List of Yiddish Words and Expressions

P

• Paigeren - To die (animal)
• Paigeren zol er! - He should drop dead!
• Pamelech - Slow, slowly
• Parech - Low-life, a bad man
• Parnosseh - Livelihood
• Parshiveh - Mean, cheap
• Parshoin - He-man
• Partatshnek - Inferior merchandise or work
• Parveh - Neutral food, neither milchidik (dairy) nor flaishidik (meat)
• Paskidnye - Rotten, terrible
• Paskudnik, paskudnyak - Ugly, revolting, evil person; nasty fellow
•  Past nit. - It isn't proper.
• Patsh - Slap, smack on the cheek
• Patsh zich in tuchis und schrei "hooray" - Said to a child who complains he/she has nothing to do (slap your backside and yell "hooray")
• Patshkies around - Anglicized characterization of one who wastes time.
• Patteren tseit - To lounge around; waste time
• Pavolyeh - Slow (derived from Polish)
• Payess - Long side-curls worn by Hasidic and other ultra-Orthodox Jewish men.
• Payets - Clowns
• Petseleh - Little penis
• Phooey! fooey, pfui - Designates disbelief, distaste, contempt
• Pinkt kahpoyer - Upside down; just the opposite
• Pipek - Navel, belly button
• Pishechtz - Urine
• Pisher - Male infant, a little squirt, a nobody
• Pisk - Slang, for mouth; insultingly, it means a big mouth, loudmouth
• Pisk-Malocheh - Big talker-little doer! (man who talks a good line but does nothing)
• Pitseler - Toddler, small child
• Pitshetsh - Chronic complainer
• Pitsel - Wee, tiny
• Pitsvinik - Little nothing
• Plagen - Work hard, sweat out a job, suffer
• Plagen zich - To suffer
• Plaplen - Chatter Plats! - Burst! Bust your guts out! Split your guts!!
• Platsin zuls du - May you explode
• Plimenik - Nephew
• Plimenitse - Niece
• Plotz - To burst
• Pluchet - Heavy rain (from Polish "Plucha")
• Plyoot - Bull-shitter; Loudmouth
• Plyotkenitzeh - A gossip
• Ponem - Face
• Poo, poo, poo - Simulate spitting three times to avoid the evil eye
• Pooter veren - Getting rid of (Lit: making butter)
• Pooter veren fon emitzer - Getting rid of someone; eg: "ich geh' veren pooter fon ihr" - "I'm going to be getting rid of her!"
• Poseyakh - Rolling out dough
• Potchke - Fool around or "mess" with
• Potzevateh - Dimwit, someone who is "out of it."
• Praven - Celebrate
• Preplen - To mutter, mumble
• Prezhinitse - Scrambled eggs with milk added.
• Prietzteh - Princess; finicky girl; (having airs, giving airs; being snooty) prima donna!
• Pripitchok - Long, narrow wood-burning stove
• Prost - Coarse, common, vulgar
• Prostaches - Low class people
• Prostak - Ignorant boor, coarse person, vulgar man
• Proster chamoole - Low-class shithead
• Prosteh leit - Simple people, common people; vulgar, ignorant, "low class" people
• Proster mentsh - Vulgar man, common man
• Ptsha - Cows feet in jelly
• Pulke - The upper thigh
• Pupik - Navel, belly button, gizzard, chicken stomachs
• Pupiklech - Dish of chicken gizzards
• Pushkeh - Little box for coins
• Pustunpasnik - Loafer, idler
• Putz - Slang word for "penis." Also used when describing someone someone as being "a jerk."
• Pyesseh - A play, drama
  
  

