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Hebrew Words in Dutch (mostly via Yiddish)

An Example

The Jews of Holland

DISCLAIMER
Most of the words from the following lists are slang terms, not meant for
polite conversation: I do not recommend their use by non-native speakers
and cannot be held responsible for accidents resulting from their use.

The Yiddish and the first list of Hebrew words on this page are transcribed to the Dutch pronunciation system. Dutch Pronunciation

Dutch-Israeli Uriah Yaniv made a list of the words in Hebrew characters - when you know Hebrew, I strongly recommend you open his page with the root words in Hebrew next to my page: The list in Hebrew - (on CD-ROM)
The list on this page is in two parts, common and less common words; Uriah has all the words in one list.

Uriah is a licensed tour guide in Israel, and conducts tours in English, German, Dutch, Arabic and Hebrew. His special interests are Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Plants and Animals, Archaeology, Modern History and Humor. Contact him on his page for details.
Uriah is een gediplomeerde reisgids voor tochten in Israel, en hij spreekt goed Nederlands omdat hij tot z'n achttiende in Nederland gewoond heeft. Verder spreekt hij Engels, Duits, Hebreeuws en Arabisch. Hij kan veel vertellen over het Christendom in Israël, het Joodse geloof en de Joodse cultuur, de Islam, flora en fauna, archeologie, geschiedenis en humor. Neem contact met hem op via zijn website.

