List of Yiddish Words and Expressions
Suggestion and additions to this list can be sent to the
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A B C
D E F
G H
I J K
L M
N O
P Q R S
T U V
W X Y Z
F
- Fahrshvindn - Disappeared
- Faigelah - Bird (also used as a derogatory reference
to a gay person).
- Fantazyor - Man who builds castles in the air
- Farbissener - Embittered; bitter person
- Farblondzhet - Lost, bewildered, confused
- Farblujet - Bending your ear
- Farbrecher - Crook, conman
- Fardeiget - Distressed, worried, full of care,
anxiety
- Fardinen a mitzveh - Earn a blessing or a merit (by
doing a good deed)
- Fardrai zich dem kop! - Go drive yourself crazy!
- Fardross - Resentment, disappointment, sorrow
- Farfolen - Lost
- Farfoylt - Mildewed, rotten, decayed
- Farfroyren - Frozen
- Fargessen - Forgot
- Farklempt - Too emotional to talk. Ready to
cry. (See "Verklempt)
- Farklempt fis - Not being able to walk right, clumsy
as in "clumsy feet."
- Far Knaft - Engaged
- Farkakte (taboo) - Dungy, shitty
- Farmach dos moyl! - Shut up! Quiet. (Lit., Shut your
mouth.)
- Farmatert - Tired
- Farmisht - Befuddled
- Farmutshet - Worn out, fatigued, exhausted
- Farpitzed - To get all dressed up to the "nines."
- Farschimmelt - Moldy or rotten. An analogous
meaning could be that a person's mind has become senile.
- Farshlepteh krenk - Fruitless, endless matter (Lit.,
A sickness that hangs on)
- Farshlugginer - Refers to a mixed-up or shaken item.
Generally indicates something of little or dubious value.
- Farshmeieter - Highly excitable person; always on the
go
- Farshnickert - Drunk, high as a kite
- Farshnoshket - Loaded, drunk
- Farshtaist? - You understand?
- Farshtopt - Stuffed
- Farshtunken - Smells bad, stinks
- Farshvitst - sweaty
- Fartik - finished, ready, complete
- Far-tshadikt - Confused, bewildered, befuddled, as if
by fumes, gas
- Far zikher - For sure
- Fayeke (F) Fayeker (M) - Capable
- Feh! - Fooey, It stinks, It's no good
- Feinkochen- Omelet, scrambled eggs
- Feinshmeker - Hi falutin'
- Fendel - pan
- Ferd - Horse, (slang) a fool
- Ferkrimpter ponim - Twisted-up, scowling face
- Ferprishte punim - pimple-face
- Fet - Fat, obese
- Fetter - Uncle (also onkel)
- Finster un glitshik - Miserable (Lit., Dark and
slippery)
- Fisfinger - Toes
- Fisslach - (chickens'/duck's) feet, often in ptsha
- Fliegel - Fowl's wing
- Focha - Fan
- Foigel - Smart guy (Lit: bird)
- Foiler - Lazy man
- Foilishtik - Foolishness
- Folg mikh! - Obey me!
- Folg mikh a gang! - Quite a distance! Why
should I do it? It's hardly worth the trouble!
- Fonfen - Speak through the nose
- For gezunterhait! - Bon voyage! Travel in good
health!
- Forshpeiz - Appetizer
- Fortz - Fart
- Fortz n' zovver - A foul, soul-smelling fart.
- Frageh - Question
- Frailech - Happy
- Frassk in pisk- Slap in the face
- Freint - Friend,
- Mr. Fremder - Stranger
- Fress - Eat....pig out.
- Fressen - Eat like a pig, devour
- Fressing - Gourmandizing (By adding the English
suffix "ing" to the Yiddish word "fress", a new English word in the vocabulary
of American Jews has been created.)
- Froy - Woman,
- Mrs. Frum, (frimer) - Pious, religious, devout
- Funfeh - Speaker's fluff, error
G
- Gai avek! - Go away
- Gai feifen ahfen yam! - Go peddle your fish
elsewhere!
- Gai gezunterhait! - Go in good health
- Gai in drerd arein! - Go to hell!
- Gai kaken oifen yam! - Get lost (Lit: Go shit in the
ocean!)
- Gai mit dein kop in drerd - "Go with your head in the
ground." "Stick your head in the mud"
- Gai platz! - Go split your guts!
- Gai shlog dein kup en vant! - Go bang your head
against the wall
- Gai shoyn, gai. - Scram! also, Don't be silly!
