| Phonetics | Definition | Sample Use |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| kvetsh | complainer | Don't be such a kvetch. |
| 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. |
| nebekh | little nerd | He is such a nebish. |
| nosh | to eat a little something | I was noshing all morning. |
| 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. |
| shtik | routine | So, that's his shtick. |
| treyf | non-kosher | That food is trafe. |
| tokhes | tush | I'll pinch your tuchis. |
| utzing | needling, bothering | Stop utzing me. |
| mekhaye | particularly delicious | That dinner was a mechaya. |
| bobe | a "tall" story | That story was no bobbe myse. |
| 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! |
| 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. |
| handl | bargain (verb) | If you handel long enough, you'll get a good price. |
| 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. |
| 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) |
| 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. |
| tumul | noise, confusion | there's a lot of tuml coming from the kid's rooms |
| tsures | troubles | That car gives me nothing but tzorress! |
| genuk | enough | I've had genoog out of you today! |
| makhn ash un porekh | destroy | He'll make ashen porach out of that report! |
| tsigangnye/bobkelekh | small portions | Don't worry - you'll get tziganna bibkalach. |
| tsibele | onion | It will taste better if you spice it up with some tzibeleh. |
| shlemazl | unlucky person | The poor schlemazel had his car stolen. |
Submitted by, Larry R. of Lost Wages, Nevada
