “Zolst azoy farfoylt vern az tsign, tchoyrn, un chazirim zoln zid opzogn tsu forn mit dir in eyn fur,” which means, “May you rot so badly that goats, skunks and pigs will decline to travel in the same cart as you.” (Zolst a-zoy far-foylt vern az tsign, tchoy-ern un cha-zir-im zoln zid op-zog-en tsu forn mit dir in eyn fur.)

SARAH: Okay, enough. My sides are aching from laughter. I never thought you’d be able to cheer me up. I guess a few good Yiddish curses can help anyone feel better.

Cursing in Yiddish can be both challenging and creative. Since Jewish law decrees Jews cannot curse other Jews, Yiddish curses over the ages have been developed as backhanded blessings, and many are humorous to boot.

If you’ve seen the play Fiddler on the Roof, you’ve probably heard many of the curses Sholem Aleichem found as he traveled worldwide collecting Yiddish curses and insults for his writing. One of the most famous curses in this play involves a scene in which the rabbi is asked if there is a blessing for the czar. After thinking a while, the rabbi says, “May God bless and keep the czar far away from us.”

In this chapter I focus on the Yiddish curses that Jews used when they held a grudge against someone and wanted them to suffer for a long time, sometimes past their own life span.

Wishing someone calamity, destruction, disaster and misfortune

May calamity strike you – Eyn oyschapenysh zol oyf dir kumen (Eyn oys-chap-ensysh zol oyf dir kum-en).

May calamity strike you and your filthy family – A brod oyf dir un oyf dyn (A brod oyf dir un oyf dyn).

May calamity strike you in the stomach [in your head; in your guts] – A klog dir in boyd [in kop; in dyne podle kishkes] (A klog dir in boyd [in kop, in dyne pod-le kishk-es).

May characters like you be sown thickly and germinate thinly – Azoyne zol men kedicht zeyn in seeter zoln zee oyfgeyn (A-zoyne zol men ke-dicht zeyn in sit-er zoln zee oyf-geyn).

May destruction strike you – A churbn oyf dir (A churb-en oyf dir).

May disaster strike you – A klog zol dir trefn (A klog dir tref-en).

May misfortune fall upon you – Eyn umgleek oyf dir (Eyn um-gleek oyf dir).

May misfortune strike you – Eyn umgleek zol dir trefn (Eyn um-gleek dir tref-en).

May misfortune strike your guts – Eyn umgleek dir in kishkes (Eyn um-gleek dir in kishk-es).

One misfortune is too few for him – Eyn umgleek az far im veynik (Eyn um-gleek az far im vey-nik).

Wishing someone a not-so-pleasant long life

May the Lord send a blessing for success to your pack of troubles – A mazel-bracheh zol dir der eyberster tsores (A maz-el brach-eh zol dir der ey-best-er tsor-es).

May suffering consume you – Oysgefleekt zolstu vern (Oys-gef -leekt zols-tu vern).

May you be as tormented in your death as I am in my life – Zolst zid azoy matern mitn toyt vee in mater zid (Zolst zid a-zoy ma-tern mit-en toyt vee in ma-ter zid).

May you go begging from door to door with your descendants for many generations – Iber di hyzer zolstu zid slepn mit kindskinder oyf dur-durut (I-ber di hy-zer zols-tu zid slep-en mi kinds-kind-er oyf dur-dur-ut).

May you live until one hundred and twenty—with wooden head and glass eyes – Zolst lebn biz hoondert un tsvantseek yor – mit a heeltsernem kop in glezerne oygn (Zolst leb-en biz hoond-ert un tsvants-eek yor- mit a heel-tser -new kop in glez-erne oyg-en).

May you never be remembered – Nit gedacht zolstu vern (Nit ge-dacht zols-tu vern).

May you never become old – Nit derlebn zolstu eltertsu vern (Nit der-leb-en zols-tu el-ter-tsu vern).

May you never have anything good all your life – Nit hobn zolstu keyn guts vayl du lebst (Nit hob-en zols-tu key-en guts vayl lebst).

May you never enjoy any goodness in your home – Nit hobn zolstu keyn guts in stub (Nit hob-en zols-tu key-en guts in stub).

God should visit upon him the best of the Ten Plagues – Gut zol oyf im onshikn fin di tsen makes di beste (Gut zol oyf in onsh-ikn fin di tsen mak-es di bes-te).

All problems I have in my heart, should go to his head – Ale tsores vos ich hob oyf mayn hartsn, zoln oysgeyn tsu zayn kop (Ale tsor-es vos ich hob oyf may-en harts-en, zoln oysg-eyn tsu zhine kop).

On summer days he should mourn, and on wintry nights, he should torture himself - In di zumerdike teg zol er zitsn shive, un in di vinterdike necht zich raysn ayf di tseyn (In di zu-mer-dike teg zol er zitsn shive, un in di vin-ter-dike necht zich rays-en ayf di tsey-en).

It would have been better if a stone had come out of your mother’s womb, rather than you – Beser volt oyf dyn ort a shteyn arayn (Be-ser volt oyf dyn ort a shtey-en a-rhine).

He should have lots of trouble – Er zol zain ayf tsores (Er zol zain ayf tsor-es).

He should have lots of trouble – Er zol ainemen a miesseh meshuneh (Er zol ai-ne-men a mies-eh mesh-un-eh).

Wishing someone the worst luck possible

You should have no better luck – Keyn besern mazel zolstu (Key-en bes-ern maz-el zols-tu).

May your luck light your way for you like the waning moon at the end of the month - Dyn mazel zol dir laychtn vee dee levone in sof (Dyn maz-el zol dir laycht-en vee dee lev-one in sof).

Let what I wish on him come true [most, even half, even just 10 percent] – Zol es im onkumn vos ich vintsh im [chotsh a helft, chotsh halb, chotsh a tsent cheyli] (Zol es im on-kumn vos ich vintsh im [chotsh a helft, chotsh halb, chotsh a tsent chey-li]).

May you have a long bout of bad luck – A biter mazel oyf dir (A bi-ter maz-el oyf dir).

His luck should be as bright as a new moon – Zayn mazel zol im layhtn vee dee levone in sof choydesh (zayn maz-el zol im layht-en vee dee lev-one in sof choy-desh).

Using a fire wish

May you be consumed by fire – A fyer zol did farbrenen (A fy-er zol did far-bren-en).

May a fire catch hold of you – A fyer oyf dir (A fy-er oyf dir).

May a fire consume you – A fyer zucht din (A fy-er zucht din).

Literally means: A fire is seeking you.

May you be a lamp: hang by day, burn by night and be snuffed out in the morning – Zolst syn vee a lump: hengen by tog, brenen by nacht in oysgeyn zolstu in der fri (Zolst syn vee a lump: heng-en by tog, bren-en by nacht in osy-geyn zols-tu in der fri).

May God see to it that no smoke leaves your chimney for eight consecutive years – Got zol gebn em zol dir acht yor nun anand nit geyn keyn royn fun koytn (Got zol geb-en em zol dir acht yor nun a-nand nit geyn keyn royn fun koyt-en).

A fire should strike you while you are speaking now – A fyer zol did trefn vee du redst (A fy-er did tref-en vee du redst).

He should burn up – A fyer zol im trefn (A fy-er zol im tref-en).

Using cats and dogs to hold a grudge

May you speak so eloquently that only a cat will understand you – Zolst azoy seyn redn az nor di kats zoln dir farshteyn (Zolst a-zoy sey-en red-en az nor kats zoln dir farsht-eyn).

May you turn into a pancake and be snatched away by the cat – Vern zol fun dir a blintshik in dee kats zol di chapn (Vern zol fun dir a blint-shik in de kats zol di chapn).

May you turn into a pancake and he into a cat, he should eat you and choke on you; that way we will be rid of both of you – Vern zol fun did a blintshik in fun is a kats, er sol did oyfesn un mit dir zin dervargn; volt men fun ayn beydn ptur gevorn (Vern zol fun did a blint-shik in fun is a kats, er sol did oyf-esn un mit dir zin der-varg-en volt men fun ayn beyd-en ptur ge-vorn).

May your soul enter a cat and may a dog bite it – Dyn neshome zol arayngeyn in a kats, un a hoont zol er a bis tun (Dyn ne-shom-e zol a-rhine-geyn in a kats un a hoont zol er a bis tun).

Using demons

May your father be possessed by a demon – A ruech in dayn tatn arayn (A ru-ech in dayn tat-en a-rhine).

May a demon take your father’s father – A ruech in dayn tatns tatn arayn (A ru-ech in dayn tat-ens tatn a-rhine).

May your grandfather be possessed by a demon – A ruech in dayn zeydn arayn (A ru-ech in dayn zeyd-en a-rhine).

May a demon take your father’s son – A ruech in dayn tatns zun arayn (A ru-ech in dayn tat-ens zun a-rhine).

May the devil take your thieving father – A ruech in dayn ganvishn tatn arayn (A ru-ech in dayn gan-vish-en tat-en a-rhine ).

6

Yiddish Curses—Short and Sweet

You probably find you get a lot ugly looks if you walk around telling anyone who angers you to “Go fuck yourself”; “Shove it up your ass”; or “Go to hell.” You may even get a fist in your mouth. Or get fired from a job.

Don’t despair. If you do get that frustrated sometimes, learn a few of these short and sweet Yiddish curses. You can probably even vent your frustration and no one will even know you’re cursing.

For example, you can say Put your buttocks on the table (Toches ahfen tish) and mean: Put up or shut up (Too-ches Ah-fin Tish)!

Or maybe you prefer, I have him in the bath house (Ich hob im in bod) and mean: To hell with him (Ich hob im in bod)!

Or maybe you’d like, Don’t bang on the teakettle (Hak mir nit kain cheinik) and mean: Don’t bother me (Hak meer nit kayn chy-nik)!

Yes, there are some roundabout ways to say something in Yiddish, while meaning something very different. You’ll also see below that some Yiddish phrases are much more direct for venting your anger.

Do be careful, though. If you’re in a Jewish neighborhood, you never know who around you might know Yiddish.

Say the f word in Yiddish ...

Don’t fuck with me! – Bareh nit! (Bar-eh nit)!

Also translates to: Don’t fornicate around, or but more mildly can mean don’t fool around, or don’t annoy or don’t bother someone.

Finished fucking? – Shoyn opgetrent (Shoin op-geh-trent)?

Also translates to: Are you finished screwing around? Or, Have you finished the dirty work? Literally means: Have you finished fornicating?

Go fuck yourself! – Gai tren zich (Gay tren zich)!

Who are you kidding, who do you think you are screwing around with? –

Vemen barestu (Vay-men bar-es-tu)?
Literally means: Who are you screwing?

Use Yiddish to tell someone to go take a sh ...

Go take a shit! – Cock zich oys (Cock zich oys)!

Also means: Go take a shit for yourself

Go shit on the ocean! – Gai cocken ahfen yam (Gay cock-en ah-fin yam)!

Also can be used to mean: Don’t bother me. Or, Get lost

I shit on him. – Ich cock ahf im (Ich cock ahf im).

Shit on a stick – Drek oif a shpendel (Drek oyf a shpen-del).

Also means: As unimportant as dung on a piece of wood.

Get creative using Yiddish to say “kiss my ass”

Kiss my ass! – Kush mich in toches (Kush mich in too-ches)!

Kiss my ass! – Kush in toches arayn (Kush in too-ches a-rhine )!

Ass kisser – Toches lecher (Too-ches lech-er).

I’ve got him by the ass – Ich hob im in toches (Ich hob im in too-ches).

Also can mean: I have him in my ass.

You ass! – Chamoyer du einer (cha-moy-er du eye-ner)!

Also can mean: You dope, you idiot!

You should shove it up your ass – Zolst es shtupin in toches arayn (Zolst es shtoop-en in too-ches ar-ayn).

Shove it up your ass! – Shtup es in toches (Shtoop es in too-ches)!

Yiddish uses a more friendly sounding way to say “go to hell”

To hell with it – Zol es brennen (Zol es bren-in).

Oh hell! or Damn it! – A broch (Ah brooch)!

Go to hell! – Gai kab enyeh mattereh (Gay kab en-yeh ma-ter -eh)!

Go to hell! – Gai in drerd arayn (Gay in draird a-rhine)!

Literally means: Go down into the earthly grave.

Go to hell! – Ich hob dich in drerd (Ich hob dich in draird)!

He should go to hell – A gehenem oif im (A geh-hen-em oyf im).

He should go to hell – Er zol einemen a meeseh meshuneh (Er zol ein-eh-men a meese-eh meh-shun-eh).

The hell with him! – Ich hob im in bod (Ich hob im in bod)!

Also can be used to say: Forget him! Literally means: I have him in the bath house.

Someone bothering you? Yiddish can help you vent that

Big deal, so what? – Groisser gehilleh (Groys-eh geh-hill-eh)?

Don’t aggravate me! – Tsap mir nit dos blut (Tsap meer nit dos blut)!

Literally means: Don’t bleed me!

Don’t bother me! – Drai mir nit kain kop (Dray meer nit kayn kop)!

Literally means: Don’t twist my head!

Don’t bother me! – Hak mir nit kain cheinik (Hak meer nit kayn chy-nik)!

Literally means: Don’t bang on the teakettle!

Don’t bother me! – Chepeh zich nit tsu mir (Chep-eh zich nit tsu meer)!

Literally means: Don’t attach yourself to me!

Don’t bother me! – Chepeh zich op fun mir (Chep-eh zich op fun meer)!

Don’t butt in. Keep your nose out of it. – Mish zich nisht arayn (Mish zich nisht a-rhine).

Don’t threaten me! - Strasheh mich nit (Stra-sheh mich nit)!

Get lost! – Ver farblondjet (Vair far-blond-jet)!

Go jump in a lake! – Nem zich a vaneh (Nem zich a van-eh)!

Literally means: Go take a bath!

Go bother the bedbugs! – Gai bareh di vantsen (Gay bar-eh di vant-sen)!

Leave me alone! – Loz mich tzu ru (Loz mich tzu ru)!

Literally means: Let me be in peace!

Leave me alone! - Chepeh zich op fun mir (Chep-eh zich op fun meer)!

Also means: Get away from me!

So what do you think you can do to me? Nothing. – Ti mir eppes (Tee mir ep-is).

You don’t scare me – Gai strasheh di gens (Gay stra -sheh di gens).

Literally means: Go scare the geese.

I don’t give a damn – Es hart mich vi di vant (Es hart mich vee dee vant).

Literally means: It bothers me like a wall.

You’re pissing in the wind – Gai feifen ahfen yam (Gay fife-en ah-fin yam).

Literally means: Go whistle on the wind.

Shut someone up using Yiddish

Put up or shut up! – Toches ahfen tish (Too-ches ah-fin tish)!

Also can be used to mean: Let’s conclude this! Or, Come clean, buddy! Literally means: Buttocks on the table.

Shut your mouth! – Farmach dos moyl (Far-mach dos moyl)!

Call them fools, morons and idiots in Yiddish

You moron! – Chamoyer du ainer (Cha-moy-er du ain-er)!

Don’t be an idiot! – Zei nit kain vyzoso (Zye nit kane vi-zo-so)!

Also can mean: Don’t be a damn fool! or Don’t be a penis!

Don’t be a fool! – Zeit nit kain nar (Zye nit kane nar)!

Don’t be a fool! Zeit nit kain goylem (Zye nit kane go-lem)!

Also can mean: Don’t be a robot!

Throwing in a few Yiddish body parts

I need it like a hole in the head – Ich darf es vi a loch in kop (Ich darf es vee a loch in kop).

Hole in the head – Loch in kop (Loch in kop).

I need it like a wart on my nose – Ich darf es vi a lung un leber oif der noz (Ich darf es vee lung un leb-er der noz).

Go screw up your head! – Fardrai zich dem kop (Far-dray zich dem kop)!

You should explode! – Gai plotz (Gay plotz)!

Also can mean: Go split your guts!

Choke on it! – Ver dershtikt (Vair der-shtikt)!

A few other yiddish shorts for wishing the worst

A horrible end should befall you - A finsteren sof (A finster-en sof).

Also can mean: May there be a dark ending for you.

A plague on you! – A finsteren yor (A fin-ster-en yor)!

Literally means: A darkness on you.

A plague on you! - A choleryeh ahf dir (A chol-er-yeh ayf deer)!

Go drown! – Ich hob dich in bod (Ich hob dich in bod)!

Literally means: I have you in the bath.

Drive yourself crazy! – Gai fardrai zich dein aigenem kop (Gay far-dray zich dine eye-gen-en kop)!

I despise you! - Ich fief oyf dir (Ich fife oyf deer)!

Literally means: I whistle on you!

An ugly ending to you – Miesseh meshuneh (Meese-eh ma-shee -neh).

Also means: To wish lots of trouble on someone. Literally means: A strange death or a tragic end.

He should have lots of trouble – Aleh tsores oif zein kop (Al-eh tsor-es oyf zine kop).

A black year! – A shvartz yor (A shvartz yor)!

7

The Perfect Phrase for the Perfect Putz

I’m sure you know people who just get under your skin. Some because they’re just scatterbrains, others because they’re dumb, and still others because they are just fools.

Yiddish probably has the perfect word you can use to vent that frustration without letting on that you are frustrated.

Putz, which I use in the title of this chapter, means fool or idiot. It’s probably the most well-known Yiddish word for a fool. Chazzer, the Yiddish word for a pig, also has found its way into everyday usage. Some of the words you’ll find below you’ve probably heard; most, though, are probably new to you.

Pick the ones that just fit that special someone around you.

Yiddish pet name for that idiot you know

Big idiot – Groisser putz (Groys-er putz).

Also means: A big prick, big penis, big fool or big shot.

Butter-fingered – Shlemiel (Shleh-meal ).

Also can mean: An inept or foolish person, a simpleton, nincompoop or a bungler.

Idiot - Shmegegi (Shmeh-geh-gee).

Also means: A nothing or a nobody.

Scatterbrain – Draikop (Dray-kop).

Also means: Someone who goes all out trying to confuse you. Often this refers to a con artist who deliberately is trying to take advantage of you.

Self-made fool – Shmuck (Shmuck).

Also means: A dickhead, idiot or jerk. Another word for penis. Literally means: Jewel.

Sucker – Shlumpf (Shlumpf).

Also can mean: A patsy, fall guy or second-rater.

Just the right Yiddish name for that clumsy friend

Clumsy person – Klutz (Klutz).

Also means: A stupid person or a dolt.

Pitiable person – - Nebach (Neb-ach).

Poor dresser – Shlump (Shloomp).

Also means: Unstylish or with bad posture. When someone corrects another because his shoulders are drooping, they can say “Don’t shlump!”

Slob – Zhlob (Zhlob).

Also means: Someone who is clumsy, uncouth or foolish.

Weakling – Nebbish (Neb-ish).

Also means: A pitiable person, but not as bad as a Nebach.

Naming the incompetent people in your life in Yiddish

Dull-witted – Poyer (Poy-er).

Also can refer to a peasant, farmer, boor or dullard.

Dreamer – Luftmensh (Luft-mensh).

Also, can refer to someone who is an unrealistic optimist, builds castles in the air and has no trade or income. You definitely don’t want to loan money to a person like this for their next big scheme to make money. Literally means: Air man.

Dumbbell or dunce – Dumkop (Dum-kop).

Literally means: Dumb head.

Incompentent person – Loy yitslach (Loy yits-lach).

Also, can refer to someone who has perpetual bad luck.

Incompetent person – Shlemazel (Shleh-mah-zel)

Also can refer to someone who has perpetual bad luck or misfortunate.

Inexperienced person – Pisher (Pish-er).

Also used to indicate someone is inexperienced, unseasoned or “wet behind the ears.” Or for someone who thinks he’s adult enough to handle a task, but really isn’t. Another more literal meaning is bed-wetter.

Yiddish name for someone who’s just plain annoying

Annoying person – Nudnik (Nood-nik).

Also used to refer to someone who is a bore, being obnoxious, nagging you, or generally being a nuisance.

Ass kisser – Toches-lecker (Too-ches leck-er).

Also can refer to a brown-noser or someone who will do anything to gain favor. Literally means: Buttock-licker.

Big good-for-nothing – Groisser gornisht (Groys-er gor-nisht).

Braggart – Shvitzer (Shvitz-er).

Literally means: Someone who sweats.

Complainer – Kvetcher (Kvetch-er).

Also can refer to someone who is a whiner. Nothing is ever good enough for them. Rodney Dangerfield was known as the king of the kvetchers. Kvetch in Yiddish is to squeeze.

Gossip – Yenta (Yen-teh).

Also can refer to someone who is a busybody, talkative woman or blabbermouth.

Impolite person – Bulvan (Bul-van).

Also means: A rude or ill-mannered person.

Informer – Mosser (Moo-ser).

Lazy man – Foiler (Foy-ler).

Lecherous old man – Alter kucker (Al-ter kuck-er).

Also means: Old fogy. Literally means: An old defecator.

Liar – Ligner (Lig-ner).

Panhandler – Shnorrer (Shnor-er).

Also can refer to someone who is a beggar, moocher or freeloader. Shnorrers make a career of panhandling and think they are doing others a favor by allowing them to do a mitzvah (good deed) though donating to the needy.

Pig – Chazzer (Chaz-er).

Also can refer to someone who is greedy, eats too much or takes more than his share.

Smelly person – Shtinker (Shtink-er).

Also can refer to someone who behaves offensively.

Sponger – Shlepper (Shlep-per).

Also can refer to someone who always tags along or a jerk.

Giving bastards a Yiddish nickname

Bastard – Mamzer (Mamz-er).

Also someone who is a nasty, unworthy person.

Bimbo – Tzatzkeh (Tzatz-keh).

Also can refer to someone who is a mistress, sexually attractive girl or an overdressed woman. Another meaning can be a toy, ornament or expensive plaything.

Crazy bastard – Meshugener mamzer (Meh-shu-gen-er mamz-er).

Its origins are from the Hebrew word meshugga (meh-shu--ga) for crazy, and mamzer for bastard.

Drunkard – Shikker (Shik-er).

Also means: To be drunk.

Piece of shit – Shtik drek (Shtick drek).

Pimp – Yentzer (Yents-er).

Also refers to someone who will screw you in a nonsexual way.

Shit head – Kucker (Kuck-er).

Thief – Gonif (Gon-if).

Also can be used to refer to someone who is a swindler, crook, burglar or racketeer.

Trashy – Drek (Drek).

Also can be used to refer to someone who is cheap, trashy, shoddy, worthless or useless.

8

Yiddish Body Blows

When you’re just about ready to take a strike at someone, but don’t really want to hurt your hand, you may want to use some Yiddish curses instead. Just to give you an idea of how effective these verbal body blows can be in relieving some tension, let’s listen in on a dinner conversation between Hannah and Sarah after Hannah’s boyfriend dumped her....

SARAH: So, nu? What happened?

HANNAH: That shmuck decided things were getting too serious for him and thought it’s time for us to cool it for a while.

SARAH: What a putz! You’ve been seeing each other for two years now, right?

HANNAH: Yes. “Got zol gebn, er zol hobn altsding vos zayn harts glist, nor er zol zayn geleymt oyf ale ayvers un nit kenen rirn mit der tsung,” meaning “God should bestow him with everything his heart desires, but he should be a quadriplegic and not be able to use his tongue.” (Got zol beb-en er zol hob-n alts-ding vos zayn harts glist, nor er zol zayn ge-leymt oyf ale ay-vers un nit ken-en rirn mit der tsung.)

SARAH: I can understand your anger, but might that be a bit harsh? Maybe this would fit better. “Ale tseyn zoln dir aroysfaln, nor eyner zol dir blaybn—oyf tsonveytik .” That means, “May all your teeth fall out, except one to give you a toothache.” (Al-e tsey-en zoln dir a-roys-falen, nor eyn-er zol dir blayb-en—oyf tson-vey-tik.)

