Definition

Sample Use

bobe

a "tall" story

That story was no bobbe myse.

bob(kes)

beans, nothing

He gave me babkes.

kakameyme

crazy

He's got cacamaimey ideas.

khalishes

ugly

That tablecloth is chalcious.

khazer

a pig

He eats like a chaza.

khazeray

junk

The dollar store is full of chazarai.

khutspe

unmitigated gall

Oy, you have got a lot of khutspe!

farkatk(e)

lousy, ridiculous

That's a facacta idea.

farklempt

bummed out, bad mood

She looks very ferklempt.

farbisine

bitter

Don't be so forbissima.

farblondzhet

all mixed up

I got all furblungit.

gey shlofn

go to sleep

Gay schloffing!

gelt

money

I got a lot of gelt for Hanukah.

goyim

non-Jewish people

The place was full of goyim.

goyish(e)

mind of a goyim

He's got a real goyishke kup.

ganif

thief

Don't be such a gunnif.

glik

happiness

Glick in the office makes for glick in the home.

golem

clumsy and sluggish

The guy I work with is a real golem.

genuk

enough

I've had genoog out of you today!

handl

bargain (verb)

If you handel long enough, you'll get a good price.

kvetsh

complainer

Don't be such a kvetch.

khokhme

bright idea

That's a real good chochmeh.

kholem

dream

That's a cholem of a house!

khutspe

nerve

She has a lot of chutzpah to talk like that!

landtslayt

from your home town

They are luntslite.

makheteyneste

in laws

My makatenista are coming.(male= mkhutn)

mazl-tov

congratulations

Mazel tov on the new baby.

miskayt

ugly

The daughter is a real meeskite.

mentsh

a nice gentleman

He was such a mensch.

meshugine

crazy person

He acts like a real meshungina.

mishigas

craziness

What kind of mishigas is that?

mishpokhe

family

Bring the whole mishpacha.

mitsve

a good deed

That was a real mitzvah you did.

mamzer

born out of wedlock

He's a mumza.

mekhaye

particularly delicious

That dinner was a mechaya

nebekh

little nerd

He is such a nebish.

pupik

belly button

You could see her pupick.

shlep

to drag

I had to schlep it across town.

shmendrek

jerk

He's a real schmendrick.

shviger

mother in law

The schvigger is coming.

shvitsn

sweating

Oy, am I schvitzing. (note: the ending"ing" is an English ending, in Yiddish: I shvits, you shvitst, he/sheshvitst, we/they shvitsn, you in plural shvitsn, you in polite versionshvitst

sheygets

non-Jewish male

She married a shagitz.

sheyner ponim

pretty face

Oh, shayna punim.

shikse

non-Jewish female

He's going out with a shikse.

shmates

rags

Your cloths look like shmatas.

shmuz

dirt

It's covered with schmootz.

shpilkes

nervous energy

I had shpilkes before the interview.

shlemazl

unlucky person

The poor schlemazel had his car stolen.

shtik

routine

So, that's his shtick.

shlekht

bad

That restaurant is generally schlecht

shlemil

dope, fool

He's a real schlemiel - always screwing up!

shmendrik

fool

The kid is a real schmendrick

shnorer

beggar

That guy is a real schnorrer.

shiker

drunkard

That shicker has had too much to drink.

shver

father in law

My shver is a nice enough guy

treyf

non-kosher

That food is trafe.

tokhes

tush

I'll pinch your tuchis.

tumul

noise, confusion

there's a lot of tuml coming from the kid's rooms

tsibele

onion

It will taste better if you spice it up with some tzibeleh.

tsigangnye/bobkelekh

small portions

Don't worry - you'll get tziganna bibkalach

tsures

troubles

That car gives me nothing but tzorress!

utzing

needling, bothering

Stop utzing me.

kibitz

to meddle

She likes to kibbutz with everyone at the office

kunts

an accomplishment

It was a real koontz to finally reach you on the phone.

kreftik

hearty

That is some kreftig soup!

kvel

to glow with pride

Oy, I could kvell watching those kids in the play

luftmentsh

dreamer

He's a real luftmensch when it comes to working hard!

meyvin

connoisseur

She's quite the mavin when it comes to wine.

megile

a long story

I had to sit and and listen to the whole megillah

metsiye

bargain (noun)

That store has a great metziah onshoes.

mezumen

cash

I have to borrow some mezuma from the bank.

makhn ash un porekh

destroy

He'll make ashen porach out of that report!

mishmash

hodge-podge

There's a whole mishmash of words here.

nakhes

joy

I get such nachas from putting these words down.

nosh

snack

We'll have a little nosh and then we'll talk

nosher

nibbler

I'm a nosher all morning long.

nudnik

pest

Stop being a nudnick and leave me alone!

ongepatsht

a little too much

That outfit is a little ongapatchka

pisk

big mouth

Let's hope he doesn't open up that pisk.

plats

burst

You'll laugh until you plotz.

zay gezundt

bless you

(when you sneeze)