Hebrew and Yiddish Words in Common Dutch

Meaning of Dutch Word	Dutch Word	Yiddish Root	Hebrew Root (Dutch-Sephardi transcription)	Modern Hebrew (English transcription)	Meaning of Hebrew Root	Comments, Similar Dutch Words etc.
				The list in Hebrew
dead-tired	afgepeigerd	-	pèger	peger	corpse, dead body
prison	bajes	bajes house	bajiet	bayit	house	bajesklant 2 ['prison customer'] a former inmate
drunk	blauw 2	blau	be-lo	belo	without, zero	etymology questionable Dutch blauw 2 ('blue,') like the cheap fuel alcohol
intelligent person (humorous)	bolleboos 2	baal habojes, balboos	ba'al ha-bajiet	ba'al habayit	master of the house, head of the family
Cheers!	daar ga je! 2	lechajjem	lechajjiem	lechayim	to life!
poverty	dalles	dalles	dalloet	dalut	poverty
friend, comrade	gabber	chawwer	chaweer	chaver	friend, comrade
bad people	gajes	gajes not-Jewish people	gajies	chayot	soldiers
thief	gannef 2	gannew	gannaw	ganav	thief
fun funny something funny funny person, comedian	gein geinig 2 geintje geinponum 2 3	chein	cheen	chen	favor, charm
impoverished	gesjochten	schechten to butcher	sjocheet	lishchot	a butcher
punks, bad people	geteisem	chatteisem singular: chattes	chatat	chet tachat	sin, atonement offering
clever, shrewd	gis	ches prudent, intelligent	ches	chet	(first letter of choochem)
clever, sensible	goochem	choochem	chacham	chacham	wise, prudent
insolent act	gotspe	chotspe	choetspa	chutzpah	insolence	it does not imply courage like 'chutzpah' in English, just insolence
a man (unfavorable)	gozer	-	chatan	chatan	bridegroom, son-in-law
trouble, commotion	heibel	heibel	hèwel	hevel	vain, useless	etymology somewhat questionable
a quarter, 25¢	heitje	heitje	hei	he	5 (5 nickels)	een heitje voor 'n karweitje 2 ('a quarter for a small job') - boy scouts fundraiser slogan
confused	hoteldebotel	overwotel	awar oe-woteel	avar vebatel	gone and disappeared (Awot V,24)
Jenever ('Dutch gin')	jajem	jajen	jajien	yayin	wine
hand hands // to steal	jat jatten 2	jad	jad	yad	hand
10 guilders (bill)	joetje	joed	jod	yod	10
good, nice	jofel	jofe	jafee	yafe	useful, pleasant
broken, not functioning	kapoerem 2 kapoeres 2 kapoerewitz 2	kappore	kappôreth / kapores	kapara	sacrifice for atonement	'kapoerewitz' is children's talk Dutch kapot ('broken, not functioning')
'airs,' cockiness	kapsones	gawsones	ga-awtanoet	ga'avtanut	hubris
died, gone	kassiewijle	(h)asjeweine	hasjieweinoe	hashivenu	'bring us back'	Dutch wijlen ('the late')
yarmulke	keppeltje 2		kippah		yarmulke	etymology questionable
envy, jealousy	kinnesinne	kinnesinne	kien-a / siena	kina sina	jealousy / hate
policeman	klabak 2		kèlew		dog	etymlogy very questionable
cheap brandy	koetsiertje	chootse	chatsie	chatsi	half	Dutch koetsier ('coachman') (Hebrew etymology very questionable)
	koosjer		kasjeer	kasher	kosher
child	koter	koten	katan		small
1½ guilder, 30 nickels	lammetje	lammetje	lammed	lamed	30	Dutch lammetje ('little lamb') - there used to be a 1½ guilder coin, 'daalder'
courage	lef	lef	lew	lev	heart
no result	lou loene 2	lou lone	lo lanoe	lo lanu	not us (Ps. 115)
luck	mazzel		mazzal	mazal	luck; constellation	Dutch De mazzel! ('See you!')
100 guilders bill	meier	meie	méa	me'a	100
crazy	mesjogge	mesjogge	mesjoega'	meshuga	crazy
ugly; troublesome	mies	mies	mioes	mi'us	aversion; inferiority
unpleasant person	miesgasser	mieschazzer	mioes chazier	mi'us chatan	troublesome - pig
a spoiler	miesmacher	mies Germanic machen	mioes -	mi'us -	ugly (-maker)
unpleasant person	miesponum	miesponem	mioes poniem	mi'us panim	troublesome face
Amsterdam	Mokum	mokem olef	makom olef	makom alef	city A
money	(turf)molm		teref?		money	etymology questionable Dutch turfmolm ('peat pulp')
a nuisance	ongein	chein	cheen	chen	favor, charm
to have sex	pennen 2		penai		time of rest	etymology questionable
the criminal world	penose	parnose	parnasa	parnasa	breadwinning
a small person	piegem	piechem	pegimoh	pegima, pagum	minor disability	etymology questionable
gone, disppeared	pleite	pleite	peléta	plita	escape
money	poen		melech punem	pan, panim	the king's face (on a coin)	etymology questionable
face	ponum porum 2	ponem	poniem	panim	face
pity	rachmones	rachmones	rachamanoet	rachmanut	pity
overstock sale	ramsj	ramsch ramme, rammo-es	ramma-oet	rama'ut	deceit	probably from French ramas - Hebrew etymology questionable
bad people	schorem 2	sjeiker	sjèker, sjekariem	shor wachamor	lie, lies	(tellers of lies?) - Hebrew etymology questionable
non-Jewish girl	sjikse	sjikse	sjiektsa	shekets meshukats	non-Jewish girl
knowledge, presumption	sjoege	sjoewe	tesjoewa	shagach	answer; remorse	Dutch: geen sjoege geven ('giving no response, showing no emotion')
looking poor	sjofel	-	sjafal, sjafaal	shefel	modest, common
policeman	smeris	sj(e)miere	sjemiera	shmira	surveillance
excuse excuse to talk with a hidden purpose	smoes smoesje smoezen	sjmoes	sjemoe'ot	shmu'a	talk, rumors	Most commonly used is the diminutive plural: smoesjes
trouble, worries	sores	tsores	tsarot (tsara)	tsarot	suffering
ado	stennis	sjtannes esjtounes	'esjtonot	eshtonot	thoughts, intentions	Dutch stennis maken 2 ('to get rowdy, raise a stink')
hidden, secretly	stiekem	sjtieke	sjetieka	shtika	silence, no speaking
'cool,' likeable	tof	tof good	tow	tov	good
ass, behind	togus tokus	tooches	tachat	tachat	below, lowest
				The list in Hebrew
Less Common Dutch Words of Hebrew and Yiddish Origin
Meaning of Dutch Word	Dutch Word	Yiddish Root	Hebrew Root (Dutch-Sephardi transcription)	Modern Hebrew (English transcription)	Meaning of Hebrew Root	Comments, Similar Dutch Words etc.
God!	attenoie	addenoj	Adonaj	Adonay	God, Lord
to 'sing,' betray	baldoveren 2	-	ba'al dawar	ba'al dibur	master of the word?	etymology questionable
two	bas beis	beis	bet	bet	2
unpleasant person	basserool 2	barjisro-el	bar Jisra-el	bar Yisra'el	son of Israel
to speak	bedibberen	medibberen, medabberen	diebboer	diver, diber	speech
afraid	begiete 2	bechiete	be-chietta		with fear
neighborhood	beis	-	bajieth	bayit	house	etymology questionable
a reprimand, a fine	bekattering	(mekatreg)	mekatreeg	mekatreg	prosecutor (from Greek) katègorein
to swindle	beseibelen	bezeibelen	zèwel	zevel	dung
well-to-do	betoeg	betoech	betoeach	betu'ach	certain, reliable
excuses	biskopee	pischen pee	pietchon pee	pitchon pe	opening mouth (freedom to speak)