R

• Rachmones - Compassions, mercy, pity
• Rav - Rabbi, religious leader of the community
• Reb - Mr., Rabbi; title given to a learned and respected man
• Rebbe fon Stutz - A phrase used to explain the unexplainable. Similar to blaming something on the fairies or a mystical being.
• Rebiniu - "Rabbi dear!"  Term of endearment for a rabbi
• Rebitsin - Literally, the rabbi's wife (often sarcastically applied to a woman who gives herself airs, or acts excessively pious) ; pompous woman
• Rechielesnitseh - Dowdy, gossipy woman
• Reden on a moss - To chatter without end
• Redn tzu der vant - Talk in vain or to talk and receive no answer (Lit. , talk to the wall for all the good it will do you)
• Redlshtul - Wheelchair
• Redt zich ayn a kreynk! - Imaginary sickness
• Redt zich ayn a kind in boich - Imaginary pregnancy (Imaginary anything)
• Reich - Rich, wealthy
• Reisen di hoit - Skin someone alive (Lit., to tear the skin)
• Reissen - To tear
• Retsiche - Murder
• Ribi-fish, gelt oyfen tish! - Don't ask for credit!  Pay in cash in advance!  Cash on the barrel-head! 
• Riboynoy-shel-oylom! (Hebrew)  God in heaven, Master of the Universe
• Richtiker chaifetz - The real article!  The real McCoy!
• Rirevdiker - A lively person
• Rolleh - Role in a play
• Rooshisher - Definitely NOT a Litvak; coming from Ukraine, White Russia; the Crimea, Russia itself.
• Roseh - Mean, evil person
• Rossel flaysh - Yiddish refritos
• (A) Ruach in dein taten's taten arein! - Go to the devil!  (Lit.,  A devil (curse) should enter your father's father!)
• Ruf mich k'nak-nissel! - I did wrong?  So call me a nut!
• Ruktish - Portable table

