Yiddish words starting with s

• ataki'r verb, participle ataki'rt, attack; criticise
• • atakirer noun, plural in -s, attacker, assailant
• bret noun, plural in -er, has diminutive, gender f/n,board bretern adjective, made of boards
• • zeglbret noun, plural in -er, gender f,sailboard (sport)
  • • zeglbretler noun, plural in -s, gender m,sailboardersource: Forwards
• matro's noun, plural in -n, gender m,sailor
• • matro'z noun, plural in -n, gender m,sailorusage: inadmissible
• parusine sail material
• shif noun, plural in -n, has diminutive, gender f,ship
• • shifer noun, plural in -s, gender m, shi'ferin noun, plural in -s, gender f,sailor
  • zeglshif noun, plural in -n, gender f,sailboat
• shvim verb, participle geshvumen, swim; float; wallowadverbial complement avek, aroyf, aroys, nokh, arayn
• • adverbial complement op, swim or sail away; depart
• zegl verb, participle ge...t, sailadverbial complement aroyf
• • adverbial complement op, set sailoften with keyn=for
  • zegl noun, plural in -n, gender m,sail

Related software

Searchable strings

Yiddish words in Yiddish letters

Yiddish words in YIVO transcription

YIVO transcription form uses the following consonants:

b g d h v z kh t y l m n s f p ts k r sh tsh zh dj

a e i o u oy ay ey

ikh bin gekumen azoy vayt tsu shraybn a bisl mame-loshn!

Loshn-koydesh derived words

Use capital letters for the first letters of Hebrew proper names (like Refoyl and Binyomen). Don't use capital letters for any other Yiddish words.

If you need a loshn-koydesh derived word, first spell it phonetically. Unaccented vowels often should be spelled with an e, as in borekh, bimkem, and maskem.

If you don't know or can't guess the pronunciation, you may use the following letters to spell out loshn-koydesh.

Don't distinguish final khof, mem, nun, fe, tsadi.

Examples: type msKym for מסכּים, Slwm for שלום.

In my data file, I surround all loshn-koydesh with {braces}, so you can use them, too. For instance, ym} searches for all loshn-koydesh words ending in yud-mem (ים).

Searching by other information

I record a few categories along with definitions. So type clothing or sound and you will get lists of clothing words and sound words. I also note a few grammatical items (try indeclinable) and usage (try inadmissable or German).

On occasion I indicate where I saw a word, especially if I don't see the same word in standard dictionaries; try Forwards, Hoffman, Bergelson, note: V.

Nonstandard spellings

I have used standard YIVO Romanization and orthography in this dictionary. If you are trying to find a word that uses other schemes (see the Wikipedia article for some insight), consider making these adjustments.

1. Don't use the prefix be-; use ba-.
2. Don't use the prefix er-; use der-.
3. Don't use the inseparable verb prefix tsu-; use tse-.
4. Don't place an h after a vowel to lengthen it; write ey instead of eh, for instance.
5. If the text doesn't distinguish a tsvey-yudn (ײ) from pasekh-tsvey-yudn (ײַ), try both ay and ey.
6. Similarly, if the text doesn't distinguish pe (פּ) from fe (פֿ), try both p and f.
7. If the text has a word starting with alef-yud (such as אינגל), also search for it with yi, as in yingl.
8. If the text has a word ending in -ig, try -ik.
9. The epenthetic ayin before a nun en (ענ) is sometimes absent in modern spelling, leaving just the nun.
10. If the text has a double consonant, such as tt, search with a single consonant, such as t.
11. If the text has an alef with a segol (אֶ), try e.
12. Transliterate the khes (ח) as kh. Some books use the khes where standard orthography uses the khof (כ).
13. If your text has a final khof with a dagesh (ךּ), just ignore the dagesh and use kh.

Start learning with an activity...