HANNAH: Nope, that doesn’t work for me. A toothache is just not enough tsores. You might find this more acceptable. “Zoln dir vaksn burekes fun pupik, in zolst pishn mit borsht.” Meaning, “May a red beet grow out of your belly button, and may you pee borsht.” (Zoln dir vaks-en bu-rek-es fun pup-ik in zolst pish-en mit borsht.)

SARAH: Yuck! Borsht is one of my grandmother’s favorite cold soups. Doesn’t sound like much of a punishment, but it could be embarrassing, especially if it leaks out at the most inopportune moments.

HANNAH: Yeah. Like in front of his boss. But maybe you’re right. I’ve got to find something that would be more painful, but not quite as bad as wishing he become quadriplegic. Hmm ... how about this? “Nezunt un shtark zolstu zayn vee ayzn, zolst zid nit kenen,” which means, “May you be healthy and tough as iron, so much so that you cannot bend over.” (Ne-zunt un shtark zols-tu zayn vee ayz-en zolst zid nit ken-en.)

SARAH: I think you’ve got it. Sounds like just the right touch. But, I know this is not the first time you too have split for a while.

HANNAH: Nope, this is the third time.

SARAH: Are you sure this is it? Do you think you might get back together.

HANNAH: Not this time. I’m a strong believer in my grandmother’s Yiddish proverb “Ain mol a saichel, dos tsvaliteh mol chain, dem dritten mol git men in di tsain,” which means, “The first time it’s smart, the second time it’s cute, the third time you get a sock in the teeth.” (Ain mol a sai-chel dos tsva-lit-eh mol chain, dem drit-ten mol git men in di tsain.) That sock in the teeth is the only thing he’ll get from me, if he tries to come back. It’s time for me to move on.

Yiddish curses can get pretty gross in what can be wished on others. I’ve grouped some top choices below by parts of the body.

Taking Yiddish blows to the head, teeth, neck and tongue

May a disease enter his gums – A krenk zol im arayn in di yosles (A krenk zolim a-rhine in dee yos-lis).

All his teeth should fall out except one to make him suffer – Ale tseyn zoln bay im aroysfalen, not eyner zol im blayben oyf tsonveytung – (Ale tseyn zoln bay im a-roys-fal-en not eyn-er zol in blayb-en ofy tson-veyt-ung).

May you be in mourning in summer days and suffer from a toothache on winter nights – In dee zumerdike tig zolstu zitsen shiveh un in dee vinterdike necht zolstu zid rayst oyf dee seyn (In dee zu-mer-di-ke tig zols-tu zits-en shi-veh un in dee vin-ter-di-ke nect zols-tu zid rayst oyf dee seyn).

Those who can’t bite should not show their teeth. – Az men ken nit beissen, zol men nit veizen di tsain (Az men ken nit beis-en zol men nit veiz-en di tsain).

May a bone remain stuck in your throat – A beyn zol dir in haldz blayben shtekn (A beyn zol dir in haldz blayb-en shtek-en).

A rope around your neck – A shtrek dir oyfn haldz (A shtrek dir oyf-en haldz).

He should grow a wooden tongue – A hiltsener tsung zol er bakumn (A hil-tsen-er zol er ba-kumn).

He should grow like an onion with his head in the ground – Er zol vaksen vi a tsibeleh, mit dem kop in drerd (Er zol vak-es-en a tsib-el-eh, mit dem kop in drerd ).

May a cannon ball split your skull – A harmat zol dayn kop tseshmetern (A harm-at zol dayn kop tsesh-met-ern).

May a soft balcony fall on your head – A vecher balkon dir in kop (A vech-er bal-kon dir in kop).

May a wheel run over your skull – A rud zol dir ariber iber dee gehirn (A rud zol dir a-rib-er i-ber dee ge-hirn).

Go break you own head! – Shlog zich kog in vant! (Shlog zich kog in vant)!

Throw salt in his eyes, pepper in his nose – Zalts im in di oygen, feffer im in di noz (Zalts im in di oyg-en, fef-er im in di noz).

Doing in the bones using Yiddish body blows

I hope to see you on one leg and may you see me with one eye – Id zol did zen oyf eyn foos un du mid-mit eyn oyg (Id zol did zen oyf eyn fus un du mid—mit eyn oyg).

He should break a leg – Zol er tzebrechne a fus (Zol er tze-brech -en a foos).

Go break a leg! – Gai tsebrech a fus (Gay tse-brech a foos)!

May your legs be lopped from under you – Dee fim zoln dir untergehakt vern (Dee fim zoln dir un-ter-gehakt vern).

May you break your arms and your legs – Oysbrechen zolstu dee hent mit dee fus (Oys-brech-en zols-tu dee hent mit dee foos).

May your arms and hands be paralyzed – Opkenumen zoln dir dee hent vern (Op-ken-u-men zoln dir dee hent vern).

May your bones rot in hell – Dayne beyner zoln foylen in gihnum (Dayne beyn-er zoln foyl-en in gih-num).

May cholera rot your bones – A cholere dir in dee beyner (A chol-er-e dir in dee beyn-er).

May you break all your bones – Tseboyechen zolstu ruk-un-lend (Tse-boy-ech-en zols-tu ruk-un-lend ).

Literally means: May you break your back and your sides.

He who throws stones on another gets them back on his own bones – Ver es varft oil yenem shteyner krigt tsurik in di aigneh bainer (Ver es varft oil yen-em shteyn-er krigt tsur-ik in di aig-neh bain-er).

Stones on his bones – Shteyner ayf zayne bainer (Shteyn-er ayf zayne bain-er).

Going inside the body with Yiddish body blows

Onions should grow on your navel – Zol dir vaksn tzibbeles fun pupik (Zol dir vax-en tzib-eh-les fun poop-ik).

May your intestines be pulled out of your belly and wound around your neck – Aroysshlepn zol men dir dee kishkes fun boyd un arumviklen zee ebern haldz (A-roys-shlepen zol men dir dee keesh-kes fun boyd un a-rum-vik-len zee e-bern haldz).

May your liver come out through your nose piece by piece – Dee leber zol dir shteklechvayz doord der noz aroysfleen (Dee leb-er dir shtek-lech-vayz doord der noz a-roys-fleen).

May your guts come out – Dee kishkes zoln dir aroym (Dee keesh-kes zoln dir a-roym).

Your stomach will rumble so badly, you’ll think it was a Purim noisemaker – Es zol dir dunern in boych, vestu meyen az s’iz a homon klaper (Es zol dir dun-ern in boych, ves-tu mey-en az s’iz a hom-on klap-er).

For those not familiar with the holiday of Purim, as part of the celebration various kinds of noisemakers are used to drown out the name of the enemy of the Jews—Haman—as the story of Esther is told during the reading of the Megillah, which is the book of Esther.

You should only get a stomach cramp – Zol dich chappen beim boych (Zol dich chap-in byme boych).

A cramp in your stomach – A kramp dir in boyd (A kramp dir in boyd ).

You should get a stomach cramp – Zol dir grihmen in boych (Zol dir grih-men in boych).

A stabbing pain in your stomach – A shnaydenish dir in boyd (A shnay-de-nish dir in boyd).

When the stomach is empty, so is the brain – Az der mogen iz laidik iz der moi’ech oich laidik (Az der mog-en iz laid-ik iz der moi’ech oich laid-ik).

He should crap blood and pus – Er zol kakn mit blit un mit ayter. (Er zol kak-en mit blit un mit ayt-er).

You should choke on it – Der shtikt zolst du veren (Der shtikt zolst du ver-en).

You can vomit from this – Me ken brechen fun dem (Me ken brech-en fun dem).

May a boil grow on your belly-button – S’zol dir vaksn a geshver oyfn pupik (S’zol dir vaks-en a gesh-ver oyf-en poo-pik).

May a fire burn in your guts – A brand dir in dee kishkes (A brand dir in dee keesh-kes).

May a fire burn in your stomach – A fyer dir in boyd (A fy-er dir in boyd).

May a fire inflame your liver – A fyer in doyn leber (A fy-er in doyn leb-er).

Body-wide Yiddish body blows

You should swell up like a mountain – Zolst geshvolln veren vi a barg (Zolst geh-shvol-en ver-en vi a barg).

A boil is fine as long as it’s under someone else’s arm – A geshvir iz a gutch zach bei yenem unhern orem (A gesh-vir iz a gutch zach bei yen-em un-hern o-rem).

May a thunder shake your body – A duner dir in dee zaytn arayn (A dun-er dir in dee zayt-en a-rhine).

May you break down and collapse – Ayngebrochn zolstu vern (Aynge-broch-en zols-tu vern).

A cramp in his body [in his stomach, in his guts, in his bowels, in his fingers and toes] – A kramp im in layb [in boyach, in di kishkes, in di gederem, in di finger] (A kramp in layb [in boy-ach, in di keesh-kes, in di ged-er-em, in di fing-er].

Leeches should drink him dry – Trinkn zoln im piavkes (Trink-en zoln im piav-kes).

He should be transformed into a chandelier: to hang by day and to burn by night – Migulgl zol er vern in a henglayhter: bay tog zol er hengn, un bay nacht zol er brenen (Mi-gul-gel zol er vern in a heng-layht-er: bay tog zol er heng-en, un bay nacht zol er bren-en).

It’s useless; it’ll help like bloodletting on a dead body – Es vet helfn vi a toitn bahnekes (Es vet helf-en vee a toyt-en bahn-kis).

9

Wishing Someone Ill—Yiddish-Style

Many Yiddish insults involve the creative use of body parts and body functions to wish that someone get sick. It was rare that someone would directly wish an illness on someone else; instead, they would say something nice and sock it to them at the end, such as by using this favorite: “I hope I can come to you on joyous occasions and that you will come to me on crutches” – Id tsu dir oyf simchut, du tsu mir oyf kuliem (Id tsu dir oyf sim-chut, du tsu mir oy ku-li-em ). Now why that person should be on crutches ... They wouldn’t bother to mention that.

Or they would wish something so outrageous, “You should swell up like a mountain – Zolst geshvollen veren vi a barg (Zolst geh-shvol-en ver-en vi a barg), which of course could never happen, but leaves a very visual impression of how high their anger has built.

Or it could be something that was an unthinkable wish. “She should have stones and not children” – Shteyner zol zi hoben, nit kayn kinder (Shtey-ner zol zi hob-en, nit kayn kin-der).

Most of these curses were wishes for longtime illnesses or suffering using various body parts or body malfunctions. Frequent doctors’ visits or eating troubles were another common theme. Here are some favorites grouped by their themes.

Wishing frequent doctor visits

He should give it all away to doctors – Oyf doktoyrim zol er dos avekgebn (Oyf dok-toy-rim zol er dos a-vek-geb-en).

If anyone writes you, they should write you doctors’ prescriptions – Shraybn zol men dir retseptn (Shrayb-en zol men dir re-tsept-en).

May doctors know you well and vice versa – Doktoyrim zoln vesen fun dir un di fun doktoyrim (Dok-toy-rim zoln ves-en fun dir un di fun dok-toy-rim).

Wishing food troubles

He should drink too much castor oil – Azoy fil ritzinoyl zol er oystrinkn (A-zoy fil rit-zin-oyl zol er oy-strink-en).

He should get so sick as to cough up his mother’s milk – Oyskrinkn zol er dus mame’s milach (Oy-strink-en zol er dus ma-me’s mil-ach).

From overeating one suffers more than from not eating enough – Fun iberessn cholyet men mer vi fun nit deressn (Fun i-ber-es-sen chol-yet men mer vi fun nit der-es-sen).

May you choke on a fish dumpling – A feshkneydh zol zid dir shtelnin haldz (A fesh-kneyd-eh zol zid dir shtel-nin haldz).

Wishing stomach troubles

May you have a revolution in your stomach – S’zol dir dreyn in boyd (S’zol dir drey-en in boyd ).

May you have terrible stabbing pains in your bowels – S’zol dir shnaydn bay di kishkes (S’zol dir shnayd-en bay di keesh-kes).

May you run to the toilet every three minutes or every three months – Loyn zolstu in bet-chakis iede dray minut oder iede dray chadoshim (Loyn zols-tu in bet-chak-is ied-e dray min-ut o-der i-ed-e dray cha-do-shim).

May your guts freeze so hard that only hellfire will be able to thaw them – Zoln dayn kishkes farfrayrn vern oyf azoy fil, az nor der fyer fun gehnum zol zey kenen tseshmeltsn (Zoln dayn kish-kes far-frayr-en vern oyf a-zoy fil, az nor der fy-er fun geh-num zol zey ken-en tsesh-melt-sen).

Causing yourself illness

He talks himself into sickness – Er redt zich eyn a krenk (Er redt zich eyn a krenk).

If you invest in a fever, you will realize a disease – Az me laight arayn kadoches, nemt men aroyz a krenik (Az me laight a-rhine ka-doch-es, nemt men a-royz a kren-ik).

If you keep on talking, you will end up saying what you didn’t intend to say – Az me redt, derredt men zich (Az me redt, der-redt men zich).

Worms eat you up when dead and worries eat you up alive – Verem essn toiterhayt un deiges lebedikerhayt (Ve-rem es-sen toi-ter-hayt un dei-ges le-bed-i-ker-hayt).

If you tell a lie may you lie ill – Oyb du zogst lign zolstu krenk lign (Oyb du zogst li-gen zols-tu krenk li-gen).

Go drive yourself crazy – Gai fardrai zich deyn kop (Gay far-dray zich deyn kop).

Go bang your head against the wall! – Gai klop zich kop in vant (Gay klop zich kop in vant)!

Hoping someone chokes

May you choke on your next bite on your food – Dershtikt zolstu vern mit bisn (Der-shtikt zols-tu vern mit bis-en).

May you choke on your next juicy morsel – Dershtikt zolstu dir mit dem fatn bisn (Der-shtikt zols-tu dir mit dem fat-en bis-en).

May you enjoy your wedding breakfast and choke on your last bite – Zolst hobn hano’ie fun dayn chuneh-seudeh un zid dervargn mit letstn bisn (Zolst hob-en ha-no’ie fun dayn chun-eh seu-deh un zid der-varg-en mit letst-en bis-en).

Wishing general body-wide illnesses

May you own ten ships full of gold and may you spend it all on your illnesses – Tsen shifn mit gold zolstu farmogn in dos gantse gelt zolstu farkrenkn (Tsen shif-en mit gold zols-tu far-mog-en in do gant-se gelt zols-tu far-kenk-en).

May God give you a large cancer as well as a small cancer – and then you will have a nice outfit - Got zol dir gebn a rak mit a rekele—vestu hobn a gantsn kostium (Got zol dir geb-en a rak mit a rek-e-le—ves-tu gants-en kos-ti-um).

In Yiddish this is a pun. The Yiddish word rak is both a term for cancer and a term for jacket.

May sickness drain all you have and may you pawn your wife’s skirt – Oyskrenkn zolstu alts vos du farmogst un farzetsn der vaybs spodnitse (Oys-krenk-en zols-tu alts vos du far-mogst un far-zets-en der vayb-es spod-nit-se).

A fever should toss you (in bed) a foot high each time – Varfn zol did eylenvayz (Var-fen zol did ey-len-wayz).

God should visit upon him the best of the Ten Plagues – Got zol oyf im onshikn fin di tsen makes di beste (Got zol oyf im on-shik-en fun di tsen mak-es di bes-te).

Venereal disease should consume his body – Fransn zol esn zayn layb (Frans-en zol esn zayn layb).

A plague on you – A choleryeh oyf dir (A chol-er-yeh ayf deer).

A plague should befall you – A magaifeh zol dich trefen (A ma-gay-feh zol dich tref-en).

Better that you should live and suffer – Zolst beser lebn ... un mutshen zid (Zolst bes-er leb-en ... un mut-shen zid).

May suffering consume you – Oysgerisn zolstu vern (Oys-ger -isn zols-tu vern).

May you explode from pleasure – Platsn zolstu—fun naches (Plats-en zols-tu—fun nach-es).

May you fall and never rise up – Faln zolstu nit oyfshteyn (Fal-en zols-tu ni oyf-shteyn).

May you feel pricks, bites, aching bones and sores all over your body – S’zol did onchapn a shtechenish un a brechenish, a raysenish un a baysenish (S’zol did on-chap-en a shtech-en-ish un a brech-en-ish, a ryas-en-ish una bays-en-ish).

May an epidemic strike you – A mageyfe zol oyf dir kumen (A ma-geyf-e zol oyf dir kum-en).

May syphilis consume your flesh – Frantsn zoln esn dayn dayb (Frants-en zoln esn dayn dayb).

May you be consumed by syphilis and may your nose drop off – Frantsn zoln dir oyf esn un din noz zol dir aropfaln (Frants-en zoln dir oyf esn un din noz zol dir a-rop-fal-en).

10

Yiddish Mind Games

People loved to use Yiddish to play all kinds of mind games. In some cases, rather than wish someone a physical illness, they preferred to wish they go crazy, to get them out of their way—using phrases like “A meshugener zol men oyshrabn, un im arayn shrabn. ” – “They should free a madman, and lock him up.” (A me-shug-en-er zol men oy-shrab-en, un im a-rhine shrab-en.)

Other times, words of Yiddish wisdom expressed things a mother thought everyone should ponder. “A kluger vaist vos er zogt, a nar zogt vos er vaist.” – “A wise man knows what he says, a fool says what he knows.” (A klug-er vaist vos er zogt, a nar zogt vos er vaist.)

But even better ... for those who have been fool enough to piss off their rabbi (religious leader), “Az men krigt zich mitn rov, muz men sholem zeyn mitn shainker.” “If you’re at odds with your rabbi, make peace with your bartender.” (Az men krigt zich mit-en rov, muz men shol-en zyen mit-en shaink-er.)

Here are some variations on how to wish someone crazy, talk about fools, find fools talking about themselves or just some words of Yiddish wisdom for the mind:

Wishing someone crazy

May you go crazy and run around the streets – Meshugeh zolstu vern un orumloyfn iber dee gasn (Me-shug-eh zols-tu vern un o-rum-loyf-en i-ber dee gas-en).

Go drive yourself crazy – Fardray zich dayn aygenem kop (Far-dray zich dayn ay-gen-em).

Go mix yourself up, not me – Gai fardray zich dayn aigenem kop (Gay far-dray zich dayn ay-gen-em).

May I not lose anything more than your head – Mer vi dayn kop zol id nit onvern (Mer vi dayn kop zol id nit on-vern).

May illness strike your brain – A chvarobe dir in dee gehern (A chvar-ob-e dir in dee ge-her-en).

You’re nuts – Bist meshugeh (Bist me-shug-eh).

You’re nuts – Bist tsedrayt (Bist tse-drayt).

Are you crazy – Tsi bistu meshugeh (Tsi-bis-tu me-shug-eh)?

Talking about fools ... or fools talking

When the head is a fool, the whole body can go to hell – Az der kop iz a nar, ligt der gantser guf in der erd (Az der kop iz a nar, ligt der gants-er guf in der erd).

He who keeps quiet is half a fool; he who talks is a complete fool – Az me shvaygt iz men a halber nar; az me redt iz men a gantser nar (Az me shvagt iz men a halb-er nar; az me redt iz men a gants-er nar).

If you repeat often enough that you’re right, you will discover you are wrong – Az men chazert tsu fil iber vi grecht men iz, vert men umgerecht (Az men chaz-ert tsu fil i-ber vi grecht men iz, vert men um-ger-echt).

If you’re a child at twenty, you’re an ass at twenty-one – Az men iz biz tsvantsik yor a kind, iz men tsu ayn-un-tsvantsik a behaymeh (Az men iz biz tsvant-sik yor a kind, iz men tsu ayn un tsvant-sik a be-hay-meh).

Passing on one’s troubles

All the troubles [which weigh down my heart] should fall on your head – Ale tsores [vos id hob oyf mayn hartn] zoln oysgeyn tsu dayn kop (Ale tsor-es [vos id hob oyf mayn hart-en] zoln osy-gey-en tsu dayn kop).

May all the possible bad dreams stuff your head – Ale beyze chlumut tsu dayn kop (Ale beyz-e chlum-ut tsu dayn kop).

May trouble come upon your head – A brod tsu dayn kop (A brod tsu dayn kop).

May you be struck dumb forever – Antshvign zolstu vern oyf eybik (Ant-shvig-en zols-tu vern oyf ey-bik).

Passing on words of wisdom

One lie is a lie, two are lies, but three is politics – Ayner iz a ligen, tsvai iz ligens, dray iz politik. (Ay-ner iz a lig-en, tsvai iz lig-ens, dray iz pol-it-ik).

When a mother shouts at her child, “Bastard,” you can believe her – Az di muter shrayt oyfen kind, “Mamzer,” meg men ir gloiben (Az di mu-ter shrayt oyf-en kind, “mam-zer,” meg men ir gloib-en).

He who lives with the devil, becomes a devil - Az me lebt mit a tayvel, vert men a tayvel. (Az me lebt mit a tayv-el, vert men a tayv-el).

Give a pig a chair, he’ll want to get on the table – Az me lozt a chazzer aruf af’n bank, viler af’n tish (Az me lozt a chazz-er a-ruf af’n bank, vil-er af’n tish).

If you lie down with the dogs, you get up with the fleas – Az me shloft mit hint, shtayt men oyf mit flay (Az me shloft mit hint, shtayt men oyf mit flay).

Better a crooked foot than a crooked mind – Beser a krumer fus ayder a krumer kop (Bes-er a krum-er fus ay-der a krum-er kop).

Better to do nothing than to make something into nothing – Beser dos kind zol vaynen ayder der foter (Bes-er dos kind zol vayn-en ay-der der fot-er).

Run away from an insult but don’t chase after honor – Far umkoved antloyf, ober yog zich nit noch koved (Far um-kov-ed ant-loyf, o-ber yog zich nit noch ko-ved ).

With a good guest, you are happy when he arrives; with a bad one, when he leaves – Mit a gutn gast frayt men zich ven er kumt arayn; mit a shlechtn gast, ven er gayt avek (Mit gu-ten gas frayt men zich ven er kumt a-rhine; mit a shlecht-en gast, ven er gayt a-vek).

If you want to please everybody, you’ll die before your time – Vest vellen zich oysfaynen far layt, vestu shtarbn far der tsayt (Vest vell-en zich oys-fay-nen far layt, ves-tu shtarb-en far der tsayt).

As you make your bed, so will you sleep in it – Vi me bet zich oys, azoy darf men shlofn. (Vi me bet zich oys, a-zoy darf men shlof-en).

11

Money Madness in Yiddish

Yiddish was the primary language of money/business among Jews. Sometimes Yiddish money curses wished someone everything financially, but with a backhanded curse of unending illness. For example:

A hundred houses shall he have, in every house a hundred rooms and in every room twenty beds, and a delirious fever should drive him from bed to bed – Hindert hayzer zol er hobn, in yeder hoyz a hindert tsimern, in yeder tsimer tsvonsik betn un kaduches zol im varfn fin eyn bet in der tsveyter (Hind-ert hay-zer zol er hob-en, in yed-er hoyz a hind-ert tsim-ern in yed-er tsim-er tsvon-sik bet-en un ka-duch-es zol im varf-en fin eyn bet in der tsveyt-er).

or

Ten ships of gold should be his and the money should only make him sick – Tsen shifn mit gold zol er farmorgn, un dos gantse gelt zol er farkrenkn (Tsen shif-en mit gold zol er far-morg-en un does gant-se getl zol er far-krenk-en).

Another common wish was one for great business success, but no way to use it:

He should see everything, but have no reason [with what] to buy it – Er zol altsting zen, un nit hobn farvos [mit vos] tsu koyfn (Er zol als-ting zen, un nit hob-en farvos [mit vos] tsu koyf-en).

He should have a large store: whatever people ask for he shouldn’t have, and what he does have shouldn’t be requested—A groys gesheft zol er hobn mit shroyre: vus er hot, zol men bay im nit fregn, un vos men fregt zol er nisht hobn (A groys ge-sheft zol er hob-en mit shroy-re: vu ser hot, zol men bay im nit freg-en, un vos men fregt zol er nisht hob-en).