S

• S'vet helfen azoy vie a toytn baynkes - Lit: It will help as much as applying cups to a dead person.
• S'art eich? - What does it matter to you? Does it matter to you?
• Saykhel - Common sense
• Schochet - A ritual slaughterer of animals and fowl.
• Se brent nit! - Don't get excited! (Lit., It's not on fire!)
• Se shtinkt! - It stinks!
• Se zol dir grihmen in boych! - You should get a stomach cramp!
• Sh' gootzim - Plural of shaigetz
• Sha! (gently said) - Please keep quiet.
• Shabbes goy - Someone doing the dirty work for others (Lit;, gentile doing work for a Jew on Sabbath)
• Shabbes klopper - A resident of a neighbourhood who's job it was to "klop" or bang on the shutters of Jewish homes to announce the hour of sundown on Friday
• Shadchen - Matchmaker or marriage broker. There is the professional type who derives his or her living from it, but many Jewish people engage in matchmaking without compensation.
• Shaigitz - Non-Jewish boy; wild Jewish boy
• Shaigetz ainer! - Berating term for irreligious Jewish boy, one who flouts Jewish law
• Shaile - A question
• Shain vi der lavoone - As pretty as the moon
• Shain vi di zibben velten - Beautiful as the seven worlds
• Shaineh maidel - pretty girl
• Shaineh raaineh keporah - Beautiful, clean sacrifice.  Nothing to regret.
• Shainer gelechter - Hearty laugh (sarcastically, Some laughter!)
• Shainkeit - Beauty
• Shaitel, (sheitel) - Wig (Ultra-orthodox married women cover their hair. Some use a shaitel)
• Shalach mohnes - Customary gifts exchanges on Purim, usually goodies Shalom - Peace (a watchword and a greeting)
• Shamus - Sexton, beadle of the synagogue, also, the lighter taper used to light other candles on a menorah, a policeman (slang)
• Shandeh - Shame or disgrace
• Shandhoiz - Brothel, whorehouse
• Shpatzir - A walk without a particular destination
• Shat, shat! Hust! - Quiet! Don't get excited
• Shatnes - Proscription against wearing clothes that are mixed of wool and linen
• Shav - Cold spinach soup, sorrel grass soup, sour leaves soup
• Shayneh kepeleh - Pretty head (lit) Good looking, good thoughts
• Shemevdik - Bashful, shy
• Shepen naches - Enjoy; gather pleasure, draw pleasure, especially from children
• Shidech (pl., shiduchim) - Match, marriage, betrothal
• Shihi-pihi - Mere nothings
• Shik-yingel - Messenger
• Shikker - Drunkard
• Shikseh - Non-Jewish girl
• Shitteryne - To cook without a recipe.  Add a little of this, a little of that, a little of something else, without measuring.
• Shlissel - A key
• Shissel - A basin or bowl
• Shitter - Sparse, lean, meager
• Shiva - Mourning period of seven days observed by family and friends of deceased
• Shkapeh - A hag, a mare; worthless
• Shkotz - Berating term for mischievous Jewish boy
• Shlak - Apoplexy; a wretch, a miserable person; shoddy; shoddy merchandise
• Shlang - Snake, serpent; a troublesome wife; penis (taboo)
• Shlatten shammes - Communal busybody, tale bearer; messenger
• Shlecht - Bad
• Shlecht veib - Shrew (Lit., a bad wife)
• Shlemiel - Clumsy bungler, an inept person, butter-fingered; dopey person
• Shlep - Drag, carry or haul, particularly unnecessary things, parcels or baggage; to go somewhere unwillingly or where you may be unwanted
• Shleppen - To drag, pull, carry, haul
• Shlepper - Sponger, panhandler, hanger-on; dowdy, gossipy woman, free-loader
• Shlimazel - Luckless person. Unlucky person; one with perpetual bad luck (it is said that the shlemiel spills the soup on the shlimazel!)
• Shlog zich kop in vant. - Break your own head! (Lit., bang your head on the wall)
• Shlog zich mit Got arum! - Go fight City Hall! (Lit., Go fight with God.)
• Shlogen - To beat up
• Shlok - A curse; apoplexy
• Shlooche - Slut
• Shloof - Sleep, nap
• Shlosser - Mechanic
• Shlub - A jerk; a foolish, stupid or unknowing person, second rate, inferior.
• Shlump - Careless dresser, untidy person; as a verb, to idle or lounge around
• Shlumperdik - Unkempt, sloppy
• Shmaltz - Grease or fat; (slang) flattery; to sweet talk, overly praise, dramatic