1. schmear

   (Yiddish) a batch of things that go together

2. shmegegge

   (Yiddish) baloney; hot air; nonsense

3. shmaltz

   (Yiddish) excessive sentimentality in art or music

4. schtik

   (Yiddish) a contrived and often used bit of business that a performer uses to steal attention

5. schemozzle

   (Yiddish) a confused situation or affair; a mess

6. shmo

   (Yiddish) a jerk

7. schlemiel

   (Yiddish) a dolt who is a habitual bungler

8. shmuck

   (Yiddish) a jerk

9. shtik

   (Yiddish) a contrived and often used bit of business that a performer uses to steal attention

10. shmooze

    talk idly or casually and in a friendly way

11. schmaltz

    (Yiddish) excessive sentimentality in art or music

12. shemozzle

    (Yiddish) a confused situation or affair; a mess

13. shnook

    a gullible simpleton more to be pitied than despised

14. schlimazel

    a very unlucky or inept person who fails at everything

15. shlimazel

    a very unlucky or inept person who fails at everything

16. schmo

    (Yiddish) a jerk

Created on January 31, 2007 (updated February 6, 2008)

Everyday Yiddish-English-Yiddish Dictionary
(Starting with "S")

By Natalya Belinsky,
"Fluent English Educational Project"

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Use the search bar to look for terms in all glossaries, dictionaries, articles and other resources simultaneously

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Sarten

Cancer

say ... say

• say... say
• say
• both... and...
• both ... and
• both and
• both
• and

both... and...




say vi say

• say
• vi
• anyway
• in any case
• any case
• case

anyway, in any case

Schlaf

• shlaf
• schlafen
• shlafen
• sleep

sleep




Schlep

• Shlep
• Shleppen
• Schleppen
• Drag
• carry
• haul
• go unwillingly
• go unwantedly
• go
• unwillingly
• unwantedly

Drag, carry or haul, particularly unnecessary things, parcels or baggage; go somewhere unwillingly or unwantedly.
Commentary:
The word mans not merely to move an object, but to accept a greater burden than any person should be expected to.
Example:
Are you sure you should shlep yourself to the mall to shop for Hanukkah presents, shlep the load of presents to your car, then shlep them into your house?



Schlepper

• Shlepper
• Schleper
• Shleper
• Sponger
• panhanddler
• hanger-on
• hanger
• dowdy female
• dowdy
• female
• gossipy woman
• gossipy
• woman
• free-loader
• freeloader
• free
• loader

Sponger, panhanddler, hanger-on; dowdy, gossipy woman, free-loader



Schlockmeister

• Shlockmeister
• Schlokmeister
• Shlokmeister
• Schlockmaister
• Shlockmaister
• Schlokmaister
• Shlokmaister
• seller of shoddy goods
• seller
• shoddy goods
• shoddy

Someone who deals in shoddy goods.




Schlump

• Shlump
• Schloomp
• Shloomp
• Careless dresser
• stoop-shouldered
• Careless
• dresser
• untidy person
• slob
• untidy
• person
• person wearing his shirt partly out
• wearing his shirt partly out
• wearing
• shirt partly out
• wear
• shirt
• partly out
• partly
• out
• idle around
• lounge around
• idle
• lounge
• around
• flop
• stoop
• shouldered
• fool

Careless dresser, stoop-shouldered person, untidy person; a person wearing his shirt partly out; a slob; a person who is stupid, foolish, inept, boring and/or poorly dressed; to idle or lounge around; to flop



schmeeren

spread

Schmeichl

• shmeichl
• schmeichel
• shmeichel
• schmeikhl
• shmeikhl
• schmeikhel
• shmeikhel
• smile
• smooth-talk
• butter up
• smooth
• talk
• butter
• Schmaichl
• shmaichl
• schmaichel
• shmaichel
• schmaikhl
• shmaikhl
• schmaikhel
• shmaikhel
• Schmaychl
• shmaychl
• schmaychel
• shmaychel
• schmaykhl
• shmaykhl
• schmaykhel
• shmaykhel
• Schmeychl
• shmeychl
• schmeychel
• shmeychel
• schmeykhl
• shmeykhl
• schmeykhel
• shmeykhel

smile; smooth-talk; to butter up




Schmooze

• shmooze
• schmooz
• shmooz
• schmuz
• shmuz
• intimate chat
• persuade
• intimate
• chat

Idle talk, gossip, (intimate) chat; to persuade; to have a lightweight conversation, not serious in nature