Money wisdoms centered around friends or enemies and money, and being rich or the problems of being rich. Often, sayings show the love/hate relationship Jews have with money. Here are some examples of money wisdom:

Friends or enemies—and your money

A friend you can get for nothing; an enemy has to be bought – A freint bekamt men umzist; a soineh muz men zich koifn (A freint bek-amt men um-zist; a soi-neh muz men zich koif-en).

A friend you have to buy; enemies you get for nothing – A freint darf men zich koifn; sonem kright men umzist (A freint darf men zich koif-en; son-em kright men um-zist).

The poor man’s enemies are few, the rich man’s friends are even fewer – Der oreman hot vainik eint, der reicher hot vainiker freint (Der ore-man hot vain-ik, der reich-er hot vain-ik-er freint).

Rich men and their money

If you have money, you are wise and good-looking and can sing well too – Az me hot gelt, iz men klug un shain un men ken gut zingn (Az me hot gelt, iz men klug un shain un men ken gut zing-en).

If one steals a lot of eggs, one can also become rich – Az men ganvet a sach ayer, ken men oich verren a nogid. (Az men gan-vet a sach ay-er, ken men oich ver-ren a nog-id).

If you have the money, you have the “say.” – Az men hot di matbayeh, hot men di dayeh (Az men hot di mat-bay-eh, hot men di day-eh).

Who is smart? He whose fortune follows him. - Der iz klug? Vos zeyn mazel gayt im noch (Der iz klug? Vos zeyn maz-el gayt im noch.)

Fortune makes you smart, because fortune makes you rich – Der mazel macht klug, veil der mazel macht reich (Der maz-el macht klug, veil der maz-el macht reich).

Money goes to money – Gelt gayt tsu gelt (Gelt gayt tsu gelt).

You cannot pay a debt with a noble pedigree – Mit zechus oves batsolt men nit kayn choyves (Mit zach-us oves bat-solt men nit kayn choy-ves).

When does a wealthy man go hungry? When the doctor orders him! – Ven hungert a nogid? Ven der doktor hayst im! (Ven hung-ert a nog-d? Ven der dokt-or hayst im!)

May you become so rich that your widow’s husband should never have any worries about his livelihood – Zolst vern azoy rayd almo’nes man zol zid keyn mol nit zorgen vegn perno’se (Zolst vern a-zoy rayd almo’nes man zol zid keyn mol nit zorg-en veg-en).

May you spend all your money on doctors – Farkrenk dos oyf dayn guf (Far-krenk dos oyf dayn guf).

Literally means: May you spend all your money on your body.

Money wisdoms

From fortune to misfortune is a short step; from misfortune to fortune is a long way – Fun glik tsum umglik iz a shpan; fun umglik tsum glik iz a shtik veg (Fun glik tsum um-glik iz a shpan; fun um-glik iz a shtik veg).

When you grease the palm, everything goes easy – Az me shmirt, fort men (Az me shmirt, fort men).

If you don’t save the penny, you’ll not have the dollar – Az me shport nit dem groshn, hot men nit dem rubel (Az me shport nit dem grosh-en, hot men nit dem rub-el).

From litigation you can never recover your loss – Az me tut zich lodn, kumt men sey vi nit tsum shodn (Az me tut zich lod-en, kumt men sey vi nit tsum shod-en).

When you sow money, you reap fools – Az me zayt gelt, vaksn naronim (Az me zayt gelt, vaks-en na-ron-im).

So it goes in this world: one has the purse the other has the money – Azoy gayt ayf der velt: ayner hot di beytel, der tsvayter hot di gelt (A-zoy gayt ayf der velt: ayn-er hot di beyt-el der tsvayt-er hot di gelt).

Life is the biggest bargain—we get it for nothing – Der lebn iz di gresteh metsi’eh—me wrigt es umzist (Der leb-en iz di grest-eh met-si’eh—me wrigt es um-zist).

The heaviest burden is an empty pocket – Der shversteh ol iz a laydikeh kesheneh (Der shverst-eh ol iz a layd-ik-eh kesh-en-eh).

For the smallest favor you become a debtor – Far der klenster toyveh vert men a ba’al-choyv (Far der klenst-er toyv-eh vert men a ba’al-choyv).

Lost years are worse than lost dollars – Farloreneh yoren iz erger vi farloreneh gelt (Far-lor-en-eh yor-en iz erg-er vi far-lor-en-eh gelt).

Love/hate relationship with money

Money buys everything except brains – Far gelt bakumt men alts, nor kain saychel nit (Far gelt bak-umt men alts, nor kain say-chel nit).

Rich men are often lean and poor men are fat – Faran dareh gvirim un feteh oremeleyt (Far-an dar-eh ge-vir-im un fet-eh o-rem-el-eyt).

Money causes conceit and conceit leads to sin – Gelt brengt tsu ga’aveh un ga’aveh tsu zind (Gelt brengt tsu ga’a-veh un ga’a-veh tsu zind).

Money lost, nothing lost; courage lost, everything lost – Gelt farloren, gor nit farloren; mut farloren, alts farloren (Gelt far-lor-en, gor nit far-lor-en; mut far-lor-en, alts far-lor -en).

God helps the poor man; he protects him from expensive sins – Got helft dem oreman: er farhit im fun tey’ereh avayres (Got helft dem o-re-man: er far-hit im fun tey’er-eh a-vayr-es).

Poverty is no disgrace, but also no great honor – Orem iz nit kayn shand, ober oych kayn groisser koved nit (O-Rem iz nit kayn shand, o-ber oych kayn grois-er kov-ed nit).

Hard to hold on to your money

My money went down the drain – In drerd meyn geytl (In drerd meyn geyt-el).

It’s easier to earn money than to keep it – Gelt tsu fardinen iz gringer vi tsu haltn (Gelt tsu far-din-en iz gring-er vi tsu halt-en).

Money is round; it rolls away from you – Gelt is keylechdik; amol iz es do, amol iz es dort (Gelt is key-lich-dik; a-mol iz es do, a-mol iz es dort).

Don’t boast of money because you can easily lose it – Mit gelt tor men nit stolzyern, veyl me ken es gleych farleyren (Mit gelt or men nit stolz-yer-en, veyl me ken es gleych far-leyr -en).

God should help you to see everything and not have the wherewithal to buy anything – Got zol dir hedfen dee zolstu altsdeng, zen un nit hobn far vos tsu koyfn (Got zol dir hed-fen dee zols-tu alts-deng, zen un nit hob-en far vos tsu koyf-en).

12

The Ultimate Yiddish Curse—Drop Dead!

Wishing someone would just drop dead is the ultimate Yiddish curse, and there are lots of ways of saying it. You can do it simply by saying “Bury yourself!”—Lig in drerd! (Lig in drerd! ) or “Ver derharget!” (Get killed!) (Ver der-har -get!)

You can also do it more creatively with phrases like:

May someone call a doctor for you urgently, and when he arrives, they should inform him that it is too late – Me zol rufn tsu dir srotshne a dokter un az iener vet kumen zol men im zogn az me darf shoyn nit (Mit zol ruf-en tsu dir srotsh-ne a dok-ter un az i-en-er vet).

or

May there be a great fair in Paradise and may you be very successful there – Zol shoyn zany a groyser irid in gen-eden, un zolst dortn matslich shem (Zol shoyn za-ny a groys-er i-rid in gen-e-den un zolst dort-en mats-lich shem).

or

God should bless you with three persons: one should hold you, the second should kill you and the third should bury you – Got zol dir bentshn mit dray mentshn: eyner zol dir haltn, der tsveyter zol dir shpaltn un der driter zol dir id bahaltn (Got zol dir bent-shen mit dray ment-shin: ey-ner zol dir halt-en, der tsveyt-er zol dir shpalt-en un der drit-er zold dir ba-halt-en).

You’ll find a great variety of options to tell someone to drop dead, go to hell, go to the devil, meet the Angel of Death, and you will find creative ways to suggest that someone be buried or look forward to mourning someone. Here are a bunch of Yiddish phrases for wishing someone an early death:

Telling someone to drop dead ...

Drop dead – Zolst lign in drerd (Zolst lig-en in drerd).

Do me a favor and drop dead – Folg mich a gang un gai in drerd (Folg mich a gong un gay in drerd).

Drop dead – Ver derharget (Ver der-har-get).

Also can mean: Bury yourself! Go kill yourself!

Drop dead – Geharget zolstu verren (Geh-har-get zolst-u ver-en).

Literally means: You should get killed.

Drop dead – Ich hob dich (Ich hob dich).

He should drop dead – Paygeren zol er (Pay-ger-en zol er).

Drop dead – Zol dir got arayngebn a naye neshumah un tsuhemen di alte (Zol dir got a-rhine-geb-en a naye ne-shum -ah un tsu-hem-en di al-the).

Literally means: May God give you a new soul and take your old one.

May you be a dead duck tonight – A kaporeh zolstu veren hayntike nacht (A ka-por-eh zols-tu ver-en hayn-ti-ke).

May you push up daisies soon – Groz zol oyf dir vaksn (Groz zol oyf dir vaks-en).

May you be spared the indignities and illnesses of old age – Zolst farshporn di bizoynut un di krenh fun der elter (Zolst far-shpor-en di bi-zoyn-ut un kren-eh fun der elt-er).

If you want to avoid old age, hang yourself in youth – Az me vil nit alt verren, zol men zich yungerhayt oyfhengn (Az me vil nit alt ver-en zol, men zich yun-ger-hayt oyf-heng-en).

Hang yourself with a sugar rope and you’ll have a sweet death – Heng dich oyf a tsikershtrikl vestu hobn a zisn toyt (Heng dich oyf a tsi-ker-shtrikl ves-tu hob-en a zis-en toyt).

May you suffer a cruel and unusual death – A miteh-meshuneh zolstu hobn (A mit-eh-me-shun-eh zols-tu hob-en).

Telling someone to go to hell ...

Go to hell – Gai in drerd arayn (Gay in drerd a-rhine).

Go to hell – Gai kabenyeh matyreh (Gay ka-ben-yeh ma-tyr -eh).

Go to hell – Ich hob dich in drerd (Ich hob dich in drerd).

Go to hell – In drerd mitten kop (In drerd mit-en kop).

Literally means: Be in the ground up to your head.

Go to hell – Gey tsu al dee gute-ior (Gey tsu al dee gut-e-ior).

Literally means: Go to all the demons.

Go to hell [and bake bagels there] – Lign drerd [un bak beygel] (Lig-en dred [un bak beyg-el]).

Literally means: Live underground and bake bagels there.

Go to hell together with your bones – Gey in drerd mit dee beyner (Gey in drerd mit dee beyn-er).

He should go to hell – Er zol einemen a miesseh meshuneh (Er zol ein-em-en a mies-eh me-shun-eh).

Literally means: He should meet a strange death.

He should go to hell – Er zol gayn in drerd (Er zol gayn in drerd).

He should go to hell – A gehenem oyf ihm (A ge-hen-em oyf ihm).

Telling someone to go to the devil ...

Go to the devil – A ruech in dein tatn’s tatenarein (A ru-ech in dein tat-en’s tat-en-a-rhine).

Go to the devil – A ruech in dein tatn’s tateh (A ru-ech in dein tat-en’s ta-teh).

May the Devil carry you on his shoulders – Trogn zol did der ruech oyf di pleytses (Trog-en zol did der ru-ech oyf di pleyts-es).

May the Devil [the cotton-wool maker] take you – Chapt did der ruech [dir vate-macher] (Chapt did der ru-ech [dir va-te-ma-cher]).

The cotton-wool maker is a popular Yiddish euphemism for the Devil.

Wishing someone meets the Angel of Death

May the Angel of Death fall in love with you – Der male-chamo’ves zol zid id dir farlibn (Der me-lech-a-mo’ves zol zid dir far-lib-en).

May the Angel of Death remove you from this world – Der malechamo’ves zol did tsunemen fun der velt (Der ma-lech-a-mo’ves zol did tsu-nem-en fun der velt).

May you romp with the Angel of Death – Mitn male-chamo’ves zolstu zid shpeln (Mit-en ma-lech-a-mo’ves zols-tu zid shpel-en).

He should marry the daughter of the Angel of Death – Khasene hobn zol er mit di malech hamoves tochter (Khas-en-eh hob-en zol er mit di ma-lech ha-mov-es toch-ter).

Finding creative burial methods

Go bury yourself – Leyg zin in drerd arayn (Leyg zin in drerd a-rhine).

Go to the black pit – Gey tsum shvare-ior (Gey tsum shvar-eh-i-or).

I will bury you in the ground as though you were a treasure – Id vel did bagrobn in der erd vi an oyster (Id vel did ba-grog-en in der erd vi an oyst-er).

May you be buried nine feet deep in the ground – Ver bagrobn nayn eyln in der erd (Ver ba-grog-en nayn eyl-en in der erd).

May you be carried out on a dead man’s stretcher – Trogn zol men did oyf der miteh (Trog-en zol men did oyf der mit-eh).

I should outlive him long enough to bury him – Vi tsu derleb ich im shoyn tsu bagrobn (Vi tsu der-leb ich im shoy-en tsu ba-grob-en).

May you not stand in a cemetery, only lie there – Oyf keyn guten-ort zolstu nit shteyn nor lign (Oyf keyn gut-en-ort zols-tu nit shtey-en nor lig-en).

Looking forward to mourning someone

I hope to see you dead – Id zol hobn a zchut bay got, er zol did tsunenen fun der erd (Id zol hob-en a zchut bay got, er zol did tsu-nem-en fun der erd).

Literally means: May God grant me the favor of removing you from this world.

I wish you a sweet death: a truck full of sugar should run over you – A zisn toyt zolstu hobn a trok mit tsuker zoldid iberforn (A zis-en toyt zols-tu hob-en a trok mit tsuk-er zol-did i-ber-forn).

Black sorrow is all that his mother should see of him – Finstere leyd zol nor di mama oyf im zen. (Fin-ster-eh leyd zol nor di ma-ma oyf im zen).

May I have the privilege of sewing your shroud – A soyve zol id dir machn (A soyv-eh zol id dir mach-en).

May I grieve after you – A brod zol in nod dir hobn (A brod zol in nod dir).

May I mourn your death – Id zol veyn oyf dayne iorn (Id zol veyn oyf dayne i-orn).

May prayers be offered up for your soul – Me zol did trogn un zingn (Me zol did trog-en un zing-en).

Literally means: May you be carried away amidst song.

May it end badly for you – Zol es dir aroys bokem (Zol es dir a-roys bok-em).

Why bother getting up alive – Farshporn zol er oyf tsu shteyn (Farsh-porn zol er oyf tsu shteyn)?

A young child should be named after him – A kleyn kind zol noch im heysn (A kleyn kind zol noch im heys-en).

English to Yiddish Glossary

English
Yiddish
How You Say It

A black year!
A shvartz yor!
A Shvartz yor!

A boil is fine as long as it’s under someone else’s arm.
A geshvir iz a gutch zach bei yenem unhern orem.
A gesh-vir iz a gutch zach bei yen-em un hern o-rem.

A cramp in his body [in his stomach; in his guts; in his bowels; in his fingers and toes)].
A kramp im in layb [in boyach; in di kishkes; in di gederem; in di finger].
A kramp in layb [in boy-ach, in di keesh- kes, in di ged-er-em, in di fing-er].

A cramp in your stomach.
A kramp dir in boyd.
A kramp dir in boyd.

A fever should toss you (in bed) a foot high each time.
Varfn zol did eylenvayz.
Var-fen zol did ey len-wayz.

A fire should strike you while you are speaking now.
A fyer zol did trefn vee du redst.
A fy-er did tref-en vee du redst.

A friend you can get for nothing; an enemy has to be bought.
A freint bekamt men umzist; a soineh muz men zich koifn.
A freint bek-amt men um-zist; a soi-neh muz men zich koif-en.

A friend you have to buy; enemies you get for nothing.
A freint darf men zich koifn; sonem kright men umzist.
A freint darf men zich koif-en; son-em kright men um-zist.

A horrible end should befall you
A finsteren sof.
A fin-ster-en sof.

Also can mean: May there be a dark ending for you.

A hundred houses shall he have; in every house a hundred rooms and in every room twenty beds, and a delirious fever should drive him from bed to bed.
Hindert hayzer zol er hobn; in yeder hoyz a hindert tsimern, in yeder tsimer tsvonsik betn un kadukhes zol im varfn fin eyn bet in der tsveyter.
Hind-ert hay-zer zol er hob-en; in yed-er hoyz a hind-ert tsim-ern in yed-er tsim-er tsvon-sik bet-en un ka-duch-es zol im varf-en fin eyn bet in der tsveyt-er.

A plague on you.
A choleryeh oyf dir.
A cho-ley-er-yeh oyf dir.

A plague on you.
A finsteren yor.
A fin-ster-en yor.

Literally means: A dark year (for you).

A plague should befall you.
A magaifeh zol dich trefen.
A ma-gay-feh zol dich tref-en.

A rope around your neck.
A shtrek dir oyfn haldz.
A shtrek dir oyf-en haldz.

A stabbing pain in your stomach.
A shnaydenish dir in boyd.
A shnay-de-nish dir in boyd.

A wise man knows what he says, a fool says what he knows.
A kluger vaist vos er zogt, a nar zogt vos er vaist.
A klug-er vaist vos er zogt, a nar zogt vos er vaist.

A young child should be named after him.
A kleyn kind zol noch im heysn.
A kleyn kind zol noch im heys-en.

All his teeth should fall out except one to make him suffer.
Ale tseyn zoln bay im aroysfalen, not eyner zol im blayben oyf tsonveytung.
Ale tseyn zoln bay im a-roys-fal-en not eyn-er zol in blayb-en oyf tson-veyt-ung.

All problems I have in my heart should go to his head.
Ale tsores vos ich hob oyf mayn hartsn zoln oysgeyn tsu zayn kop.
Ale tsor-es vos ich hob oyf may-en harts-en, zoln oysg-eyn tsu zhine kop.

All the troubles (that weigh down my heart) should fall on your head.
Ale tsores (vos id hob oyf mayn hartn) zoln oysgeyn tsu dayn kop.
Ale tsor-es (vos id hob oyf mayn hart-en) zoln osy-gey-en tsu dayn kop.

An ugly ending to you.
Miesseh meshuneh.
Meese-eh ma-shee-neh.

Also means: To wish lots of trouble on someone. Literally means: A strange death or a tragic end.

Annoying person
Nudnik
Nood-nik

Also can be used to refer to someone who is a bore, is being obnoxious, nagging you, or generally being a nuisance.

Are you crazy?
Tsi bistu meshugeh?
Tsi-bis-tu me-shug-eh?

As many years as he’s walked on his feet, let him walk on his hands, and for the rest of the time he should crawl along on his ass.
Vifil yor er iz gegangn oyf di fis zol er geyn af di hent un di iberike zol er zich sharn oyf di hintn.
Vi-fil yor er iz ge- gang-en oyf di fis zol er geyn af hi hent un di i-ber-ike zol er zich sharn oyf di hint-en.

As you make your bed, so will you sleep in it.
Vi me bet zich oys, azoy darf men shlofn.
Vi me bet zich oys, a zoy darf men shlof-en.

Ass kisser
Toches-lecker
Too-ches leck-er

Also can refer to a brown-noser or someone who will do anything to gain favor. Literally means: buttock-licker.

Bagel
Beygl
Bay-gul

Probably one of the most popular Jewish foods that has found its way into many American hearts. It’s a hard, ring-shaped bread roll that finds its roots in the Middle High German word bougel.

Bastard
Mamzer
Mamz-er

Also someone who is a nasty, unworthy person.

Better a crooked foot than a crooked mind.
Beser a krumer fus ayder a krumer kop.
Bes-er a krum-er fus ay-der a krum-er kop.

Better that you should live and suffer.
Zolst beser lebn—un mutshen zid.
Zolst bes-er leb-en—un mut-shen zid.

Better to do nothing than to make something into nothing.
Beser dos kind zol vaynen ayder der foter.
Bes-er dos kind zol vayn-en ay-der der fot-er

Bialy
Bialy
Bee-ya-lee

Roll, shaped like a disc, which is thicker around the outer edges and flattened in the middle. The middle of a bialy is traditionally filled with onion pieces and sometimes cheese. It gets its name from the Polish city Bialystok, which is credited with its creation.

Big deal, so what.
Groisser gehilleh.
Groys-eh geh-hill-eh.

Big idiot
Groisser putz
Groys-er putz

Also: big prick, big penis, big fool or big shot.

Big good-for-nothing.
Groisser gornisht.
Groys-er gor-nisht.

Bimbo
Tzatzkeh
Tzatz-keh

Also can refer to someone who is a mistress, sexually attractive girl, or an overdressed woman. Another meaning can be a toy, ornament or expensive plaything.

Black sorrow is all that Finstere leyd zol nor di Fin-ster-eh leyd zol nor his mother should see mama oyf im zen. di ma-ma oyf im zen. of him.

Blintz
Blintse
Blint-seh

Looks like a thick crepe or thin pancake that’s folded around some type of filling. Cheese, potatoes and fruit, individually or combined,

are the most common fillings used. Its origin is in the Russian word blinets or “little pancake.”

Braggart
Shvitzer
Shvitz-er

Literally means: Someone who sweats.

Burst
Plotz
Plots

When you feel like you are ready to explode from too much excitement or anger, you can say, “I want to plotz.”

Butter-fingered
Shlemiel
Shleh-meal

Also an inept or bungler. foolish person, a simpleton, nincompoop or a

Choke on it.
Ver dershtikt.
Vair der-shtikt.

Clumsy person
Shmuck
Shmuck

Shmuck means a clumsy or stupid person. This comes from the Yiddish word shmock, which means penis or fool, but some think its beginnings are actually in the Polish word smok, which means serpent or tail.

Clumsy person
Klutz
Klutz

Also a stupid person or a dolt

Comedy act
Shtik
Shtik

Piece or routine. An entertainment routine, usually a comedy act. Its origins are from High Middle German word, stucke or piece.

Complainer
Kvetcher
Kvetch-er

Also can refer to someone who is a whiner. Nothing is ever good enough for them. Rodney Dangerfield was known as the king of the kvetchers. Kvetch in Yiddish means to squeeze.

Confused person
Farblondjet
Far-blond-jet

When you think someone is totally confused, you can say they are farblondjet. Also used when you think someone is lost.

Crazy bastard
Meshugener mamzer
Meh-shu-gen-er mamzer

Its roots are from the Hebrew word meshugga (meh-shu-ga) for crazy and mamzer for bastard.

Dirt
Shmutz
Shmutz

Lots of dirt or slime.

Do me a favor and drop dead.
Folg mich a gang un gai in drerd.
Folg mich a gong un gay in drerd.

Don’t aggravate me.
Tsap mir nit dos blut.
Tsap meer nit dos blut.

Literally means: Don’t bleed me.

Don’t be a fool.
Zeit nit kain goylem.
Zye nit kane go-lem.

Also can mean: Don’t be a robot.

Don’t be a fool.
Zeit nit kain nar.
Zye nit kane nar.

Don’t be an idiot.
Zei nit kain vyzoso.
Zye nit kane vi-zo-so.

Also can mean: Don’t be a damn fool, or Don’t be a penis.

Don’t boast of money because you can easily lose it.
Mit gelt tor men nit stolzyern, veyl me ken es gleych farleyren.
Mit gelt or men nit stolz-yer-en, veyl me ken es gleych far-leyr-en.

Don’t bother me.
Hak mir nit kain cheinik.
Hak meer nit kayn chynik.

Literally means: Don’t bang on the teakettle.

Don’t bother me.
Drai mir nit kain kop.
Dray meer nit kayn kop.

Literally means: Don’t twist my head.

Don’t bother me.
Chepeh zich nit tsu mir.
Chep-eh zich nit tsu meer.

Literally means: Don’t attach yourself to me!

Don’t bother me.
Chepeh zich op fun mir.
Chep-eh zich op fun meer.

