# Yiddish phrasebook

Yiddish (ייִדיש / יידיש / אידיש, yidish/idish) is the traditional language of the Ashkenazi Jews. It is spoken as a daily language mostly by Charedi Jews in some parts of the United States, mostly in and around New York City, and in Israel. There are also smaller Yiddish-speaking communities in Canada, the United Kingdom, Russia, Australia, South Africa and Argentina. It developed out of Middle High German with many loanwords of Hebrew, Slavic, French, or other origin, making it not fully intelligible to native German speakers. As Yiddish is roughly 75% Germanic in origin, German speakers can understand a large part of it.
Yiddish is written with the same alphabet as Hebrew, with a few additional letters, and is written from right to left. However, unlike Hebrew, which uses an abjad (consonant-only alphabet), Yiddish generally uses the Hebrew alphabet as a full alphabet, vowels and all.

## Pronunciation guide

Yiddish has several dialects which differ in their vowel sounds and certain vocabulary items. Words of European origin are spelled out phonemically. On the other hand, words of Semitic (Hebrew and Aramaic) origin are written just as in the original Hebrew or Aramaic, without vowels. In many cases, you must learn how to pronounce these words in Yiddish on a word-by-word basis; you cannot necessarily work it out from their spelling, and they are mostly pronounced differently from Israeli Hebrew.

### א shtumer alef

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

### אַ pasekh alef

    father

### אָ komets aleph

    own

### ב beys

    like bear

### בֿ veys

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

### ג giml

    like gone

### ד daled

    like dog

### ה hey

    like harp

### ו vov

    like or or tune

### וּ melupm vov

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

### װ tsvey vovn

    like violin

### ױ vov yud

    like boy

### ז zayin

    like zebra

### ח khes

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

### ט tes

    like tuck

### י yud

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

### יִ khirek yud

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

### ײ tsvey yudn

    like bay

### ײַ pasekh tsvey yudn

    like pie

### כּ kof

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

### כ ך khof

    like loch

### ל lamed

    like leave

### מ ם mem

    like mother

### נ ן nun

    like never

### ס samekh

    like some

### ע ayin

    like set

### פּ pey

    like upon

### פֿ ף fey

    like free

### צ ץ tsadek

    like boots

### ק kuf

    like coo, but further back in the throat

### ר reysh

    voiced gargle as in French, can be pronounced as root

### ש shin

    like shoe

### שׂ sin

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

### תּ tof

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

### ת sof

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

## Phrase list

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

### Basics
#### Hello.

    שלום־עליכם (sholem-aleykhem)

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

    עליכם־שלום (aleykhem-sholem)

#### How are you?

    װאָס מאַכסטו? (Vos makhstu?) (informal) / װאָס מאַכט איר? (Vos makht ir?) (formal)

#### Fine, thank you.

    גוט, אַ דאַנק (Gut, a dank) גאָט צו דאַנקן (Got tsu danken) ברוך השם (Borukh Hashem)

#### What is your name?

    װי הײסטו? (Vi heystu? [informal])/ װי הײסט איר?(Vi heyst ir? [formal])

#### My name is ______ .

    איך הײס (Ikh heys ______.)

#### Nice to meet you.

    עס פֿרײַט מיר זיך צו קענען אײַך (Es frayt mir zikh tsu kenen aykh [formal]) עס פֿרײַט מיר זיך צו טרעפֿן דיך (Es frayt mir zikh tsu trefen dikh.)

#### Please.

    זײַט אַזױ גוט (Zayt azoy gut.)

#### Thank you.

    אַ דאַנק (A dank.)

#### You're welcome

    נישטאָ פֿאַרװאָס (nishto farvos)

#### Yes.

    יאָ (yo)

#### No.

    נײן (neyn)

#### Excuse me. (getting attention)

    ענטשולדיק (Entshuldik!)

#### Excuse me. (begging pardon)

    זײַט זשע מוחל (Zayt zhe moykhl! )

#### I'm sorry.

    Zayt mir moykhl (formal) זײַ מיר מוחל (Zay mir moykhl [informal].)

#### Goodbye

    זײַ געזונט (Zay gezunt) אַ גרוס אין דער הײם (A grus in der heym.)

#### Goodbye (informal)

    אַ גוטן (A gutn.)

#### I can't speak Yiddish [well].

    (איך רעד נישט קײן אידיש (גוט (Ikh red nisht keyn Yidish (gut).)

#### Do you speak English?

    רעדסטו ענגליש Redstu English? (informal)/ רעדט איר ענגליש Redt ir English? (formal)

#### Is there someone here who speaks English?

    איז עס דאָ עמעץ װאָס רעדט ענגליש Iz es do emetz vos redt English?

#### Help!

    הילף Hilf! גװאַלד Gvald!

#### Good morning.

    גוטן מאָרגן Gutn morgn.

#### Good evening.

    גוטן אָװענט Gutn ovent.

#### Good night

    אַ גוטע נאַכט A gute nakht.