Schmoozing

• Shmoozing
• Schmootzing
• Shmootzing
• Schmuzing
• Shmuzing
• Schmutzing
• Shmutzing
• Talking about nothing in particular
• Talking about nothing
• Talking about
• nothing in particular
• Talking
• about
• nothing
• in particular
• particular
• talk

Talking about nothing in particular




Schmuck

• Shmuck
• Asshole
• Schmuk
• Shmuk
• Schmoock
• Shmoock
• Schmook
• Shmook
• Ass-hole
• Ass
• hole
• fool
• jerk

Asshole; a contemptible or foolish person; a jerk





Schmutzig

• Schmutsig
• Schmutzik
• Schmutsik
• Schmootzig
• Schmootsig
• Shmutzig
• Shmutsig
• Shmootzig
• Shmootsig
• Dirty
• soiled
• Shmutzik
• Shmutsik
• soil

Dirty, soiled




Schpeel

• Selling job
• Shpeel
• Schpil
• Shpil
• Selling
• job

"Selling job", e.g.: I had to listen to his entire schpeel




Schpiel

• shpiel
• story
• sales pitch
• sales
• sale
• pitch
• schpil
• shpil

story; sales pitch




Seychel

• Seykhel
• Seichel
• Seikhel
• Reason
• common sense
• good sense
• tact
• diplomacy
• Saichel
• Saikhel
• Saychel
• Saykhel
• common
• sense
• good

Reason, common sense, good sense; tact, diplomacy




Sha

• keep quiet
• keep
• quiet
• hush
• Shah
• Scha
• Schah

Shh! Quiet! Hush! Please keep quiet.



Sha shtil

Be quiet




Shabes

• Schabes
• Saturday
• Shabbat
• Shabat
• Sabbath
• Sabath

Saturday; the Sabbath




Shadkhin

• Shadchin
• Shadchen
• Shadkhen
• Matchmaker
• marriage broker
• marriage
• broker

Matchmaker; marriage broker. (There is the professional type who derives his living from it, but many Jewish women used to engage in matchmaking without compensation only from religious motives)




Shain vi di zibben velten

• Shayn vi di zibben velten
• Shein vi di zibben velten
• Sheyn vi di zibben velten
• Beautiful as the seven worlds
• Beautiful
• very beautiful
• seven worlds
• seven
• worlds
• world
• Shain
• shayn
• sheyn
• shein
• vi
• di
• zibben
• velten

Beautiful as the seven worlds




Shaineh maidel

• Shaine maidel
• Shayneh maydel
• Shayne maydel
• Sheyneh maydel
• Sheyne maydel
• Sheineh maidel
• Sheine maidel
• Shaineh
• maidel
• Shayneh
• maydel
• Shaine
• Shayne
• pretty girl
• pretty
• girl
• Sheineh
• Sheine
• Sheyneh
• Sheyne
• shayna maideleh
• schayna maideleh
• Shaine maideleh
• Shayneh maydeleh
• Shayne maydeleh
• Sheyneh maydeleh
• Sheyne maydeleh
• Sheineh maideleh
• Sheine maideleh
• maydeleh
• meideleh
• meydeleh
• maidele
• maydele
• meidele
• meydele
• beautiful girl
• beautiful
• shaina
• shayna
• sheina
• sheyna

pretty, beautiful girl



Shainer gelechter

• Shayner gelechter
• Sheiner gelechter
• Sheyner gelechter
• Shaneh gelechter
• Hearty laugh
• Hearty
• laugh
• laughter
• Shainer
• Shayner
• Sheiner
• Sheyner
• Shaneh
• gelechter
• A Shayner gelechter
• A Sheiner gelechter
• A Sheyner gelechter
• A Shainer gelechter
• A Shaneh gelechter
• Shayner gelekhter
• Sheiner gelekhter
• Sheyner gelekhter
• Shaneh gelekhter
• Shainer gelekhter
• gelekhter
• A Shayner gelekhter
• A Sheiner gelekhter
• A Sheyner gelekhter
• A Shaneh gelekhter
• A Shainer gelekhter

Hearty laugh (sarcastically, Some laughter!)