• Shmaltzy - Sentimental, corny
• Shmatteh - Rag, anything worthless
• Shmeis - Bang, wallop
• Shmek tabik - Nothing of value (Lit., a pinch of snuff)
• Shmeer - The business; the whole works; to bribe, to coat like butter
• Shmegegi - Buffoon, idiot, fool
• Shmeichel - To butter up
• Schmeikel - To swindle, con, fast-talk.
• Shmendrik - nincompoop; an inept or indifferent person; same as shlemiel
• Shmo(e) - Naive person, easy to deceive; a goof (Americanism)
• Shmontses -Trifles, folly
• Shmooz; (shmuess) - Chat, talk
• Shmuck (tabboo) -  Self-made fool; obscene for penis: derisive term for a man
• Shmulky! - A sad sack!
• Shmuts - Dirt, slime
• Shmutzik - Dirty, soiled
• Shnapps - Whiskey, same as bronfen
• Shnecken - Little fruit and nut coffee rolls
• Shneider - Tailor; in gin rummy card game, to win game without opponent scoring
• Shnell - Quick, quickly
• Shnook - A patsy, a sucker, a sap, easy-going, person easy to impose upon, gullible
• Shnorrer - A beggar who makes pretensions to respectability; sponger, a parasite
• Shnur - Daughter-in-law
• Shokklen - To shake
• Shoymer - Watchman; historically refers also to the armed Jewish watchman in the early agricultural settlements in the Holy Land
• Shoymer mitzves - Pious person
• Shoyn ainmol a' metsei-eh! - Really a bargain
• Shoyn fargessen? - You have already forgotten?
• Shoyn genug! - That's enough!
• Shpiel - Play
• Shpilkes - Pins and needles
• Shpits - end, the heel of the bread
• Shpitsfinger - Toes
• Shpitzik - Pointed sense of humour, witty, sarcastic, caustic
• Shpogel nei - Brand-new
• Shreklecheh zach - A terrible thing
• Shtarben - To die
• Shtark, shtarker - Strong, brave
• Shtark gehert - Smelled bad (used only in reference to food; Lit., strongly heard)
• Shtark vi a ferd - Strong as a horse
• Shteln zikh oyg oyf oyg mit.... - To confront
• Shtetl - Village or small town (in the "old country")
• Shtik - Piece, bit: a special bit of acting
• Shtik drek (taboo) - Piece of shit; shit-head
• Shtik goy - Idiomatic expression for one inclined to heretical views, or ignorance of Jewish religious values
• Shtik naches - Grandchild, child, or relative who gives you pleasure; a great joy
• Shtikel - Small bit or piece; a morsel
• Shtiklech - Tricks; small pieces
• Shtilinkerait - Quietly
• Shtimm zich- Shut up!
• Shtoltz - Pride; unreasonably and stubbornly proud, excessive self-esteem
• Shtrafeeren - To threaten
• Shtrudel - Sweet cake made of paper-thin dough rolled up with various fillings
• Shtuk - Trouble
• Shtum - Quiet
• (A) Shtunk - A guy who doesn't smell too good; a stink (bad odor) a lousy human
• Shtup - Push, shove; vulgarism for sexual intercourse
• Shtup es in toches! (taboo) - Shove (or stick) it up your rectum (ass)!
• Shtuss - A minor annoyance that arises from nonsense
• Shudden - A big mess
• Shul - Colloquial Yiddish for synagogue
• Shule - School
• Shushkeh - A whisper; an aside
• Shutfim - Associates
• Shvach - Weak, pale
• Shvachkeit - Weakness
• Shvantz - tail, penis
• Shvartz - Black
• Shvegerin - Sister-in-law
• Shvengern - Be pregnant
• Shver - Father-in-law; heavy, hard, difficult
• Shvertz azayan Yid - It's hard to be a Jew
• Shviger - Mother-in-law
• Shvindel - Fraud, deception, swindle
• Shvindeldik - Dizzy, unsteady
• Shvitz - Sweat, sweating
• Shvitz bod - Steam bath
• Shvoger - Brother-in-law
• Sidder - Jewish prayer book for weekdays and Saturday
• Simantov - A good sign (lit)  Often used with mazel tov to wish someone good luck or to express congratulations
• Simcheh - Joy; also refers to a joyous occasion
• Sitzfleish - Patience that can endure sitting (Lit., sitting flesh)
• Smetteneh - Sour cream; Cream
• Sobaka killev - Very doggy dog
• Sof kol sof - Finally
• Sonem - Enemy, or someone who thwarts your success.
• S'teitsh! - Listen! Hold on! How is that? How is that possible? How come?
• Strasheh mich nit! - Don't threaten me!
• Strashen net de genz - Lit., Do not disturb the geese. (You are full of yourself and making too much noise)

