The First Words You Learn


Selected Yiddish Words and Phrases

Gai feifen afenyam/Gai kakhen afenyam
go whistle in the ocean/go shit in the ocean
(Go jump in a lake. I think the second version is more common, but try telling that to a skittish editor.)

Zolst ligen in drerd!
You should lie in the earth!
(Drop dead.)

Ver derharget
Get killed
(Drop dead)

Gey gezunterheyt
Go in good health
(Yeah, go do whatever you like. Fine, don't listen to me. See if I care anymore.)

Gornisht helfn
Beyond help

Lokh in kop
Hole in the head

Tokhis oyfn tish
Put up or shut up

A brokh tsu dayn lebn.
Your life should be a disaster

A khalerye
A plague on you

A shaynem dank dir im pupik.
Many thanks in your belly button.
(Thanks for nothing. Say it fast and it sounds delightfully insulting.)

Ikh hob dir in drerd
Go to hell

A shvarts yor
A miserable year
(you should have...)

Alter kaker
Old shit
(Old fart)

Mamzer
Bastard

Schmuck
S.O.B.

Tsatskele
Bimbo

Tokhis leker
Ass-kisser

Shtup
Have sex. Screw. Boink.

Tokhis
Derriere

Zaftik
Stacked
Alivay
It should only happen

Farshtinkener
Rotten
(awful person)