Shainera menchen haut me gelicht in drert

• Schainera menkhen haut me gelikht in drert
• They've buried nicer looking people than that
• buried
• bury
• nicer looking people
• nicer looking
• people
• nicer
• looking
• nice
• look
• Shainera
• Sheinera
• Scheinera
• Shaynera
• Schaynera
• Sheynera
• Scheynera
• Schainera
• menchen
• menkhen
• menshen
• mentshen
• mench
• menkh
• mensh
• mentsh
• haut
• me
• gelicht
• gelikht
• in
• drert

They've buried nicer looking people than that.




Shainkeit

• Sheinkeit
• Shaynkeyt
• Sheynkeyt

Beauty



Shalom

Peace (a watchword and a greeting)




Shalom aleichem

• shalom aleikhem
• shalom alaichem
• shalom alaikhem
• shalom aleychem
• shalom aleykhem
• shalom alaychem
• shalom alaykhem
• shalom aleikhem
• shalom alaichem
• shalom alaikhem
• shalom aleychem
• shalom aleykhem
• shalom
• aleichem
• shalom alaykhem
• sholom aleichem
• sholom aleikhem
• sholom alaichem
• sholom alaikhem
• sholom aleychem
• sholom aleykhem
• sholom alaychem
• sholom alaykhem
• aleikhem
• alaichem
• alaikhem
• aleychem
• aleykhem
• alaychem
• sholom
• aleichem shalom
• aleichem sholom
• alaichem shalom
• alaichem sholom
• peace to you
• peace
• hello

lit., peace to you; "Hello" (response is "aleichem shalom")




Shalom bayit

• shalom bayt
• shalom bait
• sholom bayit
• sholom bayt
• sholom bait
• peace of the house
• domestic harmony
• shalom
• sholom
• bayit
• bait
• bayt
• beit
• beyt
• shalom beyt
• shalom beit
• sholom beyt
• sholom beit
• peace
• house
• domestic
• harmony

lit., peace of the house; domestic harmony




Shande

• Shandeh
• Shame
• shanda
• shandah
• schande
• Schandeh
• schanda
• schandah
• disgrace
• scandal

Shame, disgrace, scandal




Shenk

bar, pub, tavern


shefedik

abundant

shemevdik

shy, bashful

Sherer

• der Sherer
• Scherer
• barber

barber


sheyn

• shein
• shayn
• shain
• beautiful
• pretty
• nice

beautiful, pretty, nice

Sheyne

• Scheyne
• Shayna
• shaina
• sheina
• sheyna
• Sheine
• Sheineh
• Sheyneh
• Shaineh
• Shayneh
• Shaine
• Shayne
• Pretty
• Schayna
• schaina
• scheina
• scheyna
• Scheine
• Scheineh
• Scheyneh
• Schaineh
• Schayneh
• Schaine
• Schayne
• beautiful

Pretty, beautiful




Sheynkayt-Salon

• der Sheynkayt-Salon
• Scheynkayt-Salon
• Sheinkait-Salon
• Scheinkait-Salon
• Sheynkayt
• Salon
• Scheynkayt
• Sheinkait
• Scheinkait
• beauty parlor
• beauty
• parlor

beauty parlor




Sheytl

• sheitl
• shaytl
• shaitl
• Shaitel
• sheitel
• Shaytel
• sheytel
• Wig

Wig (at the wedding the ultra-orthodox bride has her hair cut off and she wears a shaitel ever after)



Shiker

• Schiker
• Shikker
• Drunkard
• Drunk
• Schikker
• Shicker
• Schicker

Drunkard, drunk



Shikse

• Shikseh
• Schikse
• Schikseh
• Non-Jewish girl
• Non-Jewish woman
• Non-Jewish
• girl
• woman
• ditzy
• ditsy
• female

1. Non-Jewish girl or woman.
2. A ditzy, generally busty, female
Pronounciation is closer to [SHIK-suh]. This is the kind of word grandmothers use to describe the blonde boy-toys that their teenage grandsons want to date. Generally insulting to a woman's mental abilities. As in, "You're dating HER? That shikse? You want I should plotz?"