- Gai strasheh di vantzen - You don't frighten me!
(Lit., Go threaten the bed bugs)
- Gai tren zich. (taboo) - Go fuck yourself
- Gait, gait! - Come now!
- Gait es nit! - It doesn't work!
- Galitsianer - Jewish native of Galicia
- Gants gut - Very good
- Gantseh K'nacker! - "Big Shot"
- Gantseh Macher - "Big shot."
- Gantseh megilleh - Big deal! (derisive)
- Gantseh mentsh - Manly, a whole man, a complete man;
an adult; a fellow who assumes airs
- Gatkes - Long winter underwear
- Geben shoychad - To bribe
- Gebentsht mit kinder - Blessed with children
- Gebentshte boych - Literally-blesses stomach (womb)
(Said of a lady with a fabulous child or children,
- Gebrenteh tsores - Utter misery
- Gebrochener english - Fractured English
- Gedainkst? - Remember?
- Gedempte flaysh - Mystery meat
- Gedicht - Thick, full, ample
- Geferlech - Dangerous
- Geharget zolstu veren! - Drop dead! (Lit., You should
get killed.)
- Gelaimter - Person who drops whatever he touches
- Gelibteh - Beloved
- Gelt - Money
- Gelt gait tzu gelt. - Money goes to money.
- Gelt is nisht kayn dayge - Money is not a problem.
- Gembeh! - Big mouth!
- Gemitlich - Slowly, unhurried, gently
- Genaivisheh shtiklech - Tricky, sharp, crooked
actions or doings
- Genevishe oigen - Shifty eyes
- Genug iz genug. - Enough is enough!
- Gesheft - Business
- Geshmak - Tasty, delicious
- Geshtorben - The state of being dead.
- Geshtroft - Cursed, accursed; punished
- Geshvollen - Swollen, puffed up (Also applied to
person with haughty pride)
- Get - Divorce
- Getchke - Statue
- Gevaldikeh Zach! - A terrible thing! (often
ironically)
- Gevalt! - Heaven Forbid! (Exclamatory in the
extreme.)
- Gevalt geshreeyeh - good grief ("help" screamed)
- Gezunde tzores - Healthy troubles. Troubles one
should not take too seriously.
- Gezunt vi a ferd - Strong as a horse
- Gezunteh moid! - Brunhilde, a big healthy dame
- Gezunterhait - In good health
- Gib mir nit kain einorah! - Don't give me a canary!
(Americanism, Lit., Don't give me an evil eye)
- Gib zich a traisel - Get a move on
- Gib zich a shukl - Hurry up! (Give yourself a shake)
- Gitte neshomah - good soul
- Gleichvertel - Wisecrack, pun, saying, proverb, bon
mot, witticism
- Glezel tai - Glass of tea
- Glezel varms - comforting or soothing (Lit: Glass of
warmth)
- Glick - Luck, piece of luck
- Gloib mir! - Believe me!
- Glustiyah - Enema
- G'nossen tsum emess! - The sneeze confirmed the
truth!
- Goldeneh chasseneh - Fiftieth wedding anniversary
- Goniff - Crook, thief, burglar, swindler,
racketeer
- Gopel - Fork
- Gornisht - Nothing
- Gornisht Helfin - Nothing will help
- Got in himmel! - G-d in heaven! (said in anguish,
despair, fear or frustration)
- Got tsu danken - Thank G-d
- Got zol ophiten! - G-d forbid!
- Gote-Vorte - A good piece of information or short
concise Torahy commentary.
- Gotteniu! - Oh G-d! (anguished cry)
- Goy - Any person who is not Jewish
- Goyeh - Gentile woman
- Goyim - Group of non-Jewish persons
- Goyishe kop - Opposite of Yiddishe kop.
Generally used to indicate someone who is not particularly smart or
shrewd. (Definitely offensive.)
- Greps - Blech; a burp if it's a mild one
- Grob - Coarse, crude, profane, rough, rude
- Grober - Coarse, uncouth, crude person
- Grober finger - Thumb
- Grois-halter - Show-off, conceited person
- Groisseh gedilleh! - Big deal! (said sarcastically)
- Groisser gornisht - Big good-for-nothing
- Groisser potz! (taboo) - Big penis! Big prick!
(derogatory or sarcastic)
- Grooten - To take after, to favour.