Don’t butt in. Keep your nose out of it.
Mish zich nisht arayn.
Mish zich nisht a-rhine.

Don’t fuck with me.
Bareh nit.
Bar-eh nit.

Also means: Don’t fornicate around, but more mildly can mean, Don’t fool around, don’t annoy or don’t bother someone.

Don’t threaten me
Strasheh mich nit.
Stra-sheh mich nit.

Dreamer
Luftmensh
Luft-mensh

Also can refer to someone who is an unrealistic optimist; builds castles in the air and has no trade or income. You definitely don’t want to loan money to a person like this for their next big scheme to make money. Literally means: Air man.

Drive yourself crazy.
Gai fardray zich dein aigenem kop.
Gay far-dray zich dine eye-gen-em kop

Drop dead.
Zolst lign in drerd.
Zolst lig-en in drerd.

Drop dead.
Geharget zolstu verren.
Geh-har-get zolst-u ver -en.

Literally means: You should get killed.

Drop dead.
Zol dir got arayngebn a naye neshumah un tsuhemen di alte.
Zol dir got a-rhine-geben a naye ne-shum-ah un tsu-hem-en di al- the.

Literally means: May God give you a new soul and take your old one.

Drop dead.
Ich hob dich.
Ich hob dich.

Drop dead.
Ver derharget.
Ver der-har-get.

Also can mean: Bury yourself. Go kill yourself.

Drunkard
Shikker
Shik-er

Someone who is a drunkard, is a shikker. Its origins are in the Hebrew word sikkor or sakar, “to be drunk.”

Dull-witted
Poyer
Poy-er

Also can refer to a peasant, farmer, boor or dullard.

Dumbbell or dunce
Dumkop
Dum-kop

Literally means: Dumb head.

Expert
Maven
May-vin

When you think someone is an expert, you can call him a maven. Also used to indicate someone is an authority on a subject or a connoisseur.

Finished fucking?
Shoyn opgetrent?
Shoin op-geh-trent?

Also translates to: Are you finished screwing around? Or, Have you finished the dirty work? Literally means: Have you finished fornicating?

Fooey
Feh
Fay

Multipurpose word that can mean “Fooey!”; “That’s terrible!”; “I hate that!”; “That stinks!”; or “How disgusting!”

Fool or idiot
Putz
Putz

For the smallest favor you become a debtor.
Far der klenster toyveh vert men a ba’al-choyv.
Far der klenst-er toyv- eh vert men a ba’al- choyv.

Fortune makes you smart, because fortune makes you rich.
Der mazel macht klug, veil der mazel macht reich.
Der maz-el macht klug, veil der maz-el macht reich.

From fortune to misfortune is a short step; from misfortune to fortune is a long way.
Fun glik tsum umglik iz a shpan; fun umglik tsum glik iz a shtik veg.
Fun glik tsum um-glik iz a shpan; fun um- glik iz a shtik veg.

From litigation you can never recover your loss.
Az me tut zich lodn, kumt men sey vi nit tsum shodn.
Az me tut zich lod-en, kumt men sey vi nit tsum shod-en.

From overeating one suffers more than from not eating enough.
Fun iberessn cholyet men mer vi fun nit deressn.
Fun i-ber-es-sen chol- yet men mer vi fun nit der-es-sen.

Full of shit
Farcockt
Far-cocked

Shitty or badly soiled. When you think someone is full of shit, you can say, “You’re farcockt.”

Gefilte fish
Gefilte
Ge-fil-te

Stuffed fish. It’s made by using a whole fish, then chopping the fish meat into very small pieces. Most often, carp, pike or salmon is used and sometimes a mixture of more than one of these types of fish.

Other common ingredients include onions, celery, carrots, sugar, white pepper, salt, eggs and matzo meal. The mixture is then stuffed back into the fish’s skin or body cavity (bones and all) and boiled or baked. Today most people just buy balls of gefilte fish mixture in jars or cans, and you will find it on the dinner table at all Jewish holiday celebrations.

Get lost.
Ver farblondjet.
Vair far-blond-jet.

Give a pig a chair, he’ll want to get on the table.
Az me lozt a chazzer aruf af’n bank, viler af’n tish.
Az me lozt a chazz-er a-ruf af’n bank vil-er af’n tish.

Gloat
Kvell
K-vell

Used when you are gloating over your children to show pride in their accomplishments. Someone might also kvell when they are enjoying an enemy’s bad luck.

Go bang your head against the wall.
Gai klop zich kop in vant.
Gay klop zich kop in vant.

Go bother the bedbugs.
Gai bareh di vantsen.
Gay bar-eh di vant-sen.

Go break a leg.
Gai tsebrech a fus.
Gay tse-brech a foos.

Go break you own head.
Shlog zich kog in vant.
Shlog zich kog in vant.

Go bury yourself.
Leyg zin in drerd arayn.
Leyg zin in drerd a- rhine.

Go drive yourself crazy.
Fardray zich dayn aygenem kop.
Far-dray zich dayn ay- gen-em kop.

Go drive yourself crazy.
Gai fardrai zich deyn kop.
Gay far-dray zich deyn kop.

Go drown.
Ich hob dich in bod.
Ich hob dich in bod.

Literally: I have you in the bath.

Go fuck yourself.
Gai tren zich.
Gay tren zich.

Go jump in a lake.
Nem zich a vaneh.
Nem zich a van-eh.

Literally means: Go take a bath.

Go mix yourself up, not me.
Gai fardray zich dayn aigenem kop.
Gay far-dray zich dayn ay-gen-em kop.

Go screw up your head.
Fardrai zich dem kop.
Far-dray zich dem kop.

Go shit on the ocean.
Gai cocken ahfen yam.
Gay cock-en ah-fin yam.

Also can be used to mean: Don’t bother me, or Get lost.

Go take a shit.
Cock zich oys.
Cock zich oys.

Also means: Go take a shit for yourself.

Go to hell and bake bagels there.
Lign drerd un bak beygel.
Lig-en drerd un bak beyg-el.

Literally means: Live underground and bake bagels there.

Go to hell together with your bones.
Gey in drerd mit dee beyner.
Gey in drerd mit dee beyn-er.

Go to hell.
Gai kab enyeh mattereh.
Gay kab en-yeh ma-ter- eh.

Go to hell.
Gai in drerd arayn.
Gay in draird a-rhine.

Literally means: Go down into the earthly grave.

Go to hell!
Ich hob dich in drerd!
Ich hob dich in draird.

Go to hell.
Gai kabenyeh matyreh.
Gay ka-ben-yeh ma- tyr-eh.

Go to hell.
In drerd mitten kop.
In drerd mit-en kop.

Literally means: Be in the ground up to your head.

Go to hell.
Gey tsu al dee gute-ior.
Gey tsu al dee gut-e-ior.

Literally means: Go to all the demons.

Go to the black pit.
Gey tsum shvare-ior.
Gey tsum shvar-eh-i-or.

Go to the devil.
A ruech in dein tatn’s tatenarein.
A ru-ech in dein tat- en’s tat-en-a-rhine.

Go to the devil.
A ruech in dein tatn’s tateh.
A ru-ech in dein tat- en’s ta-teh.

God helps the poor man; he protects him from expensive sins.
Got helft dem oreman: er farhit im fun tey’ereh avayres.
Got helft dem o-re- man: er far-hit im fun tey’er-eh a-vayr-es.

God should bestow him with everything his heart desires, but he should be a quadriplegic and not be able to use his tongue.
Got zol gebn, er zol hobn altsding vos zayn harts glist, nor er zol zayn geleymt oyf ale ayvers un nit kenen rirn mit der tsun.
Got zol geb-en er zol hob-en alts-ding vos zhine harts glist, nor er zol zayn ge-leymt oyf ale ay-vers un nit ken- en rirn mit der tsun.

God should bless you with three persons: one should hold you, the second should kill you and the third should bury you.
Got zol dir bentshn mit dray mentshn: eyner zol did haltn, der tsveyter zol did shpaltn un der driter zold id bahaltn.
Got zol dir bent-shen mit dray ment-shin: ey- ner zol did halt-en, der tsveyt-er zol di shpalt- en un der drit-er zold id ba-halt-en.

God should help you to see everything and not have the wherewithal to buy anything.
Got zol dir helfen dee zolstu altsdeng, zen un nit hobn far vos tsu koyfn.
Got zol dir hel-fen dee zols-tu alts-deng, zen un nit hob-en far vos tsu koyf-en.

God should visit upon him the best of the Ten Plagues.
Got zol oyf im onshikn fin di tsen makes di beste.
Got zol oyf in onsh-ikn fin di tsen mak-es di bes-te.

Good deed
Mitzvah
Mits-veh

A good deed. When you do something to help someone else, it’s called a mitzvah.

Good health.
Gezunt-heit.
Ge-zunt-heit.

Commonly used when someone sneezes, sometimes in conjunction with “God bless you.” You can also use it as part of a toast.

Good luck.
Mazel tov.
Ma-zel tov.

Mazel means luck and Tov means good. Also used to say Congratulations!

Gossip
Yenta
Yen-teh

Also can refer to someone who is a busybody, talkative woman or blabbermouth.

Greasy
Shmaltz
Shmaltz

Melted fat. Usually used to refer to something that is greasy, gooey or has lots of fat drippings. But, you’ll also hear it when someone is talking about something corny or overly sentimental. In that case a “y” is added at the end. For example, “Wasn’t that a shmaltzy play?” Some people also use shmaltzy to describe something as flattery, sweet talk or overpraise. For example, “Wasn’t that a shmaltzy introduction?” Its origins are in the German word schmaltz of the same meaning.

Halvah
Halvah
Hal-vah

Sweetmeat. Claimed not only by the Jews, but many Middle Eastern cultures. It originated in the Balkans and eastern Mediterranean regions. It’s made with sesame seeds and honey or sugar syrup. Other ingredients can be added, such as dried fruit, pistachio nuts and almonds. Some people add cinnamon and cardamom. The ingredients are blended together, heated and poured into bars or loaves. In addition to the Yiddish word halvah, Turkish call it helva, Greeks call it halva, Arabs call it halwa or halawi. In each case it translates to “sweetmeat.”

Hang yourself with a sugar rope and you’ll have a sweet death.
Heng dich oyf a tsikershtrikl vestu hobn a zisn toyt.
Heng dich oyf a tsi-ker- shtrikl ves-tu hob-en a zis-en toyt.

He should be transformed into a chandelier, to hang by day and to burn by night.
Migulgl zol er vern in a henglayhter, bay tog zol er hengn, un bay nacht zol er brenen.
Mi-gul-gel zol er vern in a heng-layht-er, bay tog zol er heng-en, un bay nacht zol er bren-en.

He should break a leg.
Zol er tzebrechne a fus.
Zol er tze-brech-en a foos.

He should burn up.
A fyer zol im trefn.
A fy-er zol im tref-en.

He should crap blood and pus.
Er zol kakn mit blit un mit ayter.
Er zol kak-en mit blit un mit ayt-er.

He should drink too much castor oil.
Azoy fil ritzinoyl zol er oystrinkn.
A-zoy fil rit-zin-oyl zol er oy-strink-en.

He should drop dead.
Paygeren zol er.
Pay-ger-en zol er.

He should get so sick as to cough up his mother’s milk.
Oyskrinkn zol er dus mame’s milach.
Oy-strink-en zol er dus ma-me’s mil-ach.

He should give it all away to doctors.
Oyf doktoyrim zol er dos avekgebn.
Oyf dok-toy-rim zol er dos a-vek-geb-en.

He should go to hell.
A gehenem oyf im.
A geh-hen-em oyf im.

He should go to hell.
Er zol gayn in drerd.
Er zol gayn in drerd.

He should grow a wooden tongue.
A hiltsener tsung zol er bakumn.
A hil-tsen-er zol er ba- kumn.

He should grow like an onion with his head in the ground.
Er zol vakesen vi a tsibeleh, mit dem kop in drerd.
Er zol vakes en vi a tsib-el-eh, mit dem kop in drerd.

He should have a large store, and whatever people ask for he shouldn’t have, and what he does have shouldn’t be requested.
A groys gesheft zol er hobn mit shroyre: vus er hot, zol men bay im nit fregn, un vos men fregt zol er nisht hobn.
A groys ge-sheft zol er hob-en mit shroy-re: vus er hot, zol men bay im nit freg-en, un vos men fregt zol er nisht hob-en.

He should have lots of trouble.
Er zol zain ayf tsores.
Er zol zain ayf tsor-es.

He should have lots of trouble.
Er zol ainemen a miesseh meshuneh.
Er zol ai-ne-men a mies-eh mesh-un-eh.

He should have lots of trouble.
Aleh tsores oyf zein kop.
Al-eh tsor-es oyf zine kop.

He should marry the daughter of the Angel of Death.
Khasene hobn zol er mit di malech hamoves tochter.
Khas-en-eh hob-en zol er mit di ma-lech ha- mov-es tocht-er.

He should see everything, but have no reason (with which) to buy it.
Er zol altsting zen, un nit hobn farvos (mit vos) tsu koyfn.
Er zol als-ting zen, un nit hob-en far-vos (mit vos) tsu koyf-en.

He talks himself into sickness.
Er redt zich eyn a krenk.
Er redt zich eyn a krenk.

He who keeps quiet is half a fool; he who talks is a complete fool.
Az me shvaygt iz men a halber nar; az me redt iz men a gantser nar.
Az me shvagt iz men a halb-er nar; az me redt iz men a gants-er nar.

He who lives with the devil, becomes a devil.
Az me lebt mit a tayvel, vert men a tayvel.
Az me lebt mit a tayv- el, vert men a tayv-el.

He who throws stones on another gets them back on his own bones.
Ver es varft oil yenem shteyner krigt tsurik in di aigneh bainer.
Ver es varft oil yen-em shteyn-er krigt tsur-ik in di aig-neh bain-er.

Hello
Shalom
Sha-lom

Hebrew word with lots of different meanings including, hello, peace, good-bye, so long and other similar words of welcome when some one comes in, or good-bye when someone leaves. But it’s only good bye until you can welcome someone again.

His luck should be as bright as a new moon.
Zayn mazel zol im layhtn vee dee levone in sof choydesh.
Zayn maz-el zol im layht-en vee dee lev- one in sof choy-desh.

Hole in the head
Loch in kop
Loch in kop

Holy shit.
Oy gevalt.
Oy ge-valt.

Use it when you hear shocking news. It’s usually used to express alarm, dismay, fear, terror or astonishment. When used with “oy,” it can mean “That’s dreadful!” or “Holy Shit!” The Yiddish origin is the word G’vald, which means force or violence.

Honor
Koved
Ko-vid

When you hold high respect for someone or something, you are said to koved it. Koved means respect, honor, revere or hold in high esteem.

I despise you.
Ich fief oyf dir!
Ich fife oyf deer.

Literally means: I
whistle on you.

I don’t give a damn.
Es hart mich vi di vant.
Es hart mich vee dee vant.

Literally means: It bothers me like a wall.

I hope I can come to you on joyous occasions and that you will come to me on crutches.
Id tsu dir oyf simchut, du tsu mir oyf kuliem.
Id tsu dir oyf sim-chut, du tsu mir oy ku-li-em.

I hope to see you dead.
Id zol hobn a zchut bay got, er zol dir tsunenen fun der erd.
Id zol hob-en a zchut bay got, er zol dir tsu- nem-en fun der erd.

Literally means: May God grant me the favor of removing you from this world.

I hope to see you on one leg and may you see me with one eye.
Id zol dir zen oyf eyn fus un du mir mit eyn oyg.
Id zol dir zen ofy eyn fus un du mir mit eyn oyg.

I need it like a hole in the head.
Ich darf es vi a loch in kop.
Ich darf es vee a loch in kop.

I need it like a wart on my nose.
Ich darf es vi a lung un leber oif der noz.
Ich darf es vee a lung un leb-er oif der noz.

I shit on him.
Ich cock ahf im.
Ich cock ahf im.

I should outlive him long enough to bury him.
Vi tsu derleb ich im shoyn tsu bagrobn.
Vi tsu der-leb ich im shoy-en tsu ba-grob-en.

I will bury you in the ground as though you were a treasure.
Id vel did bagrobn in der erd vi an oytser.
Id vel did ba-grog-en in der erd vi an oyts-er.

I wish you a sweet death: a truck full of sugar should run over you.
A zisn toyt zolstu hobn a trok mit tsuker zoldid iberforn.
A zis-en toyt zols-tu hob-en a trok mit tsuk- er zol-did i-ber-forn.

I’ve got him by the ass.
Ich hob im in toches.
Ich hob im in too-ches.

Also can mean: I have him in my ass.

Idiot
Shmegegi
Shmeh-geh-gee

Also a nothing or a nobody

If anyone writes you, they should write you doctors’ prescriptions.
Shraybn zol men dir retseptn.
Shrayb-en zol men dir re-tsept-en.

If one steals a lot of eggs, one can also become rich.
Az men ganvet a sach ayer, ken men oich verren a nogid.
Az men gan-vet a sach ay-er, ken men oich ver-ren a nog-id.

If you don’t save the penny, you’ll not have the dollar.
Az me shport nit dem groshn, hot men nit dem rubel.
Az me shport nit dem grosh-en, hot men nit dem rub-el.

If you have money, you are wise and good- looking and can sing well too.
Az me hot gelt, iz men klug un shain un men ken gut zingn.
Az me hot gelt, iz men klug un shain un men ken gut zing-en.

If you have the money, you have the say.
Az men hot di matbayeh, hot men di dayeh.
Az men hot di mat-bay- eh, hot men di day-eh.

If you invest in a fever, you will realize a disease.
Az me laight arayn kadoches, nemt men aroyz a krenik.
Az me laight a-rhine ka-doch-es, nemt men a-royz a kren-ik.

If you keep on talking, you will end up saying what you didn’t intend to say.
Az me redt, derredt men zich.
Az me redt, der-redt men zich.

If you lie down with the dogs, you get up with the fleas.
Az me shloft mit hint, shtayt men oyf mit flay.
Az me shloft mit hint shtayt men oyf mit flay.

If you repeat often enough that you’re right, you will discover you are wrong.
Az men chazert tsu fil iber vi grecht men iz, vert men umgerecht.
Az men chaz-ert tsu fil i-ber vi grecht men iz, vert men um-ger-echt.

If you tell a lie, may you lie ill.
Oyb du zogst lign, zolstu krenk lign.
Oyb du zogst lig-en, zols-tu krenk lig-en.

If you want to avoid old age, hang yourself in youth.
Az me vil nit alt verren, zol men zich yungerhayt oyfhengen
Az me vil nit alt ver-en zol, men zich yun-ger- hayt oyf-heng-en.

If you want to please everybody, you’ll die before your time.
Vest vellen zich oysfaynen far layt, vestu shtarbn far der tsayt.
Vest vell-en zich oys- fay-nen far layt, ves-tu shtrab-en far der tsayt.

If you’re a child at twenty, you’re an ass at twenty-one.
Az men iz biz tsvantsik yor a kind, iz men tsu ayn-un-tsvantsik a behaymeh.
Az men iz biz tsvant-sik yor a kind, iz men tsu ayn un tsvant-sik a be- hay-meh.

If you’re at odds with your rabbi, make peace with your bartender.
Az men krigt zich mitn rov, muz men sholem zeyn mitn shainker.
Az men krigt zich mit- en rov, muz men shol- en zyen mit-en shaink-er.

Impolite person
Bulvan
Bul-van

Also means: A rude or ill-mannered person.

Incompentent person
Loy yitslach
Loy yits-lach

Also can refer to someone who has perpetual bad luck.

Incompetent person
Shlemazel
Shleh-mah-zel

Also can refer to someone who has perpetual bad luck or misfortune.

Inexperienced person
Pisher
Pish-er

Also can be used to indicate someone is inexperienced, unseasoned or “wet behind the ears.” Or for someone who thinks he’s adult enough to handle a task, but really isn’t. Another more literal meaning is bed-wetter.

Informer
Mosser
Moo-ser

Insane or crazy
Mishegass
Mih-sheh-gas

When everything is just crazy or gone insane, you can call it a big “mishegass.” This is a variation of the Hebrew word meshugga (meh- shu-ga), which means crazy.

It would have been better if a stone had come out of your mother’s womb, rather than you.
Beser volt oyf dyn ort a shteyn arayn.
Be-ser volt oyf dyn ort a shtey-en a-rhine.

It’s easier to earn money than to keep it.
Gelt tsu fardinen iz gringer vi tsu haltn.
Gelt tsu far-din-en iz gring-er vi tsu halt-en.

It’s useless. It’ll help like bloodletting on a dead body.
Es vet helfn vi a toitn bahnekes.
Es vet helf-en vee a toyt-en bahn-kis.

Joy
Naches
Nach-es

Means joy or happiness. Used most often by parents who say their children give them great naches.

Kaiser roll
Kaiser
Kai-ser

Breakfast roll that is light and fluffy on the inside with a thin outer crust. It’s made by using a square piece of dough and folding the corners of the dough into the center. Sometimes it’s made with poppy seeds and sometimes without the seeds. The name for this roll actually comes from Germany, called Kaisersemmel for the German emperor, plus semmel, which means roll.

Kibbitz or Kibbitzer
Kibbitz or Kibbitzer
Kib-itz or Kib-itz-er

When someone talks too much or gets involved in a subject when they shouldn’t, they’re called a kibbitzer. Kibbitz usually means unsolicited or unwanted advice. A person that offers that advice is a kibbitzer, also known as a meddlesome spectator.

Kiss my ass.
Kush mich in toches.
Kush mich in too-ches.

Kiss my ass.
Kush in toches arayn.
Kush in too-ches a- rhine.

Knish
Knish
K-nish

Piece of dough stuffed with potato, meat or cheese and baked or fried, commonly eaten as a snack or an appetizer. Its origins are in the Ukrainian word Knysh.

Kosher
Kosher
Ko-sher

Conforming to dietary laws, when talking about food. Its origin is Hebrew and means fitting or proper. Today as slang it’s used for nonfood items and means that the material is legitimate, permissible, genuine or authentic. For example, it’s commonly used in phrases such as: “Using bikes on the path is kosher,” or “The story about New York is kosher.”

Kugel
Kugel
Ku-gel

Casserole-like dish made with noodles or potatoes then baked with eggs and seasoning. A sweet kugel can be made with noodles, raisins and apples. In Yiddish, kugel actually means ball, which related to its puffed-up or mound shape. The word originates in Middle High German.

Lazy man
Foiler
Foy-ler

Leave me alone.
Loz mich tzu ru.
Loz mich tzu ru.

Literally means: Let me be in peace.

Leave me alone.
Chepeh zich op fun mir.
Chep-eh zich op fun meer.

Also means: Get away from me.

Lecherous old man
Alter kucker
Al-ter kuck-er

Also means: Old fogy. Literally means: An old defecator.

Leeches should drink him dry.
Trinkn zoln im piavkes.
Trink-en zoln im piavkes.

Let what I wish on him come true [most, even half, even just 10 percent].
Zol es im onkumn vos ich vintsh im [chotsh a helft, chotsh halb, chotsh a tsent cheyli].
Zol es im on-kumn vos ich vintsh im [chotsh a helft, chotsh halb, chotsh a tsent chey-li].

Liar
Ligner
Lig-ner

Life is the biggest bargain—we get it for nothing.
Der lebn iz di gresteh metsi’eh—me wrigt es umzist.
Der leb-en iz di grest-eh met-si’eh—me wrigt es um-zist.

Long-winded story
Megillah
Me-gil-lah

When someone blows something way out of proportion, you can call it a big megillah. It’s also used to express that someone has told you the entire story with complete details—many times in a very long winded way. The word actually is the name of the story of Esther and read on the holiday of Purim.

Lost years are worse than lost dollars.
Farloreneh yoren iz erger vi a farloreneh gelt.
Far-lor-en-eh yor-en iz erg-er vi a far-lor-en-eh gelt.