Shitarayn

• Shitarain
• pour it in a bowl
• pour it into a bowl
• pour it in
• into
• bowl
• pour in
• pour into
• pour

pour it in(to) a bowl




Shlak

• Schlak
• Shlack
• Schlack
• stroke
• evil
• nuisance
• dreck
• junk

stroke, evil, nuisance; dreck, junk


shlekht

• schlekht
• bad
• evil
• badly
• poorly

bad, evil; badly; poorly




Shlemazel

• Shlimazel
• Schlimazel
• Schlemazel
• shlemazl
• shlemazle
• Shlimazl
• Schlimazl
• Schlemazl
• schlemazle
• Unlucky person
• Unlucky
• person
• bad luck
• luckless
• The Shlemiel and Shlemazel
• the shlemiel spills the soup on the shlemazel
• spill the soup on
• spill the soup
• spill on
• spill smth. on
• soup
• oaf

Luckless person; unlucky person; one with perpetual bad luck; unlucky oaf; the poor souls who are victims of shlemiels (see); the one always having the soup spilled on them. (It is said that "the shlemiel spills the soup on the shlemazel".)





Shlemiel

• Shlemil
• Schlemiel
• Schlemil
• Clumsy bunglar
• Clumsy
• bunglar
• fumbler
• inept person
• inept
• butter-fingered
• butter-finger
• dopey person
• dopey
• fool
• clumsy oaf
• Klutz
• oaf

Clumsy bunglar; inept person; butter-fingered; dopey person; fool; fumbler; bumbler; clumsy oaf; klutz.
Commentary:
All shlemiels are klutzes but are rarely loved because the victims of their "klutziness" are generally innocent bystanders. A true shlemiel is a waiter who invariably spills soup on his clients or the sort of person who, when at a fancy restaurant, invariably spills his soup.




Shlock

• Schlock
• Shlok
• Schlok
• junk
• trash
• stroke
• evil
• nuisance
• dreck

1. Stroke, evil, nuisance. (See "Shlak")
2. Anything cheap or inferior; junk, trash; dreck.


shlogn

to beat

Shlumper

A lost soul; slob.
Commentary:
The shlumper always wears mismatched socks, a sweater two or more sizes too large, a shirt that is never quite clean and slacks that look as if they were last pressed a year ago.




Shlumperdik

• Schlumperdik
• Shlumperdick
• Schlumperdick
• Unkempt
• sloppy

Unkempt, sloppy


shmadn

• Shmaden
• Schmadn
• Schmaden
• baptize
• proselytize
• proselyte

baptize (to a Jew); proselytize; proselyte

Shmaltz

• Shmalts
• Shmalz
• Schmalz
• Grease
• fat
• flattery
• sweet talk
• sweet
• talk
• overly praise
• overly
• praise
• dramatic
• schmaltz
• schmalts
• oil
• maudlin
• sentimentality
• schmaltzy
• shmaltzy
• schmaltsy
• shmaltsy
• schmalzy
• shmalzy

Grease or fat; oil; (slang) flattery; maudlin, sentimentality; to sweet talk, overly praise, dramatic; something overly sentimental, e.g. a schmaltzy movie; schmaltzy music
Commentary:
Usually, rendered chicken fat used in recipes such as matzah balls.




Shmaltzy

• Shmaltsy
• Sentimental
• corny

Sentimental, corny



Shmate

• Shmateh
• Shmatas
• Shmattas
• Shmatteh
• Shmatte
• Schmateh
• Schmate
• Schmattah
• Schmatah
• Schmatteh
• Schmatte
• Shmatta
• Schmatta
• Shmattah
• Schmattah
• rag
• rags
• worthless

(middle "a" pronounced "ah")
rag(s); cheap piece of clothing; anything worthless
Example:
What, you want to wear that old shmate?




Shmeer

• Shmear
• Schmear
• business
• whole works
• whole work
• whole
• work
• works
• bribe
• coat like butter
• coat
• butter
• spread
• smear

The business; the whole works; smear; to bribe, to coat like butter; to spread; to smear.
Commentary:
More commonly used to refer to an activity with all its related features, e.g., "the whole shmear".