- Groyser finger - Middle finger
- Guggle muggle - A concoction made of warm milk and
honey for sore throats
- Gunsel - A young goose. Also used to describe a young
man who accompanies a tramp or a young tramp.
- Gut far him! - Serves him right!
- Gut gezugt - Well said
- Gut Shabbos - Good Sabbath
- Gut Yontif - Happy Holiday
- G'vir - Rich man
H
- Haimish ponem - A friendly face
- Haiseh vanneh - Hot bath
- Haissen - To hate
- Haken a chainik - Boring, long-winded and annoying
conversation; talking for the sake of talking (Lit., To bang on the
tea-kettle)
- Hak flaish - Chopped meat
- Hak mir nit in kop! - Stop bending my ear (Lit.; Stop
banging on my head)
- Hak mir nit kayn chainik (arain) - Don't get on my
nerves; Stop nagging me. (Lit., Don't bang my teapot.)
- Halevei! - If only...
- Hamoyn - Common people
- Handlen - To bargain; to do business
- Hanoe hobn - to enjoy
- Harte mogen - constipation
- Hartsvaitik - Heart ache.
- Hecher - Louder
- Hefker - A mess
- Heizel - Whorehouse
- Hekdish - Decrepit place, a slumhouse, poorhouse; a
mess
- Heldish - Brave
- Heldzel - Stuffed neck flesh; sort of a neck-kishke
- Hendl - Chicken
- Hert zich ein! - Listen here!
- Hetsken zich - Shake and dance with joy
- Hikevater - Stammerer Hinten - Rear, rear parts,
backside, buttocks; in the rear
- Hit zich! - Look out!
- Hitsik - Hothead
- Hitskop - Excitable person
- Hob derech erets - Have respect
- Hob dir in arbel - Lit., I've got you by the elbow
(Used as a response to a derogatory remark as you would use "sticks and
stones"
- Hob nit kain deiges - Don't worry
- Hoben tsu zingen un tsu zogen - Have no end of
trouble (Lit.,To sing and to talk)
- Hobn groyse oygn - To be greedy
- Hock mir nisht en chinik - Don't hit me in the head.
or Dont' give me a headache.
- Hoizer gaier - Beggar
- Hoizirer - Peddler (from house to house)
- Holishkes - Stuffed Cabbage
- Host du bie mir an avleh! - So I made a mistake. So
what!
- Hulyen - A hellraiser
I
- Ibberbuttle - Senile
- Ich bin ahntoisht - I am disappointed
- Ich bin dich nit mekaneh - I don't envy you
- Ich darf es ahf kapores - It's good for nothing! I
have no use for it. (Lit., I need it for a [useless] fowl sacrifice)
- Ich darf es vi a loch in kop! - I need it like a hole
in the head!
- Ich hob dir lieb - I love you!
- Ich eil zich (nit) - I am (not) in a hurry
- Ich feif oif dir! - I despise you! Go to the devil!
(Lit., I whistle on you!)
- Ich gai chaleshen bald avek - I'm about to faint
(from sheer exhaustion)
- Ich hob dich in bod! - To hell with you! (Lit., I
have you in the bath house!)
- Ich hob dir! - Drop dead! Go flap you ears! (Lit., I
have you....!) (Americanism!)
- Ich hob es in drerd! - To hell with it.
- Ich hob im feint - I hate him.
- Ich hob im in bod! - To hell with him.
- Ich hob mir fer pacht - I have you in my pocket. (I
know you for what you are.)
- Ich hob nicht kain anung - I have no idea.
- Ich ken dir nisht farfeeren - I can't lead you astray
- Ich loif - I'm running
- Ich vais - I know
- Ich vais nit. - I don't know.
- Ich vel dir geben a khamalye - I'll give you such a
smack
- Ich vel dir geben kadoches! - I'll give you nothing!
(Lit., I'll give you malaria or a fever.)
- Ich yog zich nit. - I'm not in a hurry.
- Ich zol azoy vissen fun tsores. - I should know as
little about trouble (as I know about what you are asking me)
- Iker - Substance; people of substance
- In a noveneh - For a change; once in a blue moon
- In di alteh guteh tseiten! - In the good old days!
- In di oygn - To one's face
- In drerd mein gelt! - My money went down the drain!
(Lit., My money went to burial in the earth, to hell.)
- In miten drinen - In the middle of; suddenly
- Ipish - Bad odor, stink
- Ir gefelt mir zaier. - You please me a great deal.
- Iz brent mir ahfen hartz. - I have a heartburn.
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