redlshikh

roller skates

hoyde
swing

shpringshnur
jump rope

glitshke
slide

pictures by
Pépi Marzel
 THIS PAGE
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 Edited by
Joni Kibort Sussman
Pictures by
Pépi Marzel

1
To my parents, who instilled in me a love of Yiddish — J.K.S.

Sincere thanks to Dr. Markle Karlen and Itzik Gottesman for Pronunciation Guide
their help with word selection and editing. Yiddish is a very old language.
For nearly 1000 years, Yiddish
was the main language spoken
by Ashkenazic (Eastern European)
Jews. While it sounds similar to
German, it is written in Hebrew
characters. Unlike the written
Hebrew, the vowels do not appear
under the letters, but rather cer-
Text copyright © 2009 by Joni Kibort Sussman tain Hebrew letters take on vowel
Illustrations copyright © 2005 by Pépi Marzel
sounds in Yiddish. The Hebrew
All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of letter “alef” is the Yiddish vowel
this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or for the sound “ah” or “aw.”
transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, The Hebrew letter “ayin” is the
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the
written permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except for
Yiddish vowel for the sound of
the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review. “eh.” And, as in Hebrew, the letter
“vav” is the sound of “uh” and
Kar-Ben Publishing the letter “yud” is the sound of
A division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.
241 First Avenue North “ee.” The English transliterations
Minneapolis, MN 55401 U.S.A. have been written phonetically.
1-800-4KARBEN The consonant pair “kh” is
pronounced like the “ch” in
Website address: www.karben.com
“Bach.” If you can read Hebrew,
you can read Yiddish so have fun
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data sounding out the Yiddish words!
Sussman, Joni Kibort
My first Yiddish word book / by Joni Kibort Sussman ; pictures
by Pepi Marzel.
p. cm.
ISBN: 978–0–8225–8755–2 (trade hard cover : alk. paper)
1. Picture dictionaries, Yiddish—Juvenile literature.
2. Picture dictionaries, English—Juvenile literature.
3. Yiddish language—Dictionaries, Juvenile—English.
4. English language—Dictionaries, Juvenile—Hebrew.
I. Marzel, Pepi. II. Title.
PJ5117.S87 2009
439'.182421—dc22 2007028347
Manufactured in the United States of America
1 2 3 4 5 6 – DP – 14 13 12 11 10 09

eISBN-13: 978-0-7613-5182-5
 hor kop
hair head ikh
I
noz oygn
nose eyes

oyern
ears moyl
mouth

ponem
face
hent
hands

baykhele
tummy

guf
body

fis
feet

3
 mishpokhe
family

kats zeyde bubbe bruder feter

cat grandpa grandma brother uncle
4
mumeh eyfeleh mameh tateh shvester
aunt baby mother father sister
5
 onton
clothes

shikh hoyzn sveter hemd henger

shoes pants sweater shirt hanger
6
kleydl hitl rekl shpigl zokn
skirt hat jacket mirror socks
7
 hoyz
house

dakh fentster tir ployt foygl

roof window door fence bird
8
groz blumen boym brivkastn treplekh
grass flowers tree mailbox steps
9
 gasttsimmer
living room

televizye divan tepekh kompyuter telefon tish

television sofa rug computer telephone table
10
 kikh
kitchen

messer gopl lefl top oyvn frizhider

knife fork spoon pot oven refrigerator
11
 shul
school

talmidim papir sherl krayd rukzak bikher

students paper scissors chalk knapsack books
12
benkl blayer shraybtish kraydlech tovl lererin
chair pencil desk crayons chalkboard teacher
13
 shpilplats
playground

flishlang bal glitshke keend zamdkastn

kite ball slide child sandbox
14
 bitsikl hoyde redlshikh shpringshnur bank
bicycle swing roller skates jump rope bench
15
 shtot
city

oytobus gaas maseh-oyto oyto restoran

bus street truck car restaurant
16
 binyen forsignal aeroplan krom bibliotek
building traffic light airplane store library
17
 shpayzkrom
grocery

pomidor broyt kikhlekh milelch kartofl

tomato bread cookies milk potato
18
 vegeleh eyer hun epl marants
shopping cart eggs chicken apple orange
19
 tsayt tsu shlofn
bedtime

bet dek kishn lomp bukh

bed blanket pillow lamp book
20
zeyger shank shpilekhl levoneh shtern
clock closet toy moon stars
21
 vashtsimmer
bathroom

zeyf shifl blezlekh vaneh vasser

soap boat bubbles bathtub water
22
hantekh tseynbershtl klozet vashtish horbershtl
towel toothbrush toilet sink hairbrush
23
 geboyrn-tog
birthday

balon khaverim lets foto-aparat ayzkrem

balloon friends clown camera ice cream
24
tsukerl matoneh likhtlekh tort zaft
candy present candles cake juice
25
 zoo-gortn
zoo

ber leyb helfand tiger malpeh

bear lion elephant tiger monkey
26
popugay shlang dzhiraf keml yam-hoont
parrot snake giraffe camel seal
27
 friling zumer
spring summer