Shmegegi

• Schmegegi
• schmeggege
• shmeggege
• schmegege
• shmegege
• schmeggegeh
• shmeggegeh
• schmegegeh
• shmegegeh
• Buffoon
• idiot
• fool
• disorganized person
• disorganized
• person
• disorganize

Buffoon, idiot, fool; disorganized one, one who "doesn't have it together"




Shmek

smell





Shmendrik

• Schmendrik
• nincompoop
• inept person
• inept
• person
• stupid person
• stupid
• indifferent person
• indifferent
• shlemiel
• schlemiel

a nincompoop; an inept or indifferent person; a stupid person; someone who should have known better; same as shlemiel
Example:
A person who thinks a shlumper can be reformed (it's impossible) is a shmendrik.




Shmo

• Schmo
• Shmoe
• Schmoe
• Shmoh
• Schmoh
• schmuck
• shmuck
• schmuk
• shmuk
• asshole
• jerk
• annoying
• stupid
• idiot
• fool

A shortened version of schmuck(not quite as derogatory); asshole; jerk, annoying person; stupid person; idiot; fool




Shmooz

• Shmuz
• Schmooz
• Schmuz
• shmooze
• schmooze
• schmuess
• schmues
• schmuess
• schmues
• Chat
• talk

Chat, talk


shmuesn

• schmuesn
• shmuesen
• schmuesen
• shmues
• schmues
• adurkhshmuesn
• adurkhshmuesen
• adurkgeshmuest
• adurkshmuesn
• adurkshmuesen
• adurkgeshmuest
• adurchshmuesn
• adurchshmuesen
• adurchgeshmuest
• adurkhschmuesn
• adurkhschmuesen
• adurkgeschmuest
• adurkschmuesn
• adurkschmuesen
• adurkgeschmuest
• adurchschmuesn
• adurchschmuesen
• adurchgeschmuest

1. to talk over, to discuss, to talk, to chat, to "shmooze";
2. talk, chat, conversation

Shmuts

• Shmutz
• Schmuts
• Schmutz
• Schmootz
• Shmootz
• Dirt
• filth
• scum
• slime

(rhymes with "putz")
Dirt, slime, filth, scum
Example:
What's that shmutz on your shoe?



Shnapps

• Shnaps
• booze
• Whiskey
• bronfen

Whiskey, same as bronfen; booze



Shney

• Schney
• Snow
• Shnei
• Schnei
• Shnay
• Schnay
• Shnai
• Schnai

Snow




Shnook

• Schnook
• Shnoock
• Schnoock
• Shnuk
• Shnuck
• Schnuk
• Schnuck
• simpleton

A person easily imposed upon, cheated or pitifully meek; a gullible simpleton more to be pitied than despisedi.
Example:
Don't be such an apologetic shnook!





Shnorrer

Related software

Searchable strings

Yiddish words in Yiddish letters

Yiddish words in YIVO transcription

YIVO transcription form uses the following consonants:

b g d h v z kh t y l m n s f p ts k r sh tsh zh dj

a e i o u oy ay ey

ikh bin gekumen azoy vayt tsu shraybn a bisl mame-loshn!

Loshn-koydesh derived words

Use capital letters for the first letters of Hebrew proper names (like Refoyl and Binyomen). Don't use capital letters for any other Yiddish words.

If you need a loshn-koydesh derived word, first spell it phonetically. Unaccented vowels often should be spelled with an e, as in borekh, bimkem, and maskem.

If you don't know or can't guess the pronunciation, you may use the following letters to spell out loshn-koydesh.

Don't distinguish final khof, mem, nun, fe, tsadi.

Examples: type msKym for מסכּים, Slwm for שלום.

In my data file, I surround all loshn-koydesh with {braces}, so you can use them, too. For instance, ym} searches for all loshn-koydesh words ending in yud-mem (ים).

Searching by other information

I record a few categories along with definitions. So type clothing or sound and you will get lists of clothing words and sound words. I also note a few grammatical items (try indeclinable) and usage (try inadmissable or German).

On occasion I indicate where I saw a word, especially if I don't see the same word in standard dictionaries; try Forwards, Hoffman, Bergelson, note: V.