Lox
Laks
Laks

Smoked salmon, from the Yiddish word laks, which means salmon. This actually comes from the German word for salmon, lachs, which was taken from an Indo-European word meaning salmon.

May a boil grow on your belly button.
S’zol dir vaksn a geshver oyfn pupik.
S’zol dir vaks-en a gesh-ver oyf-en poo-pik.

May a bone remain stuck in your throat.
A beyn zol dir in haldz blayben shtekn.
A beyn zol dir in haldz blayb-en shtek-en.

May a cannon ball split your skull.
A harmat zol dayn kop tseshmetern.
A harm-at zol dayn kop tsesh-met-ern.

May a demon take your father’s father.
A ruech in dayn tatns zun arayn
A ru-ech in dayn tat- ens zun a-rhine.

May a disease enter his gums.
A krenk zol im arayn in di yosles.
A krenk zolim a-rhine in dee yos-lis.

May a fire burn in your guts.
A brand dir in dee kishkes.
A brand dir in dee keesh-kes.

May a fire burn in your stomach.
A fyer dir in boyd.
A fy-er dir in boyd.

May a fire catch hold of you.
A fyer oyf dir.
A fy-er oyf dir.

May a fire consume you.
A fyer zucht din.
A fy-er zucht din.

Literally means: A fire is seeking you.

May a fire inflame your liver.
A fyer in doyn leber.
A fy-er in doyn leb-er.

May a red beet grow out of your belly button, and may you pee borsht.
Zoln dir vaksn burekes fun pupik, in zolst pishn mit borsht.
Zoln dir vaks-en bu- rek-es fun pup-ik in zolst pish-en mit borsht.

May a soft balcony fall on your head.
A vecher balkon dir in kop.
A vech-er bal-kon dir in kop.

May a thunder shake your body.
A duner dir in dee zaytn arayn.
A dun-er dir in dee zayt-en a-rhine.

May a wheel run over your skull.
A rud zol dir ariber iber dee gehirn.
A rud zol dir a-rib-er i-ber dee ge-hirn.

May all the possible bad dreams stuff your head.
Ale beyze chlumut tsu dayn kop.
Ale beyz-e chlum-ut tsu dayn kop.

May all your teeth fall out, except one to give you a toothache.
Ale tseyn zoln dir aroysfaln, nor eyner zol dir blaybn – oyf tsonveytik.
Al-e tsey-en zoln dir a- roys-faln, nor eyn-er zol dir blayb-en – oyf tson- vey-tik.

May an epidemic strike you.
A mageyfe zol oyf dir kumen.
A ma-geyf-e zol oyf dir kum-en.

May calamity strike you.
Eyn oyschapenysh zol oyf dir kumen.
Eyn oys-chap-ensysh zol oyf dir kum-en.

May calamity strike you and your filthy family.
A brod oyf dir un oyf dyn.
A brod oyf dir un oyf dyn.

May calamity strike you in the stomach [in your head, in your guts].
A klog dir in boyd [in kop, in dyn podle kishkes].
A klog dir in boyd [in kop, in dyne pod-le kishk-es].

May characters like you be sown thickly and germinate thinly.
Azoyne zol men kedicht zeyn in seeter zoln zee oyfgeyn.
A-zoyne zol men ke- dicht zeyn in sit-er zoln zee oyf-geyn.

May cholera rot your bones.
A cholere dir in dee beyner.
A chol-er-e dir in dee beyn-er.

May destruction strike you.
A churbn oyf dir.
A churb-en oyf dir.

May disaster strike you.
A klog zol dir trefn.
A klog dir tref-en.

May doctors know you well and vice versa.
Doktoyrim zoln visen fun dir un di fun doktoyrim.
Dok-toy-rim zoln vis- en fun dir un di fun dok-toy-rim.

May God give you a large cancer as well as a small cancer—and then you will have a nice outfit.
Got zol dir gebn a rak mit a rekele – vestu hobn a gantsn kostium.
Got zol dir geb-en a rak mit a rek-e-le ves-tu gants-en kos-ti-um.

In Yiddish this is a pun. The Yiddish word rak is both a term for cancer and a term for jacket.

May God see to it that no smoke leaves your chimney for eight consecutive years.
Got zol gebn em zol dir acht yor nun anand nit geyn keyn royn fun koytn.
Got zol geb-en em zol dir acht yor nun a- nand nit geyn keyn royn fun koyt-en.

May I grieve after you.
A brod zol in nod dir hobn.
A brod zol in nod dir.

May I have the privilege of sewing your shroud.
A soyve zol id dir machn.
A soyv-eh zol id dir mach-en.

May I mourn your death.
Id zol veyn oyf dayne iorn.
Id zol veyn oyf dayne i-orn.

May I not lose anything more than your head.
Mer vi dayn kop zol id nit onvern.
Mer vi dayn kop zol id nit on-vern.

May illness strike your brain.
A chvarobe dir in dee gehern.
A chvar-ob-e dir in dee ge-her-en.

May it end badly for you.
Zol es dir aroys bokem.
Zol es dir a-roys bok- em.

May misfortune fall upon you.
Eyn umgleek oyf dir.
Eyn um-gleek oyf dir.

May misfortune strike you.
Eyn umgleek zol dir trefn.
Eyn um-gleek dir tref- en.

May misfortune strike your guts.
Eyn umgleek dir in kishkes.
Ryn um-gleek dir in kishk-es.

May prayers be offered up for your soul.
Me zol did trogn un zingn.
Me zol did trog-en un zing-en.

Literally means: May you be carried away amidst song.

May sickness drain all you have and may you pawn your wife’s skirt.
Oyskrenkn zolstu alts vos du farmogst un farzetsn der vaybs spodnitse.
Oys-krenk-en zols-tu alts vos du far-mogst un far-zets-en der vayb- es spod-nit-se.

May someone call a doctor for you urgently, and when he arrives, they should inform him that it is too late.
Me zol rufn tsu dir srotshne a dokter un az iener vet kumen zol men im zogn az me darf shoyn nit.
Me zol ruf-en tsu dir srotsh-ne a dok-ter un az i-en-er vet ku-men zol men im zog-n az me darf shoyn nit.

May suffering consume you.
Oysgefleekt zolstu vern.
Oys-gef-leekt zols-tu vern.

May syphilis consume your flesh.
Frantsn zoln esn dayn dayb.
Frants-en zoln esn dayn dayb.

May the Angel of Death fall in love with you.
Der malechamo’ves zol zid id dir farlibn.
Der ma-lech-a-mo’ves zol zid dir far-lib-en.

May the Angel of Death remove you from this world.
Der malechamo’ves zol did tsunemen fun der velt.
Der ma-lech-a-mo’ves zol did tsu-nem-en fun der velt.

May the Devil [the cotton-wool maker] take you.
Chapt did der ruech [dir vate-macher].
Chapt did der ru-ech [dir va-te-ma-cher].

The “cotton-wool maker” is a popular Yiddish euphemism for the Devil.

May the Devil carry you on his shoulders.
Trogn zol did der ruech oyf di pleytses.
Trog-en zol did der ru- ech oyf di pleyts-es.

May the devil take your thieving father.
A ruech in dayn ganvishn tatn arayn.
A ru-ech in dayn gan- vish-en tat-en a-rhine.

May the Lord send a blessing for success to your pack of troubles.
A mazel-bracheh zol dir der eyberster tsores.
A maz-el brach-eh zol dir der ey-best-er tsor-es.

May there be a great fair in Paradise and may you be very successful there.
Zol shoyn zany a groyser irid in gen- eden, un zolst dortn matslich shem.
Zol shoyn za-ny a groys-er i-rid in gen-e- den un zolst dort-en mats-lich shem.

May trouble come upon your head.
A brod tsu dayn kop.
A brod tsu dayn kop.

May worms hold a wedding in your stomach and invite their relatives from all over.
Zoln verem praven a chaseneh in dayn boyn in aynladn ale zeyere kroyvim—fun inupets biz sladobke.
Zoln ver-em prav-en a chas-e-neh in dayn boyn in ayn-lad-en ale zey-ere kroy-vim—fun in-u-pets biz slad-ob-ke.

May you be a dead duck tonight.
A kaporeh zolstu veren hayntike nacht.
A ka-por-eh zols-tu ver- en hayn-ti-ke nacht.

May you be a lamp: hang by day, burn by night and be snuffed out in the morning.
Zolst syn vee a lump: hengen by tog, brenen by nacht in oysgeyn zolstu in der fri.
Zolst syn vee a lump: heng-en by tog, bren-en by nacht in osy-geyn zols-tu in der fri.

May you be as tormented in your death as I am in my life.
Zolst zid azoy matern mitn toyt vee in mater zid.
Zolst zid a-zoy ma-tern mit-en toyt vee in ma- ter zid.

May you be buried nine feet deep in the ground.
Ver bagrobn nayn eyln in der erd.
Ver ba-grog-en nayn eyl-en in der erd.

May you be carried out on a dead man’s stretcher.
Trogn zol men dir oyf der miteh.
Trog-en zol men dir oyf der mit-eh.

May you be consumed by fire.
A fyer zol dir farbrenen.
A fy-er zol dir far- bren-en.

May you be consumed by syphilis and may your nose drop off.
Frantsn zoln dir oyf esn un din noz zol dir aropfaln.
Frants-en zoln dir oyf esn un din noz zol dir a-rop-fal-en.

May you be healthy and tough as iron, so much so that you cannot bend over.
Nezunt un shtark zolstu zayn vee ayzn, zolst zid nit kenen.
Ne-zunt un shtark zols- tu zayn vee ayz-en zolst zid nit ken-en.

May you be in mourning in summer days and suffer from a toothache on winter nights.
In dee zumerdike teg zolstu zitsen shiveh un in dee vinterdike necht zolstu zid rayst oyf dee teyn.
In dee zu-mer-di-ke teg zols-tu zits-en shi-veh un in dee vin-ter-di-ke nect zols-tu zid rayst oyf dee teyn.

May you be invited to a feast by the governor and may you belch in his face.
Me zol din aynladn tsum gubernator oyf a seydeh in du zolst im gebn a grepts in ponem arayn.
Me zol din ayn-lad-en gu-ber-na-tor oyf sey- deh in du zolst im gebn a grepts in pon- em a-rhine.

May you be spared the indignities and illnesses of old age.
Zolst farshporn di bizoynut un di krenh fun der elter.
Zolst far-shpor-en di bi-zoyn-ut un kren-eh fun der elt-er.

May you be struck dumb forever.
Antshvign zolstu vern oyf eybik.
Ant-shvig-en zols-tu vern oyf ey-bik.

May you become so rich that your widow’s husband should never have any worries about his livelihood.
Zolst vern azoy rayd almo’nes man zol zid keyn mol nit zorgen vegn perno’se.
Zolst vern a-zoy rayd almo’nes man zol zid keyn mol nit zorg-en veg-en.

May you break all your bones.
Tseboyechen zolstu ruk- un-lend.
Tse-boy-ech-en zols-tu ruk-un-lend.

Literally means: May you break your back and your sides.

May you break down and collapse.
Ayngebrochen zolstu vern.
Aynge-broch-en zols-tu vern.

May you break your arms and your legs.
Oysbrechen zolstu dee hent mit dee fus.
Oys-brech-en zols-tu dee hent mit dee foos.

May you choke on a fish dumpling.
A feshkneydh zol zid dir shtelnin haldz.
A fesh-kneyd-eh zol zid dir shtel-nin haldz.

May you choke on your next bite of your food.
Dershtikt zolstu vern mit bisn.
Der-shtikt zols-tu vern mit bis-en.

May you choke on your next juicy morsel.
Dershtikt zolstu dir mit dem fatn bisn.
Der-shtikt zols-tu dir mit dem fat-en bis-en.

May you enjoy your wedding breakfast and choke on your last bite.
Zolst hobn hano’ie fun dayn chuneh-seudeh un zid dervargn mit letstn bisn.
Zolst hob-en ha-no’ie fun dayn chun-eh seu- deh un zid der-varg-en mit letst-en bis-en.

May you explode—from pleasure.
Platsn zolstu—fun naches.
Plats-en zols-tu—fun nach-es.

May you fall and never rise up.
aln zolstu nit oyfshteyn.
Fal-en zols-tu ni oyf- shteyn.

May you feel pricks, bites, aching bones and sores all over your body.
S’zol dir onchapn a shtechenish un a brechenish, a raysenish un a baysenish.
S’zol dir on-chap-en a shtech-en-ish un a brech-en-ish, a ryas- en-ish una bays-en-ish.

May you go begging from door to door with your descendants for many generations.
Iber di hyzer zolstu zid shlepn mit kindskinder oyf dur-durut.
I-ber di hy-zer zols-tu zid shlep-en mi kinds- kind-er oyf dur-dur-ut.

May you go crazy and run around the streets.
Meshugeh zolstu vern un orumloyfn iber dee gasn.
Me-shug-eh zols-tu vern un o-rum-loyf-en i-ber dee gas-en.

May you have a long bout of bad luck.
A biter mazel oyf dir.
A bi-ter maz-el oyf dir.

May you have a revolution in your stomach.
S’zol dir dreyn in boyd.
S’zol dir drey-en in boyd.

May you have terrible stabbing pains in your bowels.
S’zol dir shnaydn bay di kishkes.
S’zol dir shnayd-en bay di keesh-kes.

May you have the juiciest goose—but no teeth; the best wine—but no sense of taste; the most beautiful wife—but be impotent.
Zolst hobn di same fete gandz—nor kit keyn tseyner; di beste vayn nor nit keyn chushtem; di senste vayb—nor nit keyn zehrut.
Zolst hob-en di sa-me fete gandz—nor kit key-en tseyn-er di bes- te vine nor nit keyn chush-tem di sens-te vayb—nor nit key-en zeh-rut.

May you live until one hundred and twenty—with a wooden head and glass eyes.
Zolst lebn biz hoondert un tsvantseek yor—mit a heeltsernem kop in glezerne oygn.
Zolst leb-en biz hoond- ert un tsvants-eek yor—mit a heel-tser-nem kop in glez-erne oyg-en.

May you never be remembered.
Nit gedacht zolstu vern.
Nit ge-dacht zols-tu vern.

May you never become old.
Nit derlebn zolstu eltertsu vern.
Nit der-leb-en zols-tu el-ter-tsu vern.

May you never enjoy any goodness in your home.
Nit hobn zolstu keyn guts in stub.
Nit hob-en zols-tu key- en guts in stub.

May you never have anything good all your life.
Nit hobn zolstu keyn guts vayl du lebst.
Nit hob-en zols-tu key- en guts vayl lebst.

May you not stand in a cemetery, only lie there.
Oyf keyn guten-ort zolstu nit shteyn nor lign.
Oyf keyn gut-en-ort zols-tu nit shtey-en nor lig-en

May you own ten ships full of gold and may you spend it all on your illnesses.
Tsen shifn mit gold zolstu farmogn in dos gantse gelt zolstu farkrenkn.
Tsen shif-en mit gold zols-tu far-mog-en in do gant-se gelt zols-tu far-krenk-en.

May you push up daisies soon.
Groz zol oyf dir vaksn.
Groz zol oyf dir vaks-en.

May you romp with the Angel of Death.
Mitn malechamo’ves zolstu zid shpeln.
Mit-en ma-lech-a- mo’ves zols-tu zid shpel-en.

May you rot so badly that goats, skunks and pigs will decline to travel in the same cart as you.
Zolst azoy farfoylt vern az tsign, tchoyrn, un chazirim zoln zid opzogn tsu forn mit dir in eyn fur.
Zolst a-zoy far-foylt vern az tsign, tchoy-ern un cha-zir-im zoln zid op-zog-en tsu forn mit dir in eyn fur.

May you run to the toilet every three minutes or every three months.
Loyn zolstu in bet- chakis iede dray minut oder iede dray chadoshim.
Loyn zols-tu in bet- chak-is i-ed-e dray min- ut o-der i-ed-e dray cha-do-shim.

May you speak so eloquently that only a cat will understand you.
Zolst azoy seyn redn az nor di kats zoln dir farshteyn.
Zolst a-zoy sey-en red- en az nor kats zoln dir farsht-eyn.

May you spend all your money on doctors.
Farkrenk dos oyf dayn guf.
Far-krenk dos oyf dayn guf.

Literally means: May you spend all your money on your body.

May you suffer a cruel and unusual death.
A miteh-meshuneh zolstu hobn.
A mit-eh-me-shun-eh zols-tu hob-en.

May you turn into a pancake and be snatched away by the cat.
Vern zol fun dir a blintshik in dee kats zol did chapn.
Vern zol fun dir a blint- shik in de kats zol di chapn.

May you turn into a pancake and he into a cat. He should eat you and choke on you—that way we will be rid of both of you.
Vern zol fun dir a blintshik in fun is a kats. Er sol dir oyfesn un mit dir zin dervargn—volt men fun ayn beydn ptur gevorn.
Vern zol fun dir a blint- shik in fun is a kats. Er sol dir oyf-esn un mit dir zin der-varg-en—volt men fun ayn beyd- en ptur ge-vorn.

May your arms and hands be paralyzed.
Opkenumen zoln dir dee hent vern.
Op-ken-u-men zoln dir dee hent vern.

May your bones rot in hell.
Dayne beyner zoln foylen in gehnum.
Dayne beyn-er zoln foyl-en in geh-num.

May your enemies sprain their ankles dancing on your grave.
Zoln dayne shunim oyslenkn zeyere fim ven zey veln tantsn oyf dayn keyver.
Zoln day-ne shun-im oys-len-ken zey-ere fim ven zey veln tants-en oyf dayn key-ver.

May your father be possessed by a demon.
A ruech in dayn tatn arayn.
A ru-ech in dayn tat-en a-rhine.

May your grandfather be possessed by a demon.
A ruech in dayn zeydn arayn.
A ru-ech in dayn zeyd- en a-rhine.

May your guts come out.
Dee kishkes zoln dir aroym.
Dee keesh-kes zoln dir a-roym.

May your guts freeze so hard that only hellfire will be able to thaw them.
Zoln dayn kishkes farfrayrn vern oyf azoy fil, az nor der fyer fun gehnum zol zey kenen tseshmeltsn.
Zoln dayn kish-kes far- frayr-en vern oyf a-zoy fil, az nor der fy-er fun geh-num zol zey ken-en tsesh-melt-sen.

May your innards turn and grind so much, people will think you are an organ grinder.
Sazol dir azoy dreyen boyd me zol meynen az sayiz a katerinke.
Sa-zol dir a-zoy drey-en boyd me zol mey-nen az say-iz a ka-ter-in-ke.

May your intestines be pulled out of your belly and wound around your neck.
Aroysshlepn zol men dir dee kishkes fun boyd un arumviklen zee ebern haldz.
A-roys-shlep-en zol men dir dee keesh-kes fun boyd un a-rum- vik-len zee e-bern haldz.

May your legs be lopped from under you.
Dee fim zoln dir untergehakt vern
Dee fim zoln dir un-ter- gehakt vern.

May your liver come out through your nose piece by piece.
Dee leber zol dir shteklechvayz doord der noz aroysfleen.
Dee LEB-er dir shtek- lech-vayz doord der noz a-roys-fleen.

May your luck light your way for you like the waning moon at the end of the month.
Dyn mazel zol dir laychtn vee dee levone in sof.
Dyn maz-el zol dir laycht-en vee dee lev- one in sof.

May your soul enter a cat and may a dog bite it.
Dyn neshome zol arayngeyn in a kats, un a hoont zol er a bis tun.
Dyn ne-shom-e zol a-rhine-geyn in a kats un a hoont zol er a bis tun.

Mensch
Mensch
Mensch

Someone who does good work and helps others is called a mensch. Literally it means: person or human being. Use this word when you want to give others the impression that someone is truly worthy of respect for his good deeds, would make a good husband or business partner, treats others fairly and meets his obligations.

Mess
Mishmash
Mish-mash

When everything is a mess, you can call it a “mishmash.” Also fits when you think something is a hodgepodge or a jumble. It is believed this comes from the fifteenth century and was formed by a repetition of the word mash.

Mixed-up person
Farmisht
Far-misht

When you think someone is all mixed-up or confused, you can say, “You’re farmisht.”

Money buys everything except brains.
Far gelt bakumt men alts, nor kain saychel nit.
Far gelt bak-umt men alts, nor kain say-chel nit.

Money causes conceit and conceit leads to sin.
Gelt brengt tsu ga’aveh un ga’aveh tsu zind.
Gelt brengt tsu ga’a- veh un ga’a-veh tsu zind.

Money goes to money.
Gelt gayt tsu gelt.
Gelt gayt tsu gelt.

Money is round; it rolls away from you.
Gelt is keylechdik; amol iz es do, amol iz es dort.
Gelt is key-lich-dik; a- mol iz es do, a-mol iz es dort.

Money lost, nothing lost; courage lost everything lost.
Gelt farloren, gor nit farloren; mut farloren, alts farloren.
Gelt far-lor-en, gor nit far-lor-en; mut far-lor- en, alts far-lor-en.

My money went down the drain.
In drerd meyn geytl.
In drerd meyn geyt-el.

Nerve
Chutzpah
Chuts-pah

Audacity. Means a lot of nerve. This can be a good thing or bad thing. When you use it positively it means someone has a lot of nerve and daring. But negatively it can mean someone has a lot of nerve and has gone too far. This word has its origins in the Hebrew word huspa, which means to be insolent.

Nosh
Nash or nashn
Nash

Light snack or light nashn, which means can be found in the to nibble.
meal. This comes from to eat sweets or to Middle High German
the Yiddish word nash or nibble on food. Its origins word naschen, which means

Nudge
Nudjen
Nud-jen

Pester or bore. persistently. Its origins the same.
Someone who pesters, are from the Polish
annoys or complains word nudzi, which means

Nudnik
Nudnik
Nood-nik

If someone is badgering you can call them a being obnoxious,
you and they are nudnik. Also used when nagging you or generally
a very annoying person, someone is a bore, being a nuisance.

Oh, God
Gottenyu
Got-ten-yu

Use it to express a substitute for “Oh,
despair, anguish or to God!”
show pity for something. It’s

Oh, hell! or Damn it!
A broch!
Ah brooch

Oh, no.
Oy vay.
Oy vay.

Oy vay means Oh, also use it to say
no, but in Yiddish actually things like “How terrible”
means Oh, woe. People or “That’s horrible.”

Old wives’ tale
Bubbeh meisseh
Bub-eh my-seh

Use it when you think or something completely mother’s story, but knows Yiddish, or just don’t believe
someone is telling unbelievable. It don’t use it around your she’ll be pretty angry. what someone is telling
you an old wives’ tale literally means a grand- grandmother if she It’s usually used when you you.

On summer days he should mourn, and on wintry nights, he should torture himself.
In dee zumerdike teg zol er zitsn shiveh, un in dee vinterdike necht zich raysn ayf di tseyn.
In dee zu-mer-dike teg zol er zitsn shiveh, un in di vin-ter-dike necht zich rays-en ayf di tsey-en.

One lie is a lie, two are lies, but three is politics.
Ayner iz a ligen, tsvai iz ligens, dray iz politik.
Ay-ner iz a lig-en, tsvai iz lig-ens, dray iz pol- it-ik.

One misfortune is too few for him.
Eyn umgleek az far im veynik.
Eyn um-gleek az far im vey-nik.

Onions should grow on your navel.
Zol dir vaksn tzibbeles fun pupik.
Zol dir vox-en tzib-eh- les fun poop-ik.

Panhandler
Shnorrer
Shnor-er

Also can refer to a beggar, moocher or freeloader. Shnorrers make a career of panhandling and think they are doing others a favor by allowing them to do a mitzvah (good deed) through donating to the needy.

Piece of shit
Shtik drek
Shtick drek

Pig
Chazzer
Chaz-er

Also someone who is greedy, eats too much or takes more than his share.

Pimp
Yentzer
Yents-er

Also, someone who will screw you in a nonsexual way.

Pitiable person
Nebach
Neb-ach

Poor dresser
Shlump
Shloomp

Also unstylish or with bad posture. When a someone corrects another because his shoulders are drooping, they can say “Don’t shlump!”

