The Jerusalem Bridge
מזל
mazl
luck, fortune, constellation · noun (m.)
Illustration for the Yiddish word mazl

Not just luck — a whole cosmic thumbs-up. Mazl tov is the Swiss Army knife of congratulations.

מזל טוֹב! דו האָסט געשאָסן אַ גאָלדן גוועט.

“Mazl tov! You made a perfect shot.”

The last time you said or heard mazl tov, what was happening?

Published 3 August 2026

These are written by Yaacov, a native Jerusalemite who teaches Hebrew, Yiddish, Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic one-to-one.

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More Yiddish words

שייגעץ / שקציםsheygets (plural: shkotsim / שקצים)
: an irreligious or brazenly transgressive young man; an unruly, unrefined fellow (literally: a non-Jewish youth)
קרעכצןkrekhtsn
to groan, to moan (usually while complaining)
פּעקלpekl
little bundle (also: one's load of troubles)
פֿאַרפֿרומטfarfrumt
gone overly pious; turned super-observant (with a side-eye)
קיין עין־הרעkeyn ayn-hore (colloquially: kinehora)
a protective phrase said after praise, warding off the evil eye
בעל־בוסטעbaleboste
excellent homemaker, bossy woman, matriarch