August 2009
9 posts
Shpatzirn - שפאצירן
Shpatzirn - שפאצירן \SHPA-tziren\ Verb:
1. To stroll, walk, hike. 2. To space letters. Pronunciation: Click here to hear a native Yiddish speaker use this word in conversation. Synonyms: Herumgeyn (הערומגיין), umgeyn (אומגיין), shliondern (שליאנדערן); shprayzn (שפרייזן), zich herumshatayen (זיך הערומשאטאיען), zich herumshlepn (זיך הערומשלעפן), German equivalent: Spazieren, bummeln,...
Google in Yiddish!
For those interested, Google just recently (this week!) launched a Yiddish option for its Translate feature. There, you can type an English phrase or sentence into the space provided and in turn receive the Yiddish equivalent (or vice versa). It is a rather impressive function, though it does have some kinks to work out (and it doesn’t always use proper grammar or spelling). In addition,...
Shpringen - שפרינגען
Shpringen - שפרינגען \SHPRING-en\ Verb:
To jump, leap, dive, spring - gamble, even. Pronunciation: Click here to hear a native Yiddish speaker use this word in conversation. German equivalent: springen, emporschnellen. Etymology: The word derives directly from the Middle High German “springen,” preserved today in Modern German “springen” (above). It is cognate...
Forn - פארן
Forn - פארן \FOR-en\ Verb:
To travel, drive, ride. Synonym: rayzn (רייזן), geyn (גיין), traybn (טרייבן). German equivalent: fahren (think “Fahrenheit,” the last name of the German Physicist Daniel Fahrenheit). Etymology: This word’s etymology is, again, not so exciting - it comes directly from the German. As usual, Yiddish will use the longer “o” sound when...
Koyfn - קויפן
Koyfn - קויפן \KOYF-en\ Verb: To buy, purchase. Pronunciation: Click here to hear a native Yiddish speaker use this word in a song. Synonym: koyne zayn (קונה זיין). It should be noted that according to Max Weinreich, in his History of the Yiddish Language (see pp. 32 and 38), there is an important distinction in the usage of these two terms: While koyfn is often used in reference to buying...
