My Grandfather's Yiddish Sayings

Here are some great Yiddish saying that both of my grandfathers used to tell me, and others ones I've collected, too! Do you know any others? E-mail me at (morgan@westegg.com) and let me know!!! What did your grandparents used to tell you???

Hi everyone! It's Morgan and I just started a new project selling modern and contemporary custom ketubahs designed by amazing Jewish artists from Argentina! I'd love to hear what you think about my new site: This is not a Ketubah - Yes it is! PS: You might also like our sister sites, Orthodox Ketubot and lgbt ketubahs :)

Read some more: My Favorites · New additions · Alphabetical order · Original Yiddish
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In the original Yiddish!

You should lose all your teeth except one, and that one should ache! (Zolst farlirn ale tseyner akhuts eynem, un der zol dir vey ton) New!

Where are you climbing with your crooked feet? (Vu krikhst du mit dayn krume fis?)

What afool can spoil, ten wise men cannot repair (Vos a nar ken kalye makhn, kenen tsen khakhomin nit farrikhtn.)

So the Messiah will be born a day later (Vet moshiakh geboyrn vern mit a tog shpeter)

He who is no good to himself is not good to another. (Ver es toyg nit far zikh, toyg nit far yenem.)

If the fool didn't belong to me, I'd be laughint too (Ven der nar volt nit geven mayner, volt ich oykh gelakht.)

To make promises and to love don't cost any money (Tsuzogn un lib hoben kostn kayn gelt nisht)

That which is practiced in youth will be pursued in old age. (Tsu vos men iz gevoynt in der yugnt, azoy tut men oyf der elter.) One of our favorites!

Troubles with soup is easier than troubles without soup (Tsores mit yoykh iz gringer vi tsores on yoykh)

Don't hit me and don't lick me (Shlog mikh nit, un lek mikh nit)

They bury better-looking ones (Shenere leygt men in drerd)

To look like a rooster after the hens have been trod (Oyszen vi a hon nokj tashmish)

When it comes to one's own children, everyone is blind. (Oyf eygene kinder iz yederer a blinder.)

On a beautiful person, it's good to look, with a smart person it's good to live. (Of a shaynem iz gut tsu kukn, mit z klugn iz gut tsu lebn)

Only fools rely on miracles (Nor naronim farlozn zikh oyf nisim)

You can't make cheesecakes out of snow (Mit shney ken men nit makhn gomolkhes)

Don't do business with a fool (Mit a nar tor men nit handlen.)

You could live, but they don't let you. (Meh ken leben nor men lost nit.)

We grow accustomed to our troubles. (Me vert tsugevoynt tsu di tsores.)

You don't mean the hagode, but the dumplings (Me meynt nit di hagode, nor di kneydlekh)



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Read some more:
My Favorites | New additions
Alphabetical order | Original Yiddish

Read some more:
· My Favorites
· New additions
· Alphabetical order
· Original Yiddish


My Grandfather's Yiddish Sayings | About | Ketubahs | morgan's web page | E-mail me if you know some more!


This is not a Ketubah: modern and contemporary custom ketubot