Nonstandard spellings

I have used standard YIVO Romanization and orthography in this dictionary. If you are trying to find a word that uses other schemes (see the Wikipedia article for some insight), consider making these adjustments.

1. Don't use the prefix be-; use ba-.
2. Don't use the prefix er-; use der-.
3. Don't use the inseparable verb prefix tsu-; use tse-.
4. Don't place an h after a vowel to lengthen it; write ey instead of eh, for instance.
5. If the text doesn't distinguish a tsvey-yudn (ײ) from pasekh-tsvey-yudn (ײַ), try both ay and ey.
6. Similarly, if the text doesn't distinguish pe (פּ) from fe (פֿ), try both p and f.
7. If the text has a word starting with alef-yud (such as אינגל), also search for it with yi, as in yingl.
8. If the text has a word ending in -ig, try -ik.
9. The epenthetic ayin before a nun en (ענ) is sometimes absent in modern spelling, leaving just the nun.
10. If the text has a double consonant, such as tt, search with a single consonant, such as t.
11. If the text has an alef with a segol (אֶ), try e.
12. Transliterate the khes (ח) as kh. Some books use the khes where standard orthography uses the khof (כ).
13. If your text has a final khof with a dagesh (ךּ), just ignore the dagesh and use kh.

"SH"/'SCH" WORDS:
AS MUCH FUN AS TO SAY SHEYBOGIN

by
Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe

Syosset, New York

On December 28, 2006, The New York Times ("The Arts") contained the following headline:

PENGUIN, SCHMENGUIN!
Those Are Savion Glover's Happy Feet!

In the book, "Yiddish with Dick and Jane," we read, 'Prozac Schmozac, at least she's more freylech now (kina-hora)."

Yiddish has innumerable words which begin with the letters "sh" or "sch." Let's examine some of them.

"shtummie"
A dope

Yankel, Minnie's young son comes rushing in from schol one day all out of breath, shvitzing, gasping for "luft" (air).

"Vos iz wrong?" cried Minnie.

"Oh, Mama, you'll be so proud of me! Today I saved the whole $2 fare by running behind the 'oytobus' all the way home."

"Shtummie," Mama replies, "You could have run behind a 'taksi' and saved $10."

"shnorrer"
Slang for beggar, moocher, or cheapskate

There's the story about the "schnorrer" who said to her mother, "Forget about dry cleaning a dress in Manhattan; it costs $8.50. I simply donate it to the Salvation Army. They launder it, dry clean it, & I buy it back for two bucks. I saved $6.50."

"Shame'outh"
Day on which you better call your mother or else.
(Source: "1,003 Great Things About Being Jewish" by Birnbach, Hodgman, & Stone)

"shtikele"
A little piece

"Yo, a dank, efsher vel ikh take nemen nokh a shtikele.' (Yes, thanks, maybe I will have another teensy piece.) (Source: James A. Matisoff's book titled, "Blessings, Curses, Hopes, and Fears - Psycho-Ostensive Expressions in Yiddish")

"schlamazel"/"schlimazel"/"shlemazl"
Someone born under an unlucky star; a born loser

An ad for IDT, the long distance carrier, read:

"Based on the Wall Street Journal, you have to be a shlamazel to be using AT&T, MCI, Sprint or Verizon."

When a "shlemazl" finds a $50 bill on the street, the first person he runs into is the goy he owes $51.00.

Leo Rosten wrote, "He is such a 'shlemazl' that his junk mail arrives 'Postage due.'"

Ruth and Bob Grossman, authors of the Italian-Kosher Cookbook, define a "shlumazel" as follows: "The fellow who when told, 'Sorry, next elevator!' answers, " That's the story of my life."

"schmaltz"
Rendered chicken or goose fat used for frying or spreading on bread

Back in the shtetls in Europe a little boy is getting his daily piece off bread and schmaltz and he drops it on the ground. The bread falls schmaltz side up! He's so excited that he runs and tells his "melamed" (teacher): "I dropped my bread and schmaltz and it fell schmaltz side up." His teacher hits him across the head and says, " Why you lie! The bread always falls schmaltz side down."