#### I don't understand.

    איך פֿאַרשטײ נישט (ikh farshtey nisht)

#### Where is the toilet?

    װוּ איז דער באָדצימער/דער װאַנעצימער Vu iz der bodtsimer?/ der vanetsimer?

### Problems
#### Leave me alone.

    Lozt mir aleyn! ( .)

#### Don't touch me!

    Rirt mikh nisht on! ( !)

#### I'll call the police.

    Ikh vet telefonirn di politsey. ( .)

#### Police!

    Politsey! ( !)

#### Stop! Thief!

    Hert oys! Gazlen! ( ! !)

#### I need your help.

    Ikh darf dayne hilf hobn. ( .)

#### It's an emergency.

    Es iz a noytfal. ( .)

#### I'm lost.

    Ikh bin farblondzhet. ( .)

#### I lost my bag.

    Ikh hob mayne tash farlirt. ( .)

#### I lost my wallet.

    Ikh hob mayn tayster farlirt. ( .)

#### I'm sick.

    Ikh bin krank. ( .)

#### I've been injured.

    Ikh hob a veytik. ( .)

#### I need a doctor.

    Ikh darf a doktor zen. ( .)

#### Can I use your phone?

    Meg ikh dayn telefon banitsn? ( ?)

#### Can I use your cell phone?

    Meg ikh dayne tselke banitsn? ( ?)

### Numbers
#### 1

    (eyn)

#### 2

    (tsvey)

#### 3

    (dray)

#### 4

    (fir)

#### 5

    (finf)

#### 6

    (zeks)

#### 7

    (zibm)

#### 8

    (akht)

#### 9

    (nayn)

#### 10

    (tsen)

#### 11

    (elf)

#### 12

    (tsvelf)

#### 13

    (draytsn)

#### 14

    (fertsn)

#### 15

    (fuftsn)

#### 16

    (zektsn)

#### 17

    (zebetsn)

#### 18

    (akhtsn)

#### 19

    (nayntsn)

#### 20

    (tsvantsik)

#### 21

    (eynontsvantsik )

#### 22

    (tsveyontsvansik)

#### 23

    (drayontsvansik)

#### 30

    (draysik)

#### 40

    (fertsik)

#### 50

    (fuftsik)

#### 60

    (zektsik)

#### 70

    (zibetsik)

#### 80

    (akhtsik)

#### 90

    (nayntsik)

#### 100

    (hundert)

#### 200

    (tsvey hundert)

#### 300

    (dray hundert)

#### 1,000

    (toyznt)

#### 2,000

    (tsvey toysnt)

#### 1,000,000

    (milyon)

#### 1,000,000,000

    (milyard) (American: bilyon)

#### 1,000,000,000,000

    (bilyon) (American: trilyon)

#### half

    (halb)

#### more

    (mer)

### Time
#### now

    (atsind; itst)

#### later

    (shpeter)

#### before

    (eyder; fardem)

#### morning

    (morgn)

#### afternoon

    (nokhmitog)

#### evening

    (ovnt)

#### night

    (nakht)

#### Clock time
##### one o'clock AM

    (eyn a zeyger in der fri)

##### two o'clock AM

    (tsvey a zeyger in der fri)

##### noon

    (mitogtsayt )

##### one o'clock PM

    (eyns a zeyger nokh mitog)

##### two o'clock PM

    (tsvey a zeyger nokh mitog)

##### midnight

    (mittennakht, khtsos, di halbe nakht )

#### Duration
##### _____ minute(s)

    (minut - מינוט )

##### _____ hour(s)

    (sho - שעה )

##### _____ day(s)

    (tog - teg [plural]) - (טעג ,טאָג )

##### _____ week(s)

    (vokh - vokhn [plural]) - װאָכן ,װאָך )

##### _____ month(s)

    (khoydesh - khadoshim [plural]) - חודשים ,חודש)

##### _____ year(s)

    (yor - yorns [plural]) - יאָרן , יאָר )

#### Days
##### today

    (haynt)

##### yesterday

    (nekhtn)

##### tomorrow

    (in morgn)

##### this week

    (dise vokh)

##### last week

    (fargangene vokh)

##### next week

    (kumedike vokh)

##### Sunday

    (zuntik)

##### Monday

    (montik)

##### Tuesday

    (dinshtik)

##### Wednesday

    (mitvokh)

##### Thursday

    (donershtik)

##### Friday

    (fraytik)

##### Saturday

    (shabes)

#### Months
##### January

    (yanuar)

##### February

    (februar)

##### March

    (marts)

##### April

    (april)

##### May

    (may)

##### June

    (yuni)

##### July

    (yuli)

##### August

    (oygust)

##### September

    (september)

##### October

    (oktober)

##### November

    (november)

##### December

    (detsember)

#### Writing time and date
### Colors

As with many words in Yiddish, colors often have different names due to a difference in dialect. The following colors will be named in both romanized Yiddish, followed by a hyphen (-) and the Yiddish spelling using the Hebraic alphabet.