Poverty is no disgrace, but also no great honor
Orem iz nit kayn shand, ober oych kayn groisser koved nit.
O-rem iz nit kayn shand, o-ber oych kayn grois-er kov-ed nit.

Put up or shut up.
Toches ahfen tish.
Too-ches ah-fin tish.

Also can be used to mean: “Let’s conclude this!” Or “Come clean, buddy!” Literally means: Put your buttocks on the table.

Rich men are often lean and poor men are fat.
Faran dareh gvirim un feteh oremeleyt.
Far-an dar-eh ge-vir-im un fet-eh o-rem-el-eyt.

Rugelach
Rugelach
Ru-ge-lach

Crescent-shaped cookie made from a cream-cheese dough filled with jam, chocolate, cinnamon, sugar or nuts, or some combination of these ingredients, cut into a triangle and rolled up.

Run away from an insult but don’t chase after honor.
Far umkoved antloyf, ober yog zich nit noch koved.
Far um-kov-ed ant-loyf, o-ber yog zich nit noch ko-ved.

Scatterbrain
Draikop
Dray-kop

Also someone who goes all out trying to confuse you. Often this refers to a con artist who deliberately is trying to take advantage of you.

Schmear
Schmir
Schmear

To use a dab of cream cheese is one common meaning, but you will also hear shmeer used when people talk about buying a bunch of things together, such as “She bought the whole shmear.” The Yiddish word schmir means smear or smudge from the word shmirn or grease, which stems from the Middle High German word smiren also meaning to smear or grease. When not used in the context of eating, shmear can mean the whole works or to be excessively kind for selfish gains.

Schmooze
Shmuesn
Shmues-en

Engage in casual conversation many times in order to gain an advantage or make a social connection. The Yiddish word shmuesn has its origins both in shmues (chat) or schmue (rumor).

Self-made fool
Shmuck
Shmuck

Also dickhead, idiot or jerk. Another word for penis. Literally means: Jewel.

Shame
Shandeh
Shan-deh

Use when you are embarrassed about something or think something is a shame.

She should have stones and not children.
Shteyner zol zi hoben, nit kayn kinder.
Shtey-ner zol zi hob-en, nit kayn kin-der.

Shit head
Kucker
Kuck-er

Shit on a stick
Drek oyf a shpendel
Drek oyf a shpen-del

Also means: As unimportant as dung on a piece of wood.

Shlep
Shlepn
Shlep-en

Means to drag an object with difficulty. It can also be used to mean a long, tedious or difficult journey. Like Wasn’t that trip to the city a shlep? Its origin is the German word schleppen, which means to drag.

Shlock joint
Shlak
Shlak

Junk shop or has no value. Literally it means evil. When you go into a store that sells cheap stuff, you can call it a “shlok joint.” Its origin is the Middle High German word slag.

Shmo
Shmok
Shmok

If you think someone is a complete jerk or patsy, you can call him a shmo. It comes from the Yiddish word, shmok, which means penis or fool.

Shnook
Shnook
Shnook

When someone is easily victimized, in other words stupid, a sucker or a dupe, you can call them a shnook. Its origins are in the Lithuanian word snukis, which means mug or snout.

Shnoz
Shnoits
Shnoyts

Nose, which comes from the Yiddish word shnoits, which means snout.

Shove it up your ass.
Shtup es in toches.
Shtoop es in too-ches.

Shut your mouth.
Farmach dos moy.
Far-mach dos moyl.

Slob
Zhlob
Zhlob

Also someone who is clumsy, uncouth or foolish.

Smelly person
Shtinker
Shtink-er

Also can refer to someone who behaves offensively.

So it goes in this world: one has the purse, the other has the money.
Azoy gayt ayf der velt: ayner hot di beytel, der tsvayter hot di gelt.
A-zoy gayt ayf der velt: ayn-er hot di beyt-el, der tsvayt-er hot di gelt

So what do you think you can do to me?
Ti mir eppes.
Tee mir ep-is.

Nothing.

Sponger
Shlepper
Shlep-per

Also can refer to someone who always tags along or a jerk.

Stones on his bones.
Shteyner ayf zayne bainer.
Shteyn-er ayf zayne bain-er.

Sucker
Shlumpf
Shlumpf

Also a patsy, fall guy or second-rater.

Ten ships of gold should be his and the money should only make him sick.
Tsen shifn mit gold zol er farmorgn, un dos gantse gelt zol er farkrenkn.
Tsen shif-en mit gold zol er far-morg-en un does gant-se getl zol er far-krenk-en.

The first time it’s smart, the second time it’s cute, the third time you get a sock in the teeth.
Ain mol a saichel, dos tsvaliteh mol chain, dem dritten mol git men in di tsain.
Ain mol a sai-chel, dos tsva-lit-eh mol chain, dem drit-ten mol git men in di tsain.

The heaviest burden is an empty pocket.
Der shversteh ol iz a laydikeh kesheneh.
Der shverst-eh ol iz a layd-ik-eh kesh-en-eh.

The poor man’s enemies are few, the rich man’s friends are even fewer.
Der oreman hot vainik eint, der reicher hot vainiker freint.
Der ore-man hot vain- ik, der reich-er hot vain-ik-er freint.

They should free a madman, and lock him up.
A meshugener zol men oyshrabn, un im arayn shrabn.
A me-shug-en-er zol men oy-shrab-en, un im a-rhine shrab-en.

Thief
Gonif
Gon-if

Also can be used to refer to someone who is a swindler, crook, burglar or racketeer.

Those who can’t bite should not show their teeth.
Az men ken nit beissen, zol men nit veizen di tsayin.
az men ken nit beis-en zol men nit veiz-en di tsayn

Throw salt in his eyes, pepper in his nose.
Zalts im in di oygen, feffer im in di noz.
Zalts im in di oyg-en, fef-er im in di noz.

To hell with him.
Ich hob im in bod.
Ich hob im in bod.

Literally means: I have him in the bath house.

To hell with it.
Zole es brennen.
Zol es Bren-in.

Tough luck
Tough toches
Too-ches

Literally means tough ass. Use when you want to say tough luck or too bad. Toches is another word for butt, ass, backside or fanny. You get the idea.

Trashy
Drek
Drek

Also can be used to refer to someone who is cheap, trashy, shoddy, worthless or useless.

Troubles
Tsores
Sor-es

When you have a lot of problems or troubles, you can say you are facing a lot of tsores. Also can be used to express misery.

Truth
Emmes
Em-mes

Truth, or on the level. If you want to indicate that you believe something someone is telling you, you say that it’s “emmes.”

Unkosher
Traif
Trayf

Forbidden food and not prepared by the rules of Jewish dietary laws. It’s the opposite of kosher. You may hear this word also used for non-food items, such as books or movies, that are forbidden. For example, “Don’t go to see Deep Throat [a pornographic flick]—it’s traif.”

Venereal disease should consume his body.
Fransn zol esn zayn layb.
Frans-en zol esn zayn layb.

Weakling
Nebbish
Neb-ish

Also a pitiable person but not as bad as a Nebach.

What’s new?
Nu?
Nu?

Nu is a commonly used Yiddish slang for “What’s new?” but has many other uses as well. It can also be used as a question, such as “Nu? When does he show up?”; to show impatience, such as “Nu! What was said?”; to dare someone, “Nu, prove it to me!”; or to just make a strong statement, “Nu, I told you so!”

When a mother shouts at her child “Bastard,” you can believe her.
Az di muter shrayt oyfen kind “Mamzer,” meg men ir gloiben.
Az di mu-ter shrayt oyf- en kind “Mam-zer,” meg men ir gloib-en.

When does a wealthy man go hungry? When the doctor orders him.
Ven hungert a nogid? Ven der doktor hayst im.
Ven hung-ert a nog-d? Ven der dokt-or hayst im.

When the head is a fool, the whole body can go to hell.
Az der kop iz a nar, ligt der gantser guf in der erd.
Az der kop iz a nar, ligt der gants-er guf in der erd.

When the stomach is empty, so is the brain.
Az der mogen iz laidik iz der moi’ech oich laidik.
Az der mog-en iz laid-ik iz der moi’ech oich laid-ik.

When you grease the palm, everything goes easy.
Az me shmirt, fort men.
Az me shmirt, fort men.

When you sow money, you reap fools.
Az me zayt gelt, vaksn naronim.
Az me zayt gelt, vaks- en na-ron-im.

Who are you kidding, who do you think you are screwing around with?
Vemen barestu?
Vay-men bar-es-tu?

Literally means: Who are you screwing?

Who is smart? He whose fortune follows him.
Der iz klug? Vos zeyn mazel gayt im noch.
Der iz klug? Vos zeyn maz-el gayt im noch.

Why bother getting up alive?
Farshporn zol er oyf tsu shteyn?
Farsh-porn zol er oyf tsu shteyn?

Wise
Saichel
Say-chel

When you think someone is very smart or wise, you say they have saichel. This can also mean someone has common sense, tact or diplomacy.

With a good guest, you are happy when he arrives; with a bad one, when he leaves.
Mit a gutn gast frayt men zich ven er kumt arayn; mit a shlechtn gast, ven er gayt avek.
Mit a gu-TEN gast frayt men zich ven er kumt a-rhine; mit a shlecht- en gast, ven er gayt a-vek.

Worms eat you up when dead and worries eat you up alive.
Verem essn toiterhayt un deiges lebedikerhayt.
Ve-rem es-sen toi-ter- hayt un dei-ges le-bed- i-ker-hayt.

You ass.
Chamoyer du einer.
Cha-moy-er du eye-ner.

Also can mean: You dope, You idiot.

You can vomit from this.
Me ken brechen fun dem.
Me ken brech-en fun dem.

You cannot pay a debt with a noble pedigree.
Mit zechus oves batsolt men nit kayn choyves.
Mit zach-us oves bat- solt men nit kayn choy-ves.

You don’t scare me.
Gai strasheh di gens.
Gay stra-sheh di gens.

Literally means: Go scare the geese.

You moron.
Chamoyer du ainer.
Cha-moy-er du ain-er.

You should choke on it.
Der shtikt zolst du veren.
Der shtikt zolst du ver- en.

You should explode.
Gai plotz.
Gay plotz!

Also can mean: Go split your guts!

You should get a stomach cramp.
Zol dir grihmen in boych.
Zol dir grih-men in boych.

You should have no better luck.
Keyn besern mazel zolstu.
Key-en bes-ern maz-el zols-tu.

You should only get a stomach cramp.
Zol dich chappen beim boych.
Zol dich chap-in byme boych.

You should shove it up your ass.
Zolst es shtupin in toches arayn.
Zolst es shtoop-en in too-ches a-rhine.

You should swell up like a mountain.
Zolst geshvolln veren vi a barg.
Zolst geh-shvol-en ver en vi a barg.

You’re nuts.
Bist tsedrayt.
Bist tse-drayt.

You’re nuts.
Bist meshugeh.
Bist me-shug-eh.

You’re pissing in the wind.
Gai feifen ahfen yam.
Gay fife-en ah-fin yam.

Literally means: Go whistle on the wind.

Your stomach will rumble so badly, you’ll think it was a Purim noisemaker.
Es zol dir dunern in boych, vestu meyen az s’iz a homon klaper.
Es zol dir dun-ern in boych, ves-tu mey-en az s’iz a hom-on klap-er.

For those not familiar with the holiday of Purim: As part of the celebration, various kinds of noisemakers are used to drown out the name of the enemy of the Jews—Haman—as the story of Esther is told during the reading of the Megillah, which is the Book of Esther.

Yiddish to English Glossary

Yiddish
How You Say It
English

A beyn zol dir in haldz blayben shtekn.
A beyn zol dir in haldz blayb-en shtek-en.
May a bone remain stuck in your throat.

A biter mazel oyf dir.
A bi-ter maz-el oyf dir.
May you have a long bout of bad luck.

A brand dir in dee kishkes.
A brand dir in dee keesh-kes.
May a fire burn in your guts.

A broch!
Ah brooch!
Oh, hell! or Damn it!

A brod oyf dir un oyf dyn.
A brod oyf dir un oyf dyn.
May calamity strike you and your filthy family.

A brod tsu dayn kop.
A brod tsu dayn kop.
May trouble come upon your head.

A brod zol in nod dir hobn.
A brod zol in nod dir.
May I grieve after you.

A cholere dir in dee beyner.
A chol-er-e dir in dee beyn-er.
May cholera rot your bones.

A choleryeh oyf dir.
A cho-ley-er-yeh oyf dir.
A plague on you.

A churbn oyf dir.
A churb-en oyf dir.
May destruction strike you.

A chvarobe dir in dee gehern.
A chvar-ob-e dir in dee ge-her-en.
May illness strike your brain.

A duner dir in dee zaytn arayn.
A dun-er dir in dee zayt-en a-rhine.
May a thunder shake your body.

A feshkneydh zol zid dir shtelnin haldz.
A fesh-kneyd-eh zol zid dir shtel-nin haldz.
May you choke on a fish dumpling.

A finsteren sof.
A fin-ster-en sof.
A horrible end should befall you.

Also can mean: May there be a dark ending for you.

A finsteren yor.
A fin-ster-en yor.
A plague on you.

Literally means: A year (for dark on you).

A freint bekamt men umzist; a soineh muz men zich koifn.
A freint bek-amt men um-zist; a soi-neh muz men zich koif-en.
A friend you can get for nothing; an enemy has to be bought.

A freint darf men zich koifn; sonem kright men umzist.
A freint darf men zich koif-en; son-em kright men um-zist.
A friend you have to buy; enemies you get for nothing.

A fyer dir in boyd.
A fy-er dir in boyd.
May a fire burn in your stomach.

A fyer in doyn leber.
A fy-er in doyn leb-er.
May a fire inflame your liver.

A fyer oyf dir.
A fy-er oyf dir.
May a fire catch hold of you.

A fyer zol did farbrenen.
A fy-er zol did far-bren- en.
May you be consumed by fire.

A fyer zol did trefn vee du redst.
A fy-er did tref-en vee du redst.
A fire should strike you while you are speaking now.

A fyer zol im trefn.
A fy-er zol im tref-en.
He should burn up.

A fyer zucht din.
A fy-er zucht din.
May a fire consume you.

Literally means: A
fire is seeking you.

A gehenem oif im.
A geh-hen-em oyf im.
He should go to hell.

A geshvir iz a gutch zach bei yenem unhern orem.
A gesh-vir iz a gutch zach bei yen-em un- hern o-rem.
A boil is fine as long as it’s under someone else’s arm.

A groys gesheft zol er hobn mit shroyre: vus er hot, zol men bay im nit fregn, un vos men fregt zol er nisht hobn.
A groys ge-sheft zol er hob-en mit shroy-re: vus er hot, zol men bay im nit freg-en, un vos men fregt zol er nisht hob-en.
He should have a large store; and whatever people ask for he shouldn’t have, and what he does have shouldn’t be requested.

A harmat zol dayn kop tseshmetern.
A harm-at zol dayn kop tsesh-met-ern.
May a cannon ball split your skull.

A hiltsener tsung zol er bakumn.
A hil-tsen-er zol er bakumn.
He should grow a wooden tongue.

A kaporeh zolstu veren hayntike nacht.
A ka-por-eh zols-tu ver- en hayn-ti-ke.
May you be a dead duck tonight.

A kleyn kind zol noch im heysn.
A kleyn kind zol noch im heys-en.
A young child should be named after him.

A klog dir in boyd [in kop, in dyn podle kiskes].
A klog dir in boyd [in kop, in dyne pod-le kisk-es].
May calamity strike you in the stomach [in your head; in your guts].

A klog zol dir trefn.
A klog dir tref-en.
May disaster strike you.

A kluger vaist vos er zogt, a nar zogt vos er vaist.
A klug-er vaist vos er zogt, a nar zogt vos er vaist.
A wise man knows what he says, a fool says what he knows.

A kramp dir in boyd.
A kramp dir in boyd.
A cramp in your stomach.

A kramp im in layb [in boyach; in di kishkes; in di gederem, in di finger].
A kramp in layb [in boy-ach; in di keesh- kes, in di ged-er-em, in di fing-er].
A cramp in his body [in his stomach; in his guts; in his bowels; in his fingers and toes].

A krenk zol im arayn in di yosles.
A krenk zolim a-rhine in dee yos-lis.
May a disease enter his gums.

A magaifeh zol dich trefen.
A ma-gay-feh zol dich tref-en.
A plague should befall you.

A mageyfe zol oyf dir kumen.
A ma-geyf-e zol oyf dir kum-en.
May an epidemic strike you.

A mazel-bracheh zol dir der eyberster tsores.
A maz-el brach-eh zol dir der ey-best-er tsor- es.
May the Lord send a blessing for success to your pack of troubles.

A meshugener zol men oyshrabn, un im arayn shrabn.
A me-shug-en-er zol men oy-shrab-en, un im a-rhine shrab-en.
They should free a madman, and lock him up.

A miteh-meshuneh zolstu hobn.
A mit-eh-me-shun-eh zols-tu hob-en.
May you suffer a cruel and unusual death.

A ruech in dein tatn’s tateh.
A ru-ech in dein tat- en’s ta-teh.
Go to the devil.

A ruech in dein tatn’s tatenarein.
A ru-ech in dein tat- en’s tat-en-a-Rhine.
Go to the devil.

A rud zol dir ariber iber dee gehirn.
A rud zol dir a-rib-er i-ber dee ge-hirn.
May a wheel run over your skull.

A ruech in dayn ganvishn tatn arayn.
A ru-ech in dayn gan- vish-en tat-en a-rhine.
May the devil take your thieving father.

A ruech in dayn tatn arayn.
A ru-ech in dayn tat-en a-rhine.
May your father be possessed by a demon.

A ruech in dayn tatns tatn arayn.
A ru-ech in dayn tat- ens tatn a-rhine.
May a demon take your father’s father.

A ruech in dayn zeydn arayn.
A ru-ech in dayn zeyd- en a-rhine.
May your grandfather be possessed by a demon.

A shnaydenish dir in boyd.
A shnay-de-nish dir in boyd.
A stabbing pain in your stomach.

A shtrek dir oyfn haldz.
A shtrek dir oyf-en haldz.
A rope around your neck.

A shvartz yor.
A shvartz yor.
A black year.

A soyve zol id dir machn.
A soyv-eh zol id dir mach-en.
May I have the privilege of sewing your shroud.

A vecher balkon dir in kop.
A vech-er bal-kon dir in kop.
May a soft balcony fall on your head.

A zisn toyt zolstu hobn a trok mit tsuker zoldid iberforn.
A zis-en toyt zols-tu hob-en a trok mit tsuk- er zol-did i-ber-forn.
I wish you a sweet death: a truck full of sugar should run over you.

Ain mol a saichel, dos tsvaliteh mol chain, dem dritten mol git men in di tsain.
Ain mol a sai-chel dos tsva-lit-eh mol chain, dem drit-ten mol git men in di tsain.
The first time it’s smart, the second time it’s cute, the third time you get a sock in the teeth.

Ale beyze chlumut tsu dayn kop.
Ale beyz-e chlum-ut tsu dayn kop.
May all the possible bad dreams stuff your head.

Ale tseyn zoln bay im aroysfalen, not eyner zol im blayben oyf tsonveytung.
Al-e tseyn zoln bay im a-roys-fal-en not eyn-er zol in blayb-en oyf tson-veyt-ung.
All his teeth should fall out except one to make him suffer.

Ale tseyn zoln dir aroysfalen, nor eyner zol dir blaybn—oyf tsonveytik.
Al-e Tsey-en zoln dir a-roys-falen, nor eyn-er zol dir blayb-en—oyf tson-vey-tik.
May all your teeth fall out, except one to give you a toothache.

Ale tsores (vos id hob oyf mayn hartn) zoln oysgeyn tsu dayn kop.
Ale tsor-es (vos id hob oyf mayn hart-en) zoln osy-gey-en tsu dayn kop.
All the troubles (that weigh down my heart) should fall on your head.

Ale tsores vos ich hob oyf mayn hartsn, zoln oysgeyn tsu zayn kop.
Ale tsor-es vos ich hob oyf may-en harts-en, zoln oysg-eyn tsu zhine kop.
All problems I have in my heart should go to his head.

Aleh tsores oyf zein kop.
Al-eh tsor-es oyf zine kop.
He should have lots of trouble.

Alter kucker
Al-ter kuck-er
Lecherous old man

Also means: Old fogy.

Literally means: An old defecator.

Antshvign zolstu vern oyf eybik.
Ant-shvig-en zols-tu vern oyf ey-bik.
May you be struck dumb forever.

Aroysshlepn zol men dir dee kishkes fun boyd un arumviklen zee ebern haldz.
A-roys-shlep-en zol men dir dee keesh-kes fun boyd un a-rum-vik- len zee e-bern haldz.
May your intestines be pulled out of your belly and wound around your neck.

Ayner iz a ligen, tsvai iz ligens, dray iz politik.
Ay-ner iz a lig-en, tsvai iz lig-ens, dray iz pol- it-ik.
One lie is a lie, two are lies, but three is politics.

Ayngebrochen zolstu vern.
Aynge-broch-en zols-tu vern.
May you break down and collapse.

Az der kop iz a nar, ligt der gantser guf in der erd.
Az der kop iz a nar, ligt der gants-er guf in der erd.
When the head is a fool, the whole body can go to hell.

Az der mogen iz laidik iz der moi’ech oich laidik.
Az der mog-en iz laid-ik iz der moi’ech oich laid-ik.
When the stomach is empty, so is the brain.

Az di muter shrayt oyfen kind: “Mamzer,” meg men ir gloiben.
Az di mu-ter shrayt oyf-en kind: “Mam-zer,” meg men ir gloib-en.
When a mother shouts at her child: “Bastard,” you can believe her.

Az me hot gelt, iz men klug un shain un men ken gut zingn.
Az me hot gelt, iz men Klug un shain un men ken gut Zing-en.
If you have money, you are wise and good- looking and can sing well too.

Az me laight arayn kadoches, nemt men aroyz a krenik.
Az me laight a-rhine ka-doch-es, nemt men a-royz a kren-ik.
If you invest in a fever, you will realize a disease.

Az me lebt mit a tayvel, vert men a tayvel.
Az me lebt mit a tayv- el, vert men a tayv-el.
He who lives with the devil, becomes a devil.

Az me lozt a chazzer aruf af’n bank, viler af’n tish.
Az me lozt a chazz-er a-ruf af’n bank vil-er af’n tish.
Give a pig a chair, he’ll want to get on the table.

Az me redt, derredt men zich.
Az me redt, der-redt men zich.
If you keep on talking, you will end up saying what you didn’t intend to say.

Az me shloft mit hint shtayt men oyf mit flay.
Az me shloft mit hint, shtayt men oyf mit flay.
If you lie down with the dogs, you get up with the fleas.

Az me shmirt, fort men.
Az me shmirt, fort men.
When you grease the palm, everything goes easy.

Az me shport nit dem groshn, hot men nit dem rubel.
Az me shport nit dem grosh-en, hot men nit dem rub-el.
If you don’t save the penny, you’ll not have the dollar.

Az me shvaygt iz men a halber nar; az me redt iz men a gantser nar.
Az me shvagt iz men a halb-er nar; az me redt iz men a gants-er nar.
He who keeps quiet is half a fool; he who talks is a complete fool.

Az me tut zich lodn, kumt men sey vi nit tsum shodn.
Az me tut zich lod-en, kumt men sey vi nit tsum shod-en.
From litigation you can never recover your loss.

Az me vil nit alt verren, zol men zich yungerhayt oyfhengen.
Az me vil nit alt ver-en zol, men zich yun-ger- hayt oyf-heng-en.
If you want to avoid old age, hang yourself in youth.

Az me zayt gelt, vaksn naronim.
Az me zayt gelt, vaks- en na-ron-im.
When you sow money, you reap fools.