T

• Ta'am - Taste, flavor; good taste
• Ta'am gan eyden - Fabulous (Lit: A taste of the Garden of Eden)
• Tachlis - Practical purpose, result
• Tahkeh - Really! Is that so? Certainly!
• Tahkeh a metsieh - Really a bargain! (usually said with sarcasm)
• Taiglech - Small pieces of baked dough or little cakes dipped in honey
• Tallis - Rectangular prayer-shawl to whose four corners, fringes are attached
• Talmud - The complete treasury of Jewish law interpreting the Torah into livable law
• Talmud Torah - The commandment to study the Law; an educational institution for orphans and poor children, supported by the community; in the United States, a Hebrew school for children
• Tamavate - Feebleminded
• Tamaveter - Feebleminded person
• Tandaitneh - Inferior
• Tararam - Big noise, big deal
• Tashlich - Ceremony of the casting off of sins on the Jewish New Year (crumbs of bread symbolizing one's sins are cast away into a stream of water in the afternoon of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashoneh)
• Tateh, tatteh, tatteh, tatteleh, tatinka, tatteniu - Father, papa, daddy, pop
• Tateh-mameh, papa-mama - Parents
• Tatenui - Father dear (The suffix "niu" in Yiddish is added for endearing intimacy; also, G-d is addressed this way by the pious; Tateniu-Foter means G-d, our Father
• Tchotchkes - Little playthings, ornaments, bric-a-brac, toys
• Teier - Dear, costly, expensive
• Tei-yerinkeh! - Sweetheart, dearest
• Temp - Dolt
• Temper kop - Dullard
• Ti mir nit kayn toyves - "Don't do me any favours" (sarcastic)
• Tinef - Junk, poorly made
• T'noim - Betrothal, engagement
• Toches - Buttocks, behind, fanny (ass)
• Toches ahfen tish! - Put up or shut up! Let's conclude this! (Lit., Asses on the table!)
• Toches in droissen - Bare behind
• Toches-lecker - Brown-noser, apple-polisher, ass-kisser
• Togshul - Day school
• Toig ahf kapores! - Good for nothing! It's worth nothing!
• Traif - Forbidden food, impure, contrary to the Jewish dietary laws, non-kosher
• Traifener bain - Jew who does not abide by Jewish law (derisive, scornful expression
• Traifeneh bicher - Forbidden literature
• Traifnyak - Despicable person; one who eats non-kosher food
• Trefn oyfn oyg - To make a guess
• Trenen - To tear, rip
• Trepsverter - Lit. step words. The zinger one thinks of in retreat.  The perfect retort one summons after mulling over the insult.
• Trogedik - Pregnant
• Trog gezunterhait! - Wear it in good health!
• Trombenik - A bum, no-good person, ne'er-do-well; a faker
• Tsaddik - Pious, righteous person
• Tsalooches - Spite
• Tsaloochesnik - Spiteful person
• Tsatskeh - Doll, plaything; something cute; an overdressed woman; a sexy girl
• Tsatskeleh der mamehs! - Mother's favorite! Mother's pet!
• Tsebrech a fus! - Break a leg!
• Tsedrait - Nutty, crazy, screwy
• Tsedraiter kop - Bungler
• Tseereh - Face (usually used as put-down)
• Tseeshvimmen - Blurred
• Tsegait zich in moyl - It melts in the mouth, delicious, yummy-yummy
• Tsemishnich - Confusion
• Tsemisht - Confused, befuddled, mixed-up
• Tsevishen-shtotisheh telefonistkeh - Long distance operator 
• Tshatshki - Toy, doo-dad
• Tshepen - To annoy, irk, plague, bother, attack
• Tsigeloisen - Compassionate, rather nice
• Tsiklen zich - The cantor's ecstatic repetition of a musical phrase
• Tsimmes - Sweet carrot compote; (slang) a major issue made out of a minor event
• Tsitsa makher - A person who is always upset and disappointed. "Commonly, elderly Jews who are often disappointed in life, sit around all day saying "Tsi Tsa, Tsi Tsa, Tsi Tsa"."  (One comedian described it as sounding like a swarm of grasshoppers.)
• Tsitskeh - Breast, teat, udder
• Tsivildivit - Crazy, wild, overwhelmed with too many choices
• Tsnueh - Chaste
• Tsores - Troubles, misery
• Tsu undzer tsukunft tzuzamen - To our future together.
• Tsutsheppenish - Hanger-on; unwanted companion; pest; nuisance
• Tsum glik, tsum shlimazel - For better, for worse
• Tsumakhn an oyg - To fall asleep
• Tsvilling - Twins
• Tu mir a toiveh. - Do me a favor.
• Tu mir nit kain toives. - Don't do me any favors.
• Tumel - Confusion, noise, uproar
• Tumler - A noise-maker (person); an agitator
• Tut vai dos harts - Heartbroken
• Tzadrait - Scattered
• Tzedakeh - Spirit of philanthropy; charity, benevolence
• Tziginner bobkes - Jocular, truly valueless. Also used to describe black olives. Lit: goat droppings
• Tziter - To tremble
• Tziterdik - Tremulous or trembling
• Tzitzis - Fringes attached to the four corners of the tallis
• Tzufil! - Too much! Too costly!

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