#### black

    (schvarts) - (שוואַרץ )

#### white

    (vays) - (ווײַס)

#### gray

    (gro, groy) - (גרוי, גראָ )

#### red

    (royt) - (רויט )

#### blue

    (blo, bloy ) - (בלוי ,בלאָ )

#### yellow

    (gel) - (געל )

#### green

    (green) - (גרין )

#### orange

    (marants) - (מאַראַנץ )

#### purple

    (lila) - (לילאַ )

#### brown

    (broyn) - (ברוין) )

### Transportation
#### Bus and train
##### How much is a ticket to _____?

    (Vifl kost a bilet keyn ____?)

##### One ticket to _____, please.

    (Eyn bilet keyn ____, zayt azoy gut.)

##### Where does this train/bus go?

    (Vu geyt di ban/der oytobus?)

##### Where is the train/bus to _____?

    (Vu iz di ban/der oytobus keyn ____?)

##### Does this train/bus stop in _____?

    (Halt di ban/der oytobus in ____?)

##### When does the train/bus for _____ leave?

    (Ven fort di ban/der oytobus aroys far ____?)

##### When will this train/bus arrive in _____?

    (Ven vet di ban/der oytobus kumen in ____ on?)

#### Directions
##### How do I get to _____ ?

    (Vi gey ikh keyn ____?)

##### ...the train station?

    (di banstatsye/di voksal)

##### ...the bus station?

    (di opshtel)

##### ...the airport?

    (dos luftfeld)

##### ...downtown?

    (untershtot)

##### ...the _____ hotel?

    ( di hotel ____)

##### ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate?

    (dos amerikanishe/kanadishe/oystralishe/britishe konsulat)

##### Where are there a lot of...

    (Vu iz dort fil ...)

##### ...hotels?

    (hoteln)

##### ...restaurants?

    (restoran)

##### ...bars?

    (shenks)

##### ...sites to see?

    (platsn tsu zen)

##### Can you show me on the map?

    (Megstu bavist mikh oyfn mape?)

##### street

    (gas)

##### Turn left.

    (farfort oyf links)

##### Turn right.

    (farfort oyf rekhts)

##### left

    (links)

##### right

    (rekhts)

##### straight ahead

    (grud/glaykh)

##### towards the _____

    (tsum/in rikhtung fun)

##### past the _____

    (adorch di)

##### before the _____

    (far di)

##### north

    (tsofun)

##### south

    (dorem)

##### east

    (mizrakh)

##### west

    (mayerev)

##### uphill

    (barg aroyf)

##### downhill

    (barg arup)

#### Taxi
##### Taxi!

    (Taksi!)

##### Take me to _____, please.

    (Brengt mikh keyn ____, zayt azoy gut.)

##### How much does it cost to get to _____?

    (Vifl kost es tsu geyn keyn ____?)

##### Take me there, please.

    (Brengt mikh dortn, zayt azoy gut.)

### Lodging
#### How much is a room for one person/two people?

    (vifl kost a tsimmer far ein mentsh/tsvey mentshen)

#### ...a bathroom?

    (a bodtsimer)

#### ...a telephone?

    (a telefon)

#### ...bigger?

    (greser)

#### ...cheaper?

    (billiger)

#### What time is breakfast/supper?

    (vifl a zayger iz frishtik/nakhtmul)

#### I want to check out.
### Money
#### Do you accept British pounds?

    (nemst englisher funt)

#### Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?
### Eating
#### I only eat kosher food.

    (ikh ess nor koshere essn)

#### breakfast

    (frishtik)

#### lunch

    (mitug)

#### supper

    (nakhtmul)

#### I want _____.

    (ikh vill)

#### beef

    (rinderflaysh)

#### fish

    (fish)

#### cheese

    (kez)

#### eggs

    (eyer)

#### bread

    (broyt)

#### noodles

    (lokshen )

#### rice

    (rayz)

#### coffee

    (kave)

#### tea (drink)

    (tay)

#### juice

    (zaft)

#### (bubbly) water

    (seltzer/soda)

#### (still) water

    (vaser)

#### red/white wine

    (royter/vayser vayn )

#### salt

    (zalt)

#### black pepper

    (shvartse feffer)

#### butter

    (puter)

#### The check, please.
### Bars
#### whiskey

    (bronfin/shnapps)

#### water

    (vaser)

#### Cheers!

    (l'khayim)

### Shopping
#### expensive

    (tayer)

#### cheap

    (billig)

#### I need...

    (Ikh darf)

#### ...soap.

    (zeyf)

#### ...an English-English dictionary.
### Driving
#### I want to rent a car.

    (Ikh vil dingn an oyto.)

#### stop (on a street sign)

    (opshtel/hert oyf)

#### one way

    (eyn veg)

#### yield

    (git nokh)

#### no parking

    (nisht parkirn)

#### speed limit

    (maksimum gikhkayt)

#### gas (petrol) station

    (gaz statsye)

#### petrol

    (petrol/petrolyum)

#### diesel

    (dizal)