regn-boygn regn shirem zun plazhe

rainbow rain umbrella sun beach
28
 harbst vinter
fall winter

vint blat shlitn shneymentsh shney

wind leaf sled snowman snow
29
 numer
number

eyns tsvey
one two

drei fir finef zeks

three four five six

zibn akht nayn tsen

seven eight nine ten

30
 farbn
colors

royt grin shvarts broyn vays

red green black brown white

oranzh bloy lila gell

orange blue purple yellow

31
 e
Word List clock
closet
rgdhhz
ebta
©
21
21
knife
lamp
rgxgn
Pnẗk
11
20
sled
slide
iyhka
geayhkd
29
14
clothes iẗybẗ 6 leaf rgygkc 29 snake dbtka
© 27
clown .k 24 library gyẗhchce 17 snow hhba 29
airplane itkP
© ẗrgt 17 colors 31 lion chhk 26 snowman aybgnhhba 29
apple kPg 19 computer rgyuhPnẗe 10 living room rgnhmyxtd © 10 soap ;hhz 22
aunt gnun 5 cookies lgkfhe 18 mailbox iyxteuuhrc
© 9 socks ieẗz 7
baby gkgœpug 5 crayons lgkshhre
© 13 milk lgkhn 18 sofa ituuhs
© 10
ball ktc© 14 desk ahychhra
© 13 mirror kdhPa 7 spoon kœpgk 11
balloon iẗktc© 24 door rhy 8 monkey gPktn © 26 spring dbhkhrœp 28
bathroom rgnhmatuu © 22 ears irghut 3 moon vbœck 21 stars irgya 21
bathtub gbtuu
© 22 eggs rghht 19 mother gntn© 5 steps lgkPgry 9
beach gaztkP
© 28 elephant sbtœ
© pkgv 26 mouth khun 3 store oẗre 17
bear rgc 26 eyes idhut 3 number 30 street xtd© 16
bed ygc 20 face ohbP 3 nose zẗb 3 students ohshnkT 12
bedtime iœ pẗka um yhhm © 20 fall yxcrtv © 29 orange .btr© tn © 19 summer rgnuz 28
bench ebtc 15 family vjPan 4 oven iuuhut 11 sun iuz 28
bicycle kehmhc 15 father gyty © 5 pants izhuv 6 sweater rgyguux 6
bird kdhuœp 8 feet 3 paper rhPtP © 12 swing gshuv 15
birthday dẗy-irhucgd 24 fence yhukP 8 parrot hhduP
© ẗP 27 table ahy 10
blanket egs 20 flowers ignukc 9 pencil rghhkc
© 13 teacher (f.) ihrgrgk 13
boat kœpha 22 fork kœpẗd 11 pillow iahe 20 telephone iẗœpgkgy 10
body ;ud 3 friends ohrœcj 24 playground .tkPkhPa 14 television ghzhuugkgy 10
book luc 20 giraffe ;trhazs
© 27 pot Pẗy 11 tiger rgdhy 26
books rgfhc 12 grandma gcẗc 4 potato kœpẗyrte © 18 toilet ygzẗke 23
bread yhurc 18 grandpa gshhz 4 present vbTn 25 tomato rẗshnẗP 18
brother rgsurc 4 grass zẗrd 9 rain idgr 28 toothbrush 23
bubbles lgkzgkc 22 grocery oẗrezhhPa
© 18 rainbow idhucÎidgr 28 towel lgybtv
© 23
building ihbc 17 hair rẗv 3 refrigerator rgshazhrœp 11 toy kfgkhPa 21
bus xucẗyhut 16 hairbrush kyargcrẗv 23 restaurant itr
© ẗyxgr 16 traffic light ktbdhxr
© ẗœp 17
cake yrẗy 25 hands ybgv 3 roller skates lhaksgr 15 tree ohuc 9
camel knge 27 hanger rgdbgv 6 roof lts© 8 truck ẗyhut-tGn 16
camera ytr© tP
© t-© ẗyẗœp 24 hat 7 rug lgPgy 10 tummy gkgfhhc
© 3
candles lgkyfhk 25 head Pẗe 3 sandbox iyxtesn
© tz
© 14 umbrella ogrha 28
candy krgeum 25 house zhuv 8 school kua 12 uncle rgygœp 4
car ẗyhut 16 I lht 3 scissors krga 12 water rgxtuu
© 22
cat .te© 4 ice cream ogrezhht© 24 seal ybuv-oh 27 wind ybhuu 29
chair kebgc 13 jacket kegr 7 shirt sngv 6 window rgymbgœp 8
chalk shhre
© 12 juice yœptz© 25 shoes lha 6 winter rgybhuu 29
chalkboard kuuẗy 13 jump rope rubadbhrPa 15 shopping cart gkgdgu 19 zoo iyrẗd-ẗẗz 26
chicken iuv 19 kitchen lhe 11 sink ahyatuu © 23
child l e 14 kite dbtkahkœ
© p 14 sister rgyxguua 5
city yẗya 16 knapsack etzeur
© 12 skirt kshhke 7

32
 THIS PAGE
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 Young children can learn everyday Yiddish words
through entertaining scenes of daily life. Over 150
words used at home, school and play—in Yiddish,
transliteration and translation. A fun introduction
to the Yiddish language. With pronounciation
guide and dictionary.

A Game for You:

Can you find these Yiddish words in this book?

talmidim ber boym shvester zeyger matone

students bear tree sister clock present