headman, chief, police chief	bollebof 2	balboos	ba'al ha-bajiet	ba'al bayit	master of the house, head of the family	a further corruption of 'bolleboos'
man, guy	broger	boocher	bachoer	bachur	young, single man
blessing, prayer	brooche	brooche	beracha	beracha	a prayer for certain occasions
protestantism	chadesjemone 2	chaddesj emoenne	chaddiesj emoena	chadash emuna	very new - belief	see also tofelemone
to beg	dalven	dalfen a poor man	Dalfon dal	Dalfon	one of Haman's sons poor	etymology questionable
adulterous woman	eisjediesj 2 eisjediesje 2	eisjediesj(e)	ésjet iesj	eshet ish	married woman
nice, pleasant	emmes	emmes true, truth	emet	emet	truth
broke, bankrupt	gallemieze		challasj mies	chalash	weak, bad	etymology questionable
cap	gassie		mechasseh	michse	covered	etymology questionable
(bad) company	gebroeze	chawroese	Aramaic: chawroeta	chavruta	company, friendship	Dutch gebroeders 2 (old-fashioned 'brothers')
a share	geiling 2	cheilek	chelek	chalak	share, part	etymology questionable
prostitute	gondel	chonte?				Dutch 'gondel' (Venetian 'gondola') (etymology questionable)
broken, destroyed	goref	choref	chareew	charev	ruined, dry
to eat	hachelen	achelen	achiele	achal	food
badly dressed; setback, failure	hillig	hillech	hielloech	hiluch	behavior
bad smell, stink	ippes	ippesj	'ieppoesj		bad smell; fungus
first sale of the day	jatmoos	jadmoos	jad ma'ot	yad ma'ot	hand money
stolen goods	jatschore		jad sechora	yad sechorat	hand merchandise
noise, fuss	jeiles		ja'alee		first word of a Kol Nidre prayer
small child	jelletje	jéled	jèled	yeled	child
year in prison	jen		jamim		year	etymology questionable
cheater at cards	jenner	jowen Greek				etymology very questionable
expensive	jouker		jakar	yakar	expensive, exquisite
prostitute	kalletje	kalle bride	kalla	kala	bride
broke	kaps	kabtsen beggar	kabtsan	kabtsan	beggar	etymology questionable
paper money	kassavie	kesaaf writing, mail	ketaw	ketav	writing
good, safe	kedin	kedin	kadien	kedin	lawful
a glass of Dutch gin	keiltje		keli	keli	barrel	etymology very questionable
curse	kelole 2	kelole	kelala	klala	curse
to divide money	kiepen	probably from Slavic kupa ('group of people, business partners')				etymology questionable
OK	kim	ken	keen	ken	right, correct	etymology questionable
free, no charge	koefnoen	Koscht Niks	k (koef) + n (noen)	kuf nun	Hebrew letters
honor, respect	kovet	kowed	kawod	kavod	honor, respect
adversity	krieje	krie-e	kerie'ah	kriyah	tear in mourning clothes
trouble, danger	lampe 2	lamden	lamdon	lamdan	scholar	etymology questionable
no knowledge of	lou sjoege	louw sjoewe	lo tesjoewa	lo shagach	no knowledge
inferior quality	lou tof	louw tof	lo tow	lo tov	not good
water to rain	majem majemen		majiem	mayim	water
blow, plague	makke		makka	maka	blow, plague
stolen goods	mazematte	massematten to trade	massa oe-mattan (maso umaton)	masa umatan	commerce, negotiation
dead	meimus	meimes	meemiet	memit	dead
beating, battle	mekajem 2	mekajjem	makka / mekajjeem	maka	blow / confirmed
job, tool	melogem	melooche angels	malachiem	melacha	angels
money	mesomme	mezomme	(kèsef) mezoemman	mezuman	cash
a sneaky person	mien 2	mien	ma-amien	ma'amin	believer (religious)	'Mien' is also a Dutch girls' name (short for 'Wilhelmina')
ugly woman; an unpleasant case	mieskat		mioes + Germanic -keit	mi'us	'bad (-ness)'	Dutch kat ('cat')
family	misjpoge	misjpooche	miesjpacha	mishpacha	family
to gossip, to betray	mozeren	moser	moseer	moser	snitch
beating	muimes		mum	mum	disability	etymology questionable
pleasure, enjoyment	nages 2	naaches	nachat	nachat	rest, happiness
woman	nekeiwe	nekeiwe	nekéwe	nekeva	woman
bad, inferior	nieges	niechesj superstitious fear	niechoesj	nachut	magic, fortune-telling
woman, girl	niese	iesje	iesja	isha	woman
to kill	nifteren	nifteren to die	nieftar	niftar	deceased
oud; gek	olms 2	olam world		olam		etymology questionable
afraid	pages paged 2	paached	paachad	pachad	fear
term of abuse	parg 2	probably from Polish parch (scratch, rash)		parech
term of abuse	patetter	partsef	partsoef	partsuf	face
under arrest?	pekaan bekaan 2	bekaan here	kaan	kan	here
easy, quiet	penages	benaaches	nachat	benachat	rest, enjoyment
to work very hard	piezakken 2		pisseach	piseyach	bent, lame	etymology questionable
bribed	plat 2	polat to escape	peléta	palat	escape	(etymology questionable) Dutch plat 2 ('flat; submitted')
small coin	poser	poosjet simple, basic	pasjoet	pashut	simple, basic
lost, gone	pote poter	poter	poteer	patur	released	Dutch poten (animal 'legs')
mild curse	rambam	Rabbi Moosje ben Maimon		Rambam	Maimonides
ruin, ruined	ratsmodee	asjmedai	Asmodée	Ashmaday	devil, the king of evil spirits
strong person; crowbar	ribbemoos	rebbe Mousje		Rav Moshe
to look, spy on	rojemen rojenen	rojen look!	ro'oh	ra'a	to see
to be in prison	scheffen	sjeffen	sjev!	yashav	sit!
face, name, 'fame'	schim 2	sjem	sjem	sham	name	Dutch schim 2 ('vague appearance, shadow')
merchandise	schore	s-choure	sechora	sechora	merchandise
in trouble	sereibel	sereife	seréfe	srefa	fire
questionable	sjalet	sjalet (long-stewing Sabbath dish) probably from French chaud or Latin calidus ('warm, hot')				American Yiddish: cholent
to booze	sjaskenen sjasjkenen	sjasjkenen	sjasjon	shatyan	boozer
devil, enemy, police	sjed	sjed ghost, evil spirit	sjeidiem	sjed	the host of evil spirits
drunk	sjikker	sjikker	sjiekkor	shikor	drunk
the police	sjotrem		sjauteir, sjautrim	sjortrim	police	etymology questionable
guilder	soof	zoof	zahuw	zahav	golden coin
house, boarding-house	spiese		Aramaic ojspieza	ushpizin	inn
prostitute	temeie 2	temeie(r)	teméa	teme'a	unclean	#2 sung by Tol Hansse
junk, low quality	tinnef		tiennoef	tinofet	dirt, dung
catholicism	tofelemone	tofel emmoene	tafeel emoena	emuna tefela	old belief	see also chadesjemone
Jesus	(de) tole 2	tole	taloej	taluy	the hanged one
not kosher	treife	treife	teréfa	taref	not kosher
to sell	verkienen 2	verkinjenen	kienjan	kinjan	property, acquisition
to betray	versmiegelen 2		sliechot	salach, slicha	penance	Dutch slang smiecht 2 ('a rogue')
gone	wieberig 2	wejiwrech	wajiewrach	vayivrach Ja'akov	he fled (Hosea XII,13)
smug, arrogant	wijgoochem	weichochme	Germanic weh - chochme	vechochma	(pain-) wisdom
to swindle	zeperen		zèwel	zevel	dung, dirt
				The list in Hebrew