The boy goes home and tells his mother, "I dropped my bread and schmaltz and it fell schmaltz side up." His motherhits him across the head and says, "Why you lie! The bread always falls schmaltz side down."

The boy's father has the same reaction, but before hitting him, he calls the rabbi. The rabbi thinks about it and says, "You put the schmaltz on the wrong side!"

P.S. May you always fall schmaltz side up! (Source: Jeryl Yourish)

"schlepper"
Someone who "shleps" or carries something; to drag someone someplace they don't want to go; to move slowly; to drag one's heels

According to Iris Burnett ("Schlepper! A Mostly True Tale of Presidential Politics"), a"schlepper" is a noun meaning one who carries heavy loads; a person who works diligently to achieve a goal; often used as a term of endearment in Jewish culture.

Burnett continues, A "schlepper" as an adjective is someone who is tired or messy. They're "schleppsic." A person dragging too many campaign posters is "schlepping." Someone who has been awake for 36 hours is shlepped-out. In political campaigns everyone starts as a schlepper."

"schlepptops"
According to Paul R. Hughes ("Another Word a Day" by Anu Garg), Germans--ever the expert word combiners--occasionally refer to laptop computers as "schlepptops."

"shadchen"
marriage brokers

Hennie Youngman ("Take My Life, Please") wrote, "In Yiddish, he was also a shadchen. Literally, this work is defined as 'matchmaker,' but I prefer Shalom Aleichem's definition of a shadchen as a 'dealer in livestock.'"

"shmendrick"
nincompoop or fool

In Jackie Mason and Raoul Felder's new book, "Schmucks: Our Favorite Fakes, Frauds, Lowlifes, and Liars," the authors insult many prominent people: Hillary, Bill, the Rev. Al Sharpton, and Katie Couric. Couric's spokesman, Matthew Hiltzig said-- referring to Mason and Felder, "Gee, are those two shmendricks still alive?"

"schnoz"/"shnoz"
A nose, especially a large nose

Some say that the word comes from the name of a character in an operetta by Avram Goldfaden.

Jimmy Durante was the radio and TV personality with a gigantic schnoz. There was a Seinfeld episode in which George's girlfriend has a big nose and gets a nose job. The nose job had disastrous results. Let that be a lesson: Don't mess with perfection.

In an episode of "I Love Lucy," Lucy and Desi go to Hollywood. While Desi is at work Lucy sees William Holden and is star struck. Of course, she makes a fool out of herself. Desi meets Mr. Holden at the studio and invites him to their house to meet his wife. Lucy is too embarrassed to face Holden again so she draws a large nose to disguise herself. (This may be the first instance of big nose makeup used this way on a TV show.)

"schmutz"
dirt, stain, or filth

When Temple Emanuel, the largest synagogue in New York City, had a $2.5 million floor-to-ceiling renovation (or $10,000 per "zitsort"--seat), Mark W. Weisstuch said, "We had 75 years of, to use the technical term, schmutz."

"schmear"/"schmeer"
The act of "spreading" a condiment, such as cream cheese on a bagel. Slang - A number of things that go together; an aggregate: She bought the whole shmeer.

Columnist, Marge Perry, wrote, "What's that, you say, you've never heard of a schmear? Then your visit to Russ and Daughters, the place to go for smoked fish and caviar is long overdue. Since 1914, four generations of the family have been selling 'Jewish soul food' from the same Lower East Side address..."

Elvis "Schmelvis"
Dan Hartal is the world's only Orthodox Jewish Elvis impersonator. He goes by the moniker, Elvis Schmelvis and sings songs with a Jewish Twist: "Jerusalem Hotel" instead of "Heartbreak Hotel."

_____
Marjorie's favorite "sh" word is "shtinker."
A "shtinker" is a "rat" or one who "sings" to the cops.
Source: "You Can't Do Business (or Most Anything Else) Without Yiddish" by Leon H. Gildin.

home

___________________________________________
Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe is the author of
two books:

"Yiddish for Dog & Cat Lovers" and
"Are Yentas, Kibitzers, & Tummlers Weapons of Mass Instruction?  Yiddish
Trivia."  To order a copy, go to her
website: MarjorieGottliebWolfe.com

NU, what are you waiting for?  Order the book!