You Just Have To Laugh

634. Funny, You don't sound Yiddish. Let's learn some great Yiddish words with David.


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Yiddish is a language used by Jewish people. It originated in 9th or 10th century in Central Europe. It's a West Germanic language that developed when Jews from France and Italy settled in the Rhine River valley.  Today it is mainly spoken in the Israel, the United States and Russia.

Bissel (bisl)— A little bit, as in “I just want to eat a bissel right now.”

Bubbe (bubby) — Grandmother

Zayde (zaide)— Grandfather

Chutzpah —Nerve, extreme arrogance, brazen presumption, confidence, as in “It took real chutzpah for him to ask for a raise when he kept showing up late for every appointment.”

Daven — To pray

Klutz — A clumsy person

Kvell — To experience pride in someone else, typically one’s children. My daughter Rachel has a very succeeful estotician business and I’m just kvellin.”

Kvetch — To complain, whine or fret, as in “He likes to kvetch at me when we serve kasha varniskes, because he doesn’t like it.”

Mensch (mentsch)— Literally “man,” an honorable, decent, stand-up person, as in, “I don’t care who you marry, as long as he’s a mensch.”

Meshuggeneh — Crazy, ridiculous, insane, as in, “He must be meshuggeneh to think he can wear that getup to a funeral.” (A related word is mishegoss, or craziness.)

Mishpucha)— Family, or someone who is “like family”

Nosh — To eat or nibble, as in “I’d like something to nosh on before dinner.” Can also be used as a noun to mean any kind of food.

Oy vey—An expression of woe, as in “Oy vey, we left the gefilte fish at the grocery store OMG

Putz —A jerk, or a self-made fool, but this word literally means penis.

Schlep — To carry or travel with difficulty, as in “We shlepped here all the way from New Jersey.”

Schmooze (shmooze)— Chat, make small talk, converse about nothing in particular.

Schmuck (shmuck)—A jerk, or a self-made fool, but this word literally means penis.

Scmendrick

Shanda, shonda) — A scandal, embarrassment. Oy ve what a shandra

Shmatte — A rag or old garment.

Tachlis —Nuts and bolts, purpose," "substance," or "end". It can also be used as a colloquialism to mean "quickly get to the point". 

Chatchke - Knick-knack, little toy, collectible or giftware.

Tuches (tuchis) — Butt, behind, sometimes shortened to tush or tushy.

Patch in the Tuchas.

 

 

 

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You Just Have To LaughBy David Naster

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