gedeisd 2

hou je gedeisd

15 Years ago, the first version of this page was mostly based on Enno Endt and Lieneke Frerich's Bargoens Woordenboek (Bert Bakker, Amsterdam 1991.) Over the years many people have contributed words and corrections to the page, most notably Hans den Besten. The page was completely revised in October 2010 because Dutch-Israeli Uriah Yaniv made a list of the words in Hebrew characters.
For the revision I mostly used the standard reference book Resten van Een Taal ('Remains of A Language') by H. Beem (Van Gorcum & Comp., Assen 1967.) My notes 'etymology questionable' mean the word is not found in Beem. Other books I consulted are Beem's Jerosche (Van Gorcum & Comp., Assen 1970,) Hebreeuwse en Jiddische woorden in het Nederlands by Henk Heikens, Henk D. Meijering, Hilde Pach, Jaap de Rooij, Abraham Rosenberg and Ariane Zwiers (Staatsdrukkerij, Den Haag, 2002) and the aforementioned Bargoens Woordenboek.
Individual contributors: Uriah Yaniv, Hans den Besten, Eddy Dasberg, Naftaly Godesh Tal'or, A.J.A. van Bladel, Rober Bos, Sandra de Bresser, A.J. van Zuiden, Frederik Weindling, Johan Kelderman, Jochai Rubinstein and Henk de Leeuw.

Sound Files from the Old Page

email - Copyright © Marco Schuffelen 2010. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed, or hotlinked to.
Don't be a dief (thief) / dievegge (female thief) - diefstal (theft) - stelen (to steal) - heler (dealer in stolen goods) - hear Dutch - 2