Az men chazert tsu fil iber vi grecht men iz, vert men umgerecht.
Az men chaz-ert tsu fil i-ber vi grecht men iz, vert men um-ger-echt.
If you repeat often enough that you’re right, you will discover you are wrong.

Az men ganvet a sach ayer, ken men oich verren a nogid.
Az men gan-vet a sach ay-er, ken men oich ver-ren a nog-id.
If one steals a lot of eggs, one can also become rich.

Az men hot di matbayeh, hot men di dayeh.
Az men hot di mat-bay- eh, hot men di day-eh.
If you have the money, you have the say.

Az men iz biz tsvantsik yor a kind, iz men tsu ayn-un-tsvantsik a behaymeh.
Az men iz biz tsvant-sik yor a kind, iz men tsu ayn un tsvant-sik a be- hay-meh.
If you’re a child at twenty, you’re an ass at twenty-one.

Az men ken nit beissen, zol men nit veizen di tsain.
Az men ken nit beis-en zol men nit veiz-en di tsain.
Those who can’t bite should not show their teeth.

Az men krigt zich mitn rov, muz men sholem zeyn mitn shainker.
Az men krigt zich mit- en rov, muz men shol- en zyen mit-en shaink-er.
If you’re at odds with your rabbi, make peace with your bartender.

Azoy fil ritzinoyl zol er oystrinkn
A-zoy fil rit-zin-oyl zol er oy-strink-en.
He should drink too much castor oil.

Azoy gayt ayf der velt: ayner hot di beytel, der tsvayter hot di gelt.
A-zoy gayt ayf der velt: ayn-er hot di beyt-el der tsvayt-er hot di gelt.
So it goes in this world: one has the purse the other has the money.

Azoyne zol men kedicht zeyn in seeter zoln zee oyfgeyn
A-zoyne zol men ke-dicht zeyn in sit-er zoln zee oyf-geyn.
May characters like you be sown thickly and germinate thinly.

Chutzpah
Chuts-pah
Nerve

Audacity. Means a lot of nerve. This can be a good thing or bad thing. When you use it positively, it means someone has a lot of nerve and daring. But negatively it can mean someone has a lot of nerve and has gone too far. This word has its origin in the Hebrew word huspa, which means to be insolent.

Cock zich oys.
Cock zich oys.
Go take a shit.

Also means: Go take a shit for yourself.

Dayne beyner zoln foylen in gehnum.
Dayne beyn-er zoln foyl-en in geh-num.
May your bones rot in hell.

Dee fim zoln dir untergehakt vern.
Dee fim zoln dir un-ter- gehakt vern.
May your legs be lopped from under you.

Dee kishkes zoln dir aroym.
Dee keesh-kes zoln dir a-roym.
May your guts come out.

Dee leber zol dir shteklechvayz doord der noz aroysfleen.
Dee leb-er dir shtek- lech-vayz doord der noz a-roys-fleen.
May your liver come out through your nose piece by piece.

Der iz klug? Vos zeyn mazel gayt im noch.
Der iz klug? Vos zeyn maz-el gayt im noch.
Who is smart? He whose fortune follows him.

Der lebn iz di gresteh metsi’eh—me wrigt es umzist.
Der leb-en iz di grest-eh met-si’eh—me wrigt es um-zist.
Life is the biggest bargain—we get it for nothing.

Der malechamo’ves zol did tsunemen fun der velt.
Der ma-lech-a-mo’ves zol did tsu-nem-en fun der velt.
May the Angel of Death remove you from this world.

Der malechamo’ves zol zid id dir farlibn.
Der me-lech-a-mo’ves zol zid dir far-lib-en.
May the Angel of Death fall in love with you.

Der mazel macht klug, veil der mazel macht reich.
Der maz-el macht klug, veil der maz-el macht reich.
Fortune makes you smart, because fortune makes you rich.

Der oreman hot vainik eint, der reicher hot vainiker freint.
Der ore-man hot vain-ik, der reich-er hot vain-ik-er freint.
The poor man’s enemies are few, the rich man’s friends are even fewer.

Der shtikt zolst du veren.
Der shtikt zolst du ver-en.
You should choke on it.

Der shversteh ol iz a laydikeh kesheneh.
Der shverst-eh ol iz a layd-ik-eh kesh-en-eh.
The heaviest burden is an empty pocket.

Dershtikt zolstu dir mit dem fatn bisn.
Der-shtikt zols-tu dir mit dem fat-en bis-en.
May you choke on your next juicy morsel.

Dershtikt zolstu vern mit bisn.
Der-shtikt zols-tu vern mit bis-en.
May you choke on your next bite on your food.

Doktoyrim zoln vesen fun dir un di fun doktoyrim.
Dok-toy-rim zoln ves-en fun dir un di fun dok-toy-rim.
May doctors know you well and vice versa.

Drai mir nit kain kop.
Dray meer nit kayn kop.
Don’t bother me.

Literally means: Don’t twist my head.

Draikop
Dray-kop
Scatterbrain

Also someone who goes all out trying to confuse you. Often this refers to a con artist who deliberately is trying to take advantage of you.

Drek
Drek
Trashy

Also can be used to refer to someone who is cheap, trashy, shoddy, worthless or useless.

Drek oif a shpendel
Drek oyf a shpen-del
Shit on a stick

Also means: As unimportant as dung on a piece of wood.

Dumkop
Dum-kop
Dumbbell or dunce

Literally means: Dumb head

Dyn mazel zol dir laychtn vee dee levone in sof.
Dyn maz-el zol dir laycht-en vee dee lev- one in sof.
May your luck light your way for you like the waning moon at the end of the month.

Dyn neshome zol arayngeyn in a kats, un a hoont zol er a bis tun.
Dyn ne-shom-e zol a- rhine-geyn in a kats un a hoont zol er a bis tun.
May your soul enter a cat and may a dog bite it.

Emmes
Em-mes
Truth

Truth, or on the level. If you want to indicate that you believe something someone is telling you, you say that it’s emmes.

Er redt zich eyn a krenk.
Er redt zich eyn a krenk.
He talks himself into sickness.

Er zol ainemen a miesseh meshuneh.
Er zol ai-ne-men a mies-eh mesh-un-eh.
He should have lots of trouble.

Er zol altsting zen, un nit hobn farvos (mit vos) tsu koyfn.
Er zol als-ting zen, un nit hob-en far-vos (mit vos) tsu koyf-en.
He should see everything, but have no reason (with which) to buy it.

Er zol einemen a meeseh meshuneh.
Er zol ein-eh-men a meese-eh meh-shun-eh.
He should go to hell.

Er zol einemen a miesseh meshuneh.
Er zol ein-em-en a mies-eh me-shun-eh
He should go to hell.

Literally means: He should meet a strange death.

Er zol gayn in drerd.
Er zol gayn in drerd.
He should go to hell.

Er zol kakn mit blit un mit ayter.
Er zol kak-en mit blit un mit ayt-er.
He should crap blood and pus.

Er zol vaksen vi a tsibeleh, mit dem kop in drerd.
Er zol vak-s-en a tsib- el-eh, mit dem kop in drerd.
He should grow like an onion with his head in the ground.

Er zol zain ayf tsores.
Eer zol zain ayf tsor-es.
He should have lots of trouble.

Es hart mich vi di vant.
Es hart mich vee dee vant.
I don’t give a damn.

Literally means: It bothers me like a wall.

Es vet helfn vi a toitn bahnekes.
Es vet helf-en vee a toyt-en bahn-kis.
It’s useless, it’ll help like bloodletting on a dead body.

Es zol dir dunern in boych, vestu meyen az s’iz a homon klaper.
Es zol dir dun-ern in boych, ves-tu mey-en az s’iz a hom-on klap-er.
Your stomach will rumble so badly, you’ll think it was Purim noisemaker.

For those not familiar with the holiday of Purim, as part of the celebration various kinds of noisemakers are used to drown out the name of the enemy of the Jews—Haman—as the story of Esther is told during the reading of the Megillah, which is the Book of Esther.

Eyn umgleek oyf dir.
Eyn um-gleek oyf dir.
May misfortune fall upon you.

Eyn oyschapenysh zol oyf dir kumen.
Eyn oys-chap-ensysh zol oyf dir kum-en.
May calamity strike you.

Eyn umgleek az far im veynik.
Eyn um-gleek az far im vey-nik.
One misfortune is too few for him.

Gelt gayt tsu gelt.
Gelt gayt tsu gelt.
Money goes to money.

Gelt is keylechdik; amol iz es do, amol iz es dort.
Gelt is key-lich-dik; a- mol iz es do, a-mol iz es dort.
Money is round, it rolls away from you.

Gelt tsu fardinen iz gringer vi tsu haltn.
Gelt tsu far-din-en iz gring-er vi tsu halt-en.
It’s easier to earn money than to keep it.

Gey in drerd mit dee beyner.
Gey in drerd mit dee beyn-er.
Go to hell together with your bones.

Gey tsu al dee gute-ior!
Gey tsu al dee gut-e-ior.
Go to hell.

Literally means: Go to all the demons.

Gey tsum shvare-ior.
Gey tsum shvar-eh-i-or.
Go to the black pit.

Gezunt-heit.
Ge-zunt-heit.
Good health.

Commonly used when someone sneezes, sometimes in conjunction with “God bless you.” You can also use it as part of a toast.

Gonif
Gon-if
Thief

Also can be used to refer to someone who is a swindler, crook, burglar or racketeer.

Got helft dem oreman; er farhit im fun tey’ereh avayres.
Got helft dem o-re- man; er far-hit im fun tey’er-eh a-vayr-es.
God helps the poor man; he protects him from expensive sins.

Got zol dir bentshn mit dray mentshn: eyner zol did haltn, der tsveyter zol did shpaltn un der driter zold id bahaltn.
Got zol dir bent-shen mit dray ment-shin: ey- ner zol did halt-en, der tsveyt-er zol di shpalt- en un der drit-er zold id ba-halt-en.
God should bless you with three persons: one should hold you; the second should kill you and the third should bury you.

Groisser putz
Groys-er putz
Big idiot

Also: Big prick, big penis, big fool or big shot.

Groz zol oyf dir vaksn.
Groz zol oyf dir vaks- en.
May you push up daisies soon.

Gut zol oyf im onshikn fin di tsen makes di beste.
Gut zol oyf in onsh-ikn fin di tsen mak-es di bes-te.
God should visit upon him the best of the Ten Plagues.

Hak mir nit kain cheinik.
Hak meer nit kayn chy-nik.
Don’t bother me.

Literally means: Don’t bang on the teakettle.

Halvah
Hal-vah
Halvah

Sweetmeat. Claimed not only by the Jews, but many Middle Eastern cultures. It originated in the Balkans and eastern Mediterranean regions. It’s made with sesame seeds and honey or sugar syrup. Other ingredients can be added, such as dried fruit, pistachio nuts and almonds. Some people add cinnamon and cardamom. The ingredients are blended together, heated and poured into bars or loaves. In addition to the Yiddish word halvah, Turkish call it helva, Greeks call it halva, Arabs call it halwa or halawi. In each case it translates to “sweetmeat.”

Heng dich oyf a tsikershtrikl vestu hobn a zisn toyt.
Heng dich oyf a tsi-ker- shtrikl ves-tu hob-en a zis-en toyt.
Hang yourself with a sugar rope and you’ll have a sweet death.

Hindert hayzer zol er hobn, in yeder hoyz a hindert tsimern, in yeder tsimer tsvonsik betn un kadukhes zol im varfn fin eyn bet in der tsveyter.
Hind-ert hay-zer zol er hob-en, in yed-er hoyz a hind-ert tsim-ern, in yed-er tsim-er tsvon-sik bet-en un ka-duch-es zol im varf-en fin eyn bet in der tsveyt-er.
A hundred houses shall he have; in every house a hundred rooms and in every room twenty beds, and a delirious fever should drive him from bed to bed.

Groisser putz
Groys-er putz
Big idiot

Also: Big prick, big penis, big fool or big shot.

Groz zol oyf dir vaksn.
Groz zol oyf dir vaks- en.
May you push up daisies soon.

Gut zol oyf im onshikn fin di tsen makes di beste.
Gut zol oyf in onsh-ikn fin di tsen mak-es di bes-te.
God should visit upon him the best of the Ten Plagues.

Hak mir nit kain cheinik.
Hak meer nit kayn chy-nik.
Don’t bother me.

Literally means: Don’t bang on the teakettle.

Halvah
Hal-vah
Halvah

Sweetmeat. Claimed not only by the Jews, but many Middle Eastern cultures. It originated in the Balkans and eastern Mediterranean regions. It’s made with sesame seeds and honey or sugar syrup. Other ingredients can be added, such as dried fruit, pistachio nuts and almonds. Some people add cinnamon and cardamom. The ingredients are blended together, heated and poured into bars or loaves. In addition to the Yiddish word halvah, Turkish call it helva, Greeks call it halva, Arabs call it halwa or halawi. In each case it translates to “sweetmeat.”

Heng dich oyf a tsikershtrikl vestu hobn a zisn toyt.
Heng dich oyf a tsi-ker- shtrikl ves-tu hob-en a zis-en toyt.
Hang yourself with a sugar rope and you’ll have a sweet death.

Hindert hayzer zol er hobn, in yeder hoyz a hindert tsimern, in yeder tsimer tsvonsik betn un kadukhes zol im varfn fin eyn bet in der tsveyter.
Hind-ert hay-zer zol er hob-en, in yed-er hoyz a hind-ert tsim-ern, in yed-er tsim-er tsvon-sik bet-en un ka-duch-es zol im varf-en fin eyn bet in der tsveyt-er.
A hundred houses shall he have; in every house a hundred rooms and in every room twenty beds, and a delirious fever should drive him from bed to bed.

Iber di hyzer zolstu zid slepn mit kindskinder oyf dur-durut
I-ber di hy-zer zols-tu zid slep-en mi kinds-kind-er oyf dur-dur-ut.
May you go begging from door to door with your descendants for many generations.

Ich cock ahf im.
Ich cock ahf im
I shit on him.

Ich darf es vi a loch in kop.
Ich darf es vee a loch in kop.
I need it like a hole in the head.

Ich darf es vi a lung un leber oif der noz.
Ich darf es vee lung un leb-er der noz
I need it like a wart on my nose

Ich fief oyf dir.
Ich life oyf deer.
I despise you.

Literally means: I whistle on you.

Ich hob dich in bod.
Ich hob dich in bod.
Go drown.

Literally: I have you in the bath.

Ich hob dich in drerd.
Ich hob dich in draird.
Go to hell.

Ich hob dich in drerd.
Ich hob dich in drerd!
Go to hell.

Ich hob dich.
Ich hob dich!
Drop dead.

Ich hob in bod.
Ich hob im in bod.
To hell with him.

Literally means: I have him in the bath house

Ich hob im in toches.
Ich hob im too-ches.
I’ve got him by the ass.

Also can mean: I have him in my ass.

Id tsu dir oyf simchut, du tsu mir oyf kuliem
Id tsu oyf sim-chut, du tsu mir oy ku-li-em.
I hope I can come to you on joyous occasions and that you will come to me on crutches.

Id vel did bagrobn in der erd vi an oytser.
Id vel did ba-grob-en in der erd vi an oyts-er.
I will bury you in the ground as though you were a treasure.

Id zol did zen oyf eyn fus un du mid mit eyn oyg.
Id zol did zen oyf eyn fus un du mid mit eyn oyg.
I hope to see you on one leg and may you see me with one eye.

Id zol hobn a zchut bay got, er zol did tsunenen fun der erd.
Id zol hob-en a zhcut bay Got, er zol did tsu-nem-en fun der erd.
I hope to see you dead.

Literally means: May God grant me the favor of removing you from this world.

Id zol veyn oyf dayne iorn.
Id zol veyn oyf dayne i-orn.
May I mourn your death.

In dee zumerdike tig zolstu zitsen shiveh un in dee vinterdike necht zolsti zid rayst oyf dee seyn
In dee zu-mer-di-ke tig zolts-tu zits-en shi-veh in deee vin-ter-di-ke nect zols-tu zid rayst oyf dee seyn.
May you be in mourning in summer days and suffer from a toothache on winter nights.

In di zumerdike teg zol er zitsn shive, un in di vinterdike necht zich raysn ayf di tseyn.
In di zu-mer-di-ke teg zol er zitsn shive, un in di vin-ter-di-ke necht zich rays-en ayf di tsey-en.
On summer days he should mourn, and on wintry nights, he should torture himself.

In dreard meyn geytl.
In drerd meyn geyt-el.
My money went down the drain.

I drerd mitten koop.
In drerd mit-en kop.
Go to hell!

Literally means: Be in the ground up to yourhead.

Kaiser
kai-ser
Kaiser roll

Breakfast roll that is light and fluffy on the inside with a thin outer crust. It’s made by using a square piece of dough and folding the corners of the dough into the center. Sometimes it’s made with

poppy seeds and sometimes without the seeds. The name for this roll actually comes from Germany, called Kaisersemmel for the German emperor, plus semmel, which means roll.

Keyn besern mazel zolstu.
Key-en bes-ern maz-el zols-tu.
You should have no better luck.

Khasene hobn zol er mit di malech hamoves tochter.
Khas-en-eh hob-en zol er mit di ma-lech ha- mov-es tocht-er.
He should marry the daughter of the Angel of Death.

Kibbitz or Kibbitzer
Kib-itz or kib-itz-er
Kibbitz or Kibbitzer

When someone talks too much or gets involved in a subject when they shouldn’t, they’re called a kibbitzer. Kibbitz usually means unsolicited or unwanted advice. A person that offers that advice is a kibbitzer, also known as a meddlesome spectator.

Klutz
Klutz
Clumsy person

Also a stupid person or a dolt

Knish
K-nish
Knish

Piece of dough stuffed with potato, meat or cheese and baked or fried, commonly eaten as a snack or an appetizer. Its origins are in the Ukrainian word Knysh.

Kosher
Ko-sher
Kosher

Conforming to dietary laws, when talking about food. Its origin is Hebrew and means “fitting” or “proper.” Today as slang it’s used for nonfood items and means that the material is legitimate, permissible, genuine or authentic. For example, it’s commonly used in phrases such as: “Using bikes on the path is kosher,” or “The story about New York is kosher.”

Koved
Ko-vid
Honor

When you hold high respect for someone or something, you are said to koved it. Koved means respect, honor, revere or hold in high esteem.

Kucker
Kuck-er
Shit head

Kugel
Ku-gel
Kugel

Casserole-like dish made with noodles or potatoes then baked with eggs and seasoning. A sweet kugel can be made with noodles, raisins and apples. In Yiddish Kugel actually means ball, which related to its puffed-up or mound shape. The word originates in Middle High German.

Kush in toches arayn.
Kush in too-ches a- rhine.
Kiss my ass.

Kush mich in toches.
Kush mich in too-ches.
Kiss my ass.

Kvell
K-vell
Gloat

Used when you are gloating over your children to show pride in their accomplishments. Someone might also kvell when they are enjoying an enemy’s bad luck.

Kvetcher
Kvetch-er
Complainer

Also can refer to someone who is a whiner. Nothing is ever good enough for them. Rodney Dangerfield was known as the king of the Kvetchers. Kvetch in Yiddish means to squeeze.

Laks
Laks
Lox

Smoked salmon, from the Yiddish word laks, which means salmon. This actually comes from the German word for salmon, lachs, which was taken from an Indo-European word meaning salmon.

Leyg zin in drerd arayn.
Leyg zin in drerd a- rhine.
Go bury yourself.

Lign drerd un bak beygel.
Lig-en drerd un bak beyg-el.
Go to hell and bake bagels there.

Literally means: Live underground and bake bagels there.

Ligner
Lig-ner
Liar

Loch in kop
Loch in kop
Hole in the head

Loy yitslach
Loy yits-lach
Incompetent person

Also can refer to someone who has perpetual bad luck.

Loyn zolstu in bet- chakis iede dray minut oder iede dray chadoshim.
Loyn zols-tu in bet- chak-is i-ed-e dray min- ut o-der i-ed-e dray cha-do-shim.
May you run to the toilet every three minutes or every three months.

Loz mich tzu ru.
Loz mich tzu ru.
Leave me alone.

Literally means: Let me be in peace.

Luftmensh
Luft-mensh
Dreamer

Also can refer to someone who is an unrealistic optimist; builds castles in the air and has no trade or income. You definitely don’t want to loan money to a person like this for their next big scheme to make money. Literally means: Air man.

Mamzer
Mamz-er
Bastard

Also someone who is a nasty, unworthy person.

Maven
May-vin
Expert

When you think someone is an expert, you can call him a maven. Also used to indicate someone is an authority on a subject or a connoisseur.

Mazel tov.
Ma-zel tov.
Good luck.

Mazel means luck and Tov means good. Also used to say Congratulations!

Me ken brechen fun dem.
Me ken brech-en fun dem.
You can vomit from this.

Me zol did trogn un zingn
Me zol did trog-en un zing-en.
May prayers be offered up for your soul.

Literally means: May you be carried away amidst song.

Me zol din aynladn tsum gubernator oyf a seydeh in du zolst im gebn a grepts in ponem arayn.
Me zol din ayn-lad-en gu-ber-na-tor oyf sey- deh in du zolst im gebn a grepts in pon- em a-rhine.
May you be invited to a feast by the governor and may you belch in his face.

Me zol rufn tsu dir srotshne a dokter un az iener vet kumen zol men im zogn az me darf shoyn nit.
Me zol ruf-en tsu dir srotsh-ne a dok-ter un az i-en-er vet ku-men zol men im zog-n az me darf shoy-en nit.
May someone call a doctor for you urgently, and when he arrives, they should inform him that it is too late.

Megillah
Me-gil-lah
Long-winded story

When someone blows something way out of proportion, you can call it a big megillah. It’s also used to express that someone has told you the entire story with complete details—many times in a very long- winded way. The word actually is the name of the story of Esther and read on the holiday of Purim.

Mensch
Mensch
Mensch

Someone who does good works and helps others is called a mensch. Literally it means: Person or human being. Use this word when you want to give others the impression that someone is truly worthy of respect for his good deeds, would make a good husband or business partner, treats others fairly and meets his obligations.

Mer vi dayn kop zol id nit onvern.
Mer vi dayn kop zol id nit on-vern.
May I not lose anything more than your head.

Meshugeh zolstu vern un orumloyfn iber dee gasn.
Me-shug-eh zols-tu vern un o-rum-loyf-en i-ber dee gas-en.
May you go crazy and run around the streets.

Meshugener mamzer
Meh-shu-gen-er mam- zer.
Crazy bastard

Its roots are from the Hebrew word meshugga (meh-shu-ga), meaning crazy, and mamzer, meaning bastard.

Miesseh meshuneh
Meese-eh ma-shee-neh
An ugly ending to you

Also means: To wish lots of trouble on someone.

Literally means: A strange death or a tragic end.

Migulgl zol er vern in a henglayhter, bay tog zol er hengn, un bay nacht zol er brenen.
Mi-gul-gel zol er vern in a heng-layht-er, bay to zol er heng-en, un bay nacht zol er bren-en.
He should be trans formed into a chandelier, to hang by day and to burn by night.

Mish zich nisht arayn.
Mish zich nisht a-rhine.
Don’t butt in. Keep you nose out of it.

Mishegass
Mih-sheh-gas.
Insane or crazy

When everything is just crazy or gone insane, you can call it a big mishegass. This is a variation of the Hebrew word meshugga (meh- shu-ga), which means crazy.

Mishmash
Mish-mash
Mess

When everything is a mess, you can call it a mishmash. Also fits when you think something is a hodgepodge or a jumble. It is believed this comes from the fifteenth century and was formed by a repetition of the word mash.

Mit a gutn gast frayt men zich ven er kumt arayn; mit a shlechtn gast, ven er gayt avek.
Mit gu-ten gas frayt men zich ven er kumt a-rhine; mit a shlecht- en gast, ven er gayt a- vek.
With a good guest, you are happy when he arrives; with a bad one, when he leaves.

