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Yiddish Word of the Day
One word at a time — with how it's pronounced, what it actually means, a sentence you might really hear, and an illustration. New word most days.
שייגעץ / שקצים
sheygets (plural: shkotsim / שקצים)
: an irreligious or brazenly transgressive young man; an unruly, unrefined fellow (literally: a non-Jewish youth)
22 Aug 2026
קרעכצן
krekhtsn
to groan, to moan (usually while complaining)
21 Aug 2026
פּעקל
pekl
little bundle (also: one's load of troubles)
20 Aug 2026
פֿאַרפֿרומט
farfrumt
gone overly pious; turned super-observant (with a side-eye)
19 Aug 2026
קיין עין־הרע
keyn ayn-hore (colloquially: kinehora)
a protective phrase said after praise, warding off the evil eye
16 Aug 2026
בעל־בוסטע
baleboste
excellent homemaker, bossy woman, matriarch
14 Aug 2026
גרינער
griner
a newcomer, a greenhorn immigrant
12 Aug 2026
קעסט
kest
room and board provided to a young couple by the in-laws after the wedding
11 Aug 2026
כּפּרה
kapore
Atonement; sacrifice
10 Aug 2026
מאַכעטיינעסטע
makheteyneste
co-mother-in-law, busybody
8 Aug 2026
קוועטשן
kvetshn
to complain, to squeeze, to whine
6 Aug 2026
האַרציק
hartzik
heartfelt, warm, cordial
4 Aug 2026
מזל
mazl
luck, fortune, constellation
3 Aug 2026
פֿאַרבײַטן
farbaytn
to confuse, mix up, swap
2 Aug 2026
שלעפּן
shlepn
to drag, to haul, to trudge
1 Aug 2026
כּוח
koyekh
strength, energy, vigor
31 Jul 2026
פֿאַרדרײען
fardreyen
to twist someone's mind / to confuse or bamboozle
30 Jul 2026
פּלאָנטערן
plontern
to tangle, muddle, or make a mess of things
29 Jul 2026
פּלאַפּלען
plaplen
to babble, to chatter endlessly
28 Jul 2026
פּלאָנטערן
plontern
to tangle, to muddle, to get mixed up in a mess
27 Jul 2026
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