Mit gelt tor men nit stolzyern, veyl me ken es gleych farleyren.
Mit gelt or men nit stolz-yer-en, veyl me ken es gleych far-leyr- en.
Don’t boast of money because you can easily lose it.

Mit zechus oves batsolt men nit kayn choyves.
Mit zach-us oves bat- solt men nit kayn choy- ves.
You cannot pay a debt with a noble pedigree.

Mitn malechamo’ves zolstu zid shpeln.
Mit-en ma-lech-a- mo’ves zols-tu zid shpel-en.
May you romp with the Angel of Death.

Mitzvah
Mits-veh
Good deed

Means: A good deed. When you do something to help someone else, it’s called a mitzvah.

Mosser
Moo-ser
Informer

Naches
Nach-es
Joy

Means: Joy or happiness. Used most often by parents to say their children give them great naches.

Nash or nashn
Nash
Nosh

Light snack or light meal. This comes from the Yiddish word nash or nashn, which means to eat sweats or to nibble on food. Its origin can be found in the Middle High German word naschen, which means to nibble.

Nebach
Neb-ach
Pitiable person

Nebbish
Neb-ish
Weakling

Also a pitiable person but not as bad as a nebach.

Nem zich a vaneh.
Nem zich a van-eh.
Go jump in a lake.

Literally means: Go take a bath.

Nezunt un shtark zolstu zayn vee ayzn, zolst zid nit kenen.
Ne-zunt un shtark zols- tu zayn vee ayz-en zolst zid nit ken-en.
May you be healthy and tough as iron, so much so that you cannot bend over.

Nit derlebn zolstu eltertsu vern.
Nit der-leb-en zols-tu el-ter-tsu vern.
May you never become old.

Nit gedacht zolstu vern.
Nit ge-dacht zols-tu vern.
May you never be remembered.

Nit hobn zolstu keyn guts in stub.
Nit hob-en zols-tu key- en guts in stub.
May you never enjoy any goodness in your home.

Nit hobn zolstu keyn guts vayl du lebst.
Nit hob-en zols-tu key- en guts vayl du lebst.
May you never have anything good all your life.

Nu
Nu
What’s new?

Nu is a commonly used Yiddish slang for “What’s new?” but has many other uses as well. It can also be used as a question, such as: “Nu? When does he show up?”; to show impatience, such as “Nu! What was said?”; to dare someone, “Nu, prove it to me!”; or to just make a strong statement, “Nu, I told you so!”

Nudjen
Nud-jen
Nudge

Pester or bore. Someone who pesters, annoys or complains persistently. Its origins are from the Polish word nudzi, which means the same.

Nudnik
Nood-nik
Nudnik; annoying person

If someone is badgering you and they are a very annoying person, you can call them a nudnik. Also used when someone is a bore, being obnoxious, nagging you, or generally being a nuisance.

Opkenumen zoln dir dee hent vern.
Op-ken-u-men zoln dir dee hent vern.
May your arms and hands be paralyzed.

Orem iz nit kayn shand, ober oych kayn groisser koved nit.
O-rem iz nit kayn shande, o-ber oych kayn grois-er kov-ed nit.
Poverty is no disgrace, but also no great honor.

Oy gevalt.
Oy ge-valt.
Holy shit.

Use it when you hear shocking news. It’s usually used to express alarm, dismay, fear, terror or astonishment. When used with “Oy,” it can mean “That’s dreadful!” or “Holy shit!” The Yiddish origin is the word G’vald, which means force or violence.

Oy vay.
Oy vay.
Oh, no.

Oy vay means Oh, no, but in Yiddish actually means Oh, woe. People also use it to say things like, “How terrible,” or “That’s horrible.”

Oyb du zogst lign zolstu krenk lign.
Oyb du zogst li-gen zols-tu krenk li-gen.
If you tell a lie may you lie ill.

Oyf doktoyrim zol er dos avekgebn.
Oyf dok-toy-rim zol er dos a-vek-geb-en.
He should give it all away to doctors.

Oyf keyn guten-ort zolstu nit shteyn nor lign.
Oyf keyn gut-en-ort zols-tu nit shtey-en nor lig-en.
May you not stand in a cemetery, only lie there.

Oysbrechen zolstu dee hent mit dee fus.
Oys-brech-en zols-tu dee hent mit dee foos.
May you break your arms and your legs.

Oysgefleekt zolstu vern.
Oys-gef-leekt zols-tu vern.
May suffering consume you.

Oyskrenkn zolstu alts vos du farmogst un farzetsn der vaybs spodnitse.
Oys-krenk-en zols-tu alts vos du far-mogst un far-zets-en der vayb-es spod-nit-se.
May sickness drain all you have and may you pawn your wife’s skirt.

Oyskrinkn zol er dus mame’s milach.
Oy-strink-en zol er dus ma-me’s mil-ach.
He should get so sick as to cough up his mother’s milk.

Paygeren zol er.
Pay-ger-en zol er.
He should drop dead.

Pisher
Pish-er
Inexperienced person

Also can be used to indicate someone is inexperienced, unseasoned or “wet behind the ears.” Or for someone who thinks he’s adult enough to handle a task, but really isn’t. Another more literal meaning is bed-wetter.

Platsn zolstu fun naches.
Plats-en zols-tu fun nach-es.
May you explode from pleasure.

Plotz
Plots
Burst

When you feel like you are ready to explode from too much excitement or anger, you can say, “I want to plotz.”

Poyer
Poy-er
Dull-witted

Also can refer to a peasant, farmer, boor or dullard

Putz
Putz
Fool or idiot

Rugelach
Ru-ge-lach
Rugelach

Crescent-shaped cookie made from a cream-cheese dough filled with jam, chocolate, cinnamon, sugar or nuts, or some combination of these ingredients, cut into a triangle and rolled up.

S’zol did onchapn a shtechenish un a brechenish, a raysenish un a baysenish.
S’zol did on-chap-en a shtech-en-ish un a brech-en-ish, a ryas- en-ish una bays-en-ish.
May you feel pricks, bites, aching bones and sores all over your body

S’zol dir dreyn in boyd.
S’zol dir drey-en in boyd.
May you have a revolution in your stomach.

S’zol dir shnaydn bay di kishkes.
S’zol dir shnayd-en bay di keesh-kes.
May you have terrible stabbing pains in your bowels.

S’zol dir vaksn a geshver oyfn pupik.
S’zol dir vaks-en a gesh-ver oyf-en poo- pik.
May a boil grow on your belly button.

Saichel
Say-chel
Wise

When you think someone is very smart or wise, you say they have saichel. This can also mean: Someone has common sense, tact or diplomacy.

Sazol dir azoy dreyen boyd me zol meynen az sayiz a katerinke.
Sa-zol dir a-zoy drey-en boyd me zol mey-nen az say-iz a ka-ter-in-ke.
May your innards turn and grind so much, people will think you are an organ grinder.

Schmir
Schmeer
Schmear

To use a dab of cream cheese is one common meaning, but you will also hear shmear used when people talk about buying a bunch of things together, such as “She bought the whole shmear.” The Yiddish word schmir means smear or smudge, from the word shmirn or grease, which stems from the Middle High German word smiren, also meaning to smear or grease. When not used in the context of eating, shmear can mean the whole works or to be excessively kind for selfish gains.

Shalom
Sha-lom
Hello

Hebrew word with lots of different meanings, including, hello, peace, good-bye, so long, and other similar words of welcome when someone comes in, or good-bye when someone leaves. But it’s only good-bye until you can welcome someone again.

Shandeh
Shan-deh
Shame

Use when you are embarrassed about something or think something is a shame.

Shikker
Shik-er
Drunkard

Someone who is a drunkard, is a shikker. Its origins are in the Hebrew word sikkor or sakar, “to be drunk.”

Shlak
Shlak
Shlock joint

Junk shop or has no value. Literally it means evil. When you go into a store that sells cheap stuff, you can call it a “shlok joint.” Its origins is the Middle High German word slag.

Shlemazel
Shleh-mah-zel
Incompetent person

Also can refer to someone who has perpetual bad luck or misfortune.

Shlemiel
Shleh-meal
Butter-fingered

Also an inept or foolish person, a simpleton, nincompoop or a bungler.

Shlepn
Shlep-en
Shlep

Means to drag an object with difficulty. It can also be used for a long, tedious or difficult journey. Like, “Wasn’t that trip to the city a shlep?” Its origins are the German word schleppen, which means “to drag.”

Shlepper
Shlep-per
Sponger

Also can refer to someone who always tags along or a jerk.

Shlog zich kog in vant.
Shlog zich kog in vant.
Go break you own head.

Shlump
Shloomp
Poor dresser

Also unstylish or with bad posture. When a someone corrects another because his shoulders are drooping, they can say “Don’t shlump!”

Shlumpf
Shlumpf
Sucker

Also a patsy, fall guy or second rater.

Shmaltz
Shmaltz
Greasy

Melted fat. Usually used to refer to something that is greasy, gooey or has lots of fat drippings. But, you’ll also hear it when someone is talking about something corny or overly sentimental. In that case a “y” is added at the end. For example, “Wasn’t that a shmaltzy play?” Some people also use shmaltzy to describe something as flattery, sweet talk or overpraise. For example, “Wasn’t that a shmaltzy introduction?” Its origins are in the German word schmaltz of the same meaning.

Shmegegi
Shmeh-geh-gee
Idiot

Also a nothing or a nobody.

Shmok
Shmok
Shmo

If you think someone is a complete jerk or patsy, you can call him a shmo. It comes from the Yiddish word shmok, which means penis or fool.

Shmuck
Shmuck
Clumsy person

Shmuck means a clumsy or stupid person. This comes from the Yiddish word shmock, which means penis or fool, but some think its beginnings are actually in the Polish word smok, which means serpent or tail.

Shmuck
Shmuck
Self-made fool

Also dickhead, idiot or jerk. Another word for penis. Literally means: Jewel.

Shmuesn
Shmues-en
Schmooze

Engage in casual conversation, many times in order to gain an advantage or make a social connection. The Yiddish word shmuesn has its origins both in shmues (chat) or schmue (rumor).

Shmutz
Shmutz
Dirt

Lots of dirt or slime.

Shnoits
Shnoyts
Shnoz

Nose, which comes from the Yiddish word shnoits, which means snout.

Shnook
Shnook
Shnook

When someone is easily victimized, in other words stupid, a sucker or a dupe, you can call them a shnook. Its origins are in the Lithuanian word snukis, which means mug or snout.

Shnorrer
Shnor-er
Panhandler

Also can refer to a beggar, moocher or freeloader. Shnorrers make a career of panhandling and think they were doing others a favor by allowing them to do a mitzvah (good deed) through donating to the needy.

Shoyn opgetrent?
Shoin op-geh-trent?
Finished fucking?

Also translates to: Are you finished screwing around? Or, Have you finished the dirty work?

Literally means: Have you finished fornicating?

Shraybn zol men dir retseptn.
Shrayb-en zol men dir re-tsept-en.
If anyone writes you, they should write you doctors’ prescriptions.

Shteyner ayf zayne bainer.
Shteyn-er ayf zayne bain-er.
Stones on his bones.

Shteyner zol zi hoben, nit kayn kinder.
Shtey-ner zol zi hob-en, nit kayn kin-der.
She should have stones and not children.

Shtik
Shtik
Comedy act

Piece or routine. An entertainment routine, usually a comedy act. Its origins are from the High Middle German word stucke or piece.

Shtik drek
Shtick drek
Piece of shit

Shtinker
Shtink-er
Smelly person

Also can refer to someone who behaves offensively.

Shtup es in toches.
Shtoop es in too-ches.
Shove it up your ass.

Shvitzer
Shvitz-er
Braggart

Literally means: Someone who sweats.

Strasheh mich nit.
Stra-sheh mich nit.
Don’t threaten me.

Ti mir eppes.
Tee mir ep-is.
So what do you think you can do to me? Nothing.

Toches ahfen tish.
Too-ches ah-fin tish.
Put up or shut up.

Also can be used to mean: Let’s conclude this! Or Come clean, buddy! Literally means: Put your buttocks on the table!

Toches-lecker
Too-ches leck-er
Ass kisser

Also can refer to a brown-noser or someone who will do anything to gain favor.

Literally means: buttock-licker.

Tough toches
Too-ches
Tough luck

Literally means tough ass. Use when you want to say tough luck or too bad. Toches is another word for butt, ass, backside or fanny. You get the idea.

Traif
Trayf
Unkosher

Forbidden food and not prepared by the rules of Jewish dietary laws. It’s the opposite of kosher. You may hear this word also used for non-food items, such as books or movies, that are forbidden. For example, “Don’t go to see, Deep Throat [a pornographic flick]—it’s traif.”

Trinkn zoln im piavkes .
Trink-en zoln im piavkes.
Leeches should drink him dry.

Trogn zol dir der ruech oyf di pleytses.
Trog-en zol dir der ru-ech oyf di pleyts-es.
May the Devil carry you on his shoulders.

Trogn zol men dir oyf der miteh.
Trog-en zol men dir oyf der mit-eh.
May you be carried out on a dead man’s stretcher.

Tsap mir nit dos blut.
Tsap meer nit dos blut
Don’t aggravate me.

Literally means: Don’t bleed me.

Tseboyechen zolstu ruk- un-lend.
Tse-boy-ech-en zols-tu ruk-un-lend.
May you break all your bones.

Literally means: May you break your back and your sides.

Tsen shifn mit gold zol er farmorgn, un dos gantse gelt zol er farkrenkn.
Tsen shif-en mit gold zol er far-morg-en un does gant-se getl zol er far-krenk-en.
Ten ships of gold should be his and the money should only make him sick.

Tsen shifn mit gold zolstu farmogn in dos gantse gelt zolstu farkrenkn.
Tsen shif-en mit gold zols-tu far-mog-en in do gant-se gelt zols-tu far-kenk-en.
May you own ten ships full of gold and may you spend it all on your ill nesses.

Tsi bistu meshugeh?
Tsi-bis-tu me-shug-eh?
Are you crazy?

Tsores
Sor-es
Troubles

When you have a lot of problems or troubles, you can say you are facing a lot of tsores. Also can be used to express misery.

Tzatzkeh
Tzatz-keh
Bimbo

Also can refer to someone who is a mistress, sexually attractive girl, or an overdressed woman. Another meaning can be a toy, ornament or expensive plaything.

Varfn zol did eylenvayz.
Var-fen zol did ey-len- wayz.
A fever should toss you (in bed) a foot high each time.

Vemen barestu?
Vay-men bar-es-tu?
Who are you kidding, who do you think you are screwing around with?

Literally means: Who are you screwing?

Ven hungert a nogid? Ven der doktor hayst im.
Ven hung-ert a nog-d? Ven der dokt-or hayst im.
When does a wealthy man go hungry? When the doctor orders him.

Ver bagrobn nayn eyln in der erd.
Ver ba-grog-en nayn eyl-en in der erd.
May you be buried nine feet deep in the ground.

Ver derharget.
Ver der-har-get.
Drop dead.

Also can mean: Bury yourself. Go kill yourself.

Ver dershtikt.
Vair der-shtikt.
Choke on it.

Ver es varft oil yenem shteyner krigt tsurik in di aigneh bainer.
Ver es varft oil yen-em shteyn-er krigt tsur-ik in di aig-neh bain-er.
He who throws stones on another gets them back on his own bones.

Ver farblondjet.
Vair far-blond-jet.
Get lost.

Verem essn toiterhayt un deiges lebedikerhayt.
Ve-rem es-sen toi-ter- hayt un dei-ges le-bed- i-ker-hayt.
Worms eat you up when dead and worries eat you up alive.

Vern zol fun did a blintshik in fun is a kats. Er sol did oyfesn un mit dir zin der- vargn—volt men fun ayn beydn ptur gevorn.
Vern zol fun did a blint- shik in fun is a kats. Er sol did oyf-esn un mit dir zin der-varg-en—volt men fun ayn beyd- en ptur ge-vorn.
May you turn into a pancake and he into a cat. He should eat you and choke on you—that way we will be rid of both of you.

Vern zol fun dir a blintshik in dee kats zol did chapn.
Vern zol fun dir a blint- shik in de kats zol di chapn.
May you turn into a pancake and be snatched away by the cat

Vest vellen zich oysfaynen far layt, vestu shtarbn far der tsayt.
Vest vell-en zich oys- fay-nen far layt, ves-tu shtrab-en far der tsayt.
If you want to please everybody, you’ll die before your time.

Vi me bet zich oys, azoy darf men shlofn.
Vi me bet zich oys, a- zoy darf men shlof-en.
As you make your bed, so will you sleep in it.

Vi tsu derleb ich im shoyn tsu bagrobn.
Vi tsu der-leb ich im shoy-en tsu ba-grob-en.
I should outlive him long enough to bury him.

Vifil yor er iz gegangn oyf di fis zol er geyn af di hent un di iberike zol er zich sharn oyf di hintn.
Vi-fil yor er iz ge-gang- en oyf di fis zol er geyn af hi hent un di i-ber-ike zol er zich sharn oyf di hint-en.
As many years as he’s walked on his feet, let him walk on his hands, and for the rest of the time he should crawl along on his ass.

Yenta
Yen-teh
Gossip

Also can refer to someone who is a busybody, talkative woman or blabbermouth.

Yentzer
Yents-er
Pimp

Also, someone who will screw you in a nonsexual way.

Zalts im in di oygen, feffer im in di noz.
Zalts im in di oyg-en, fef-er im in di noz.
Throw salt in his eyes, pepper in his nose.

Zayn mazel zol im layhtn vee dee levone in sof choydesh.
Zayn maz-el zol im layht-en vee dee lev-one in sof choy- desh.
His luck should be as bright as a new moon.

Zei nit kain vyzoso.
Zye nit kane vi-zo-so.
Don’t be an idiot.

Also can mean: Don’t be a damn fool. or Don’t be a penis.

Zeit nit kain goylem.
Zye nit kane go-lem.
Don’t be a fool.

Also can mean: Don’t be a robot.

Zeit nit kain nar.
Zye nit kane nar.
Don’t be a fool.

Zhlob
Zhlob
Slob

Also someone who is clumsy, uncouth or foolish.

Zol dich chappen beim boych.
Zol dich chap-in byme boych.
You should only get a stomach cramp.

Zol dir got arayngebn a naye neshumah un tsuhemen di alte.
Zol dir got a-rhine- geb-en a naye ne- shum-ah un tsu-hem-en di al-the.
Drop dead.

Literally means: May old one.
God give you a new soul
and take your

Zol dir grihmen in boych.
Zol dir grih-min in boych.
You should get a stomach cramp.

Zol dir vaksn tzibbeles fun pupik.
Zol dir vox-en tzib-eh- les fun poop-ik.
Onions should grow on your navel.

Zol er tzebrechne a fus.
Zol er tze-brech-en a foos.
He should break a leg.

Zol es brennen.
Zol es bren-in.
To hell with it.

Zol es dir aroys bokem.
Zol es dir a-roys bok- em.
May it end badly for you.

Zol es im onkumn vos ich vintsh im [chotsh a helft, chotsh halb, chotsh a tsent cheyli].
Zol es im on-kumn vos ich vintsh im [chotsh a helft, chotsh halb, chotsh a tsent chey-li ].
Let what I wish on him come true [most, even half, even just 10 [percent.]

Zol shoyn zany a groyser irid in gen- eden, un zolst dortn matslich shem.
Zol shoyn za-ny a groys-er i-rid in gen-e- den un zolst dort-en mats-lich shem.
May there be a great fair in Paradise and may you be very successful there.

Zoln dayn kishkes farfrayrn vern oyf azoy fil, az nor der fyer fun gehnum zol zey kenen tseshmeltsn
Zoln dayn kish-kes far-frayr-en vern oyf a-zoy fil, az nor der fy-er fun geh-num zol zey ken-en. tsesh- melt-sen.
May your guts freeze so hard that only hellfire will be able to thaw them.

Zoln dayne shunim oyslenkn zeyere fim ven zey veln tantsn oyf dayn keyver.
Zoln day-ne shun-im oys-len-ken zey-ere fim ven zey veln tants-en oyf dayn key-ver.
May your enemies sprain their ankles dancing on your grave.

Zoln dir vaksn burekes fun pupik, in zolst pishn mit borsht.
Zoln dir vaks-en bu- rek-es fun pup-ik in zolst pish-en mit borsht.
May a red beet grow out of your belly button, and may you pee borsht.

Zoln verem praven a chaseneh in dayn boyn in aynladn ale zeyere kroyvim fun inupets biz sladobke.
Zoln ver-em prav-en a chas-e-neh in dayn boyn in ayn-lad-en ale zey-ere kroy-vim fun in- u-pets biz slad-ob-ke.
May worms hold a wedding in your stomach and invite their relatives from all over.

Zolst azoy farfoylt vern az tsign, tchoyrn, un chazirim zoln zid opzogn tsu forn mit dir in eyn fur.
Zolst a-zoy far-foylt vern az tsign, tchoy-ern un cha-zir-im zoln zid op-zog-en tsu forn mit dir in eyn fur.
May you rot so badly that goats, skunks and pigs will decline to travel in the same cart as you.

Zolst azoy seyn redn az nor di kats zoln dir farshteyn.
Zolst a-zoy sey-en red- en az nor kats zoln dir farsht-eyn.
May you speak so elo quently that only a cat will understand you.

Zolst beser lebn un mutshen zid.
Zolst bes-er leb-en un mut-shen zid.
Better that you should live and suffer.

Zolst es shtupin in toches arayn.
Zolst es shtoop-en in too-ches a-rhine.
You should shove it up your ass.

Zolst farshporn di bizoynut un di krenh fun der elter.
Zolst far-shpor-en di bi- zoyn-ut un kren-eh fun der elt-er.
May you be spared the indignities and illnesses of old age.

Zolst geshvollen veren vi a barg.
Zolst geh-shvol-en ver- en vi a barg.
You should swell up like a mountain.

Zolst hobn di same fete gandz—nor kit keyn tseyner di beste vayn nor nit keyn chushtem di senste vayb - nor nit keyn zehrut.
Zolst hob-en di sa-me fete gandz—nor kit key-en tseyn-er; di bes- te vine nor nit keyn chush-tem; di sens-te vayb—nor nit key-en zeh-rut.
May you have the juiciest goose—but no teeth; the best wine—but no sense of taste; the most beautiful wife—but be impotent.

Zolst hobn hano’ie fun dayn chuneh-seudeh un zid dervargn mit letstn bisn.
Zolst hob-en ha-no’ie fun dayn chun-eh seu- deh un zid der-varg-en mit letst-en bis-en.
May you enjoy your wedding breakfast and choke on your last bite.

Zolst lebn biz hoondert un tsvantseek yor—mit a heeltsernem kop in glezerne oygn.
Zolst leb-en biz hoond- ert un tsvants-eek yor—mit a heel-tser- nem kop in glez-erne oyg-en.
May you live until one hundred and twenty—with a wooden head and glass eyes.

Zolst lign in drerd.
Zolst lig-en in drerd.
Drop dead.

Zolst syn vee a lump: hengen by tog, brenen by nacht in oysgeyn zolstu in der fri.
Zolst syn vee a lump: heng-en by to, bren-en by nacht in oys-geyn zols-tu in der fri.
May you be a lamp: hang by day, burn by night and be snuffed out in the morning.

Zolst vern azoy rayd almo’nes man zol zid keyn mol nit zorgen vegn perno’se.
Zolst vern a-zoy rayd almo’nes man zol zid keyn mol nit zorg-en veg-en per-no-se.
May you become so rich that your widow’s husband should never have any worries about his livelihood.

Zolst zid azoy matern mitn toyt vee in mater zid.
Zolst zid a-zoy ma-tern mit-en toyt vee in ma- ter zid.
May you be as tormented in your death as I am in my life.

CITADEL PRESS BOOKS are published by

Kensington Publishing Corp.
850 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Copyright © 2006 Lita Epstein

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

CITADEL PRESS and the Citadel logo are Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2005934018

ISBN: 978-0-8065-3585-2