Welcome to...


Yiddish Online Education Program



Let's start with one of the most popular and beloved Yiddish songs:

(When the Rabbi sings)

Click on the transliteration of the words below to hear them and repeat after me:

Az der REbe ZIngt.



click on each colored letter to hear its sound and learn more about it:


 



Click the Yiddish words to hear their sound
(M)-Masculine, (F)-Feminine, (PL)-Plural, (S)-Singular
Means... Pronounced... The word 
a a ah, Az, DEr, REbe, ZEEngt 
whenAz
the (M) DEr
RabbiREbe
singsZEEngt
he Er Er, Ober, DOrt, TAte, Oder 
butO'ber
thereDOrt
father/dad TAte
orO'der

Note:
The letter (yud) in sounds like a long "E" and in the word ,
like a short "I" as in "in". (see more about the letter/vowel in lesson 2).





Click to check your progress by looking at the Yiddish Alphabet.
Click to watch the Alphabet scroll and identify the position of the letters you have learned in it.




Directions:

Write the letters in script:

       and


  Print these notes and the vowel table below and keep them handy for quick reference.


 1.The letter Alef with a line under it is called Pasek Alef, and is pronounced like "a" in "Ma", but shorter.     
 2.The letter Alef with a "Komets" sign under it is called Komets Alef and is pronounced like "o" in "for".     
 3.The letter Vov is pronounced like "oo" in "book".

    
 4.The letter Ayin is pronounced like "e" in "Pen".

    


Click on the Yiddish vowels to hear their sound:
In...Sounds like...The vowel...
FarA
MoreO
BookOO
ThereE
Note:
There is no exact equivalent sound to both the Pasek Alef and Komets Alef.






Click for more information
Shtetl
 
 The Rise of the Yiddish Literature:

The Yiddish language is the language of Ashkenazic Jews (central and eastern European) written in the Hebrew alphabet. Along with Hebrew and Aramaic, it is one of the three major literary languages in Jewish history.

Click the "Shtetl" to read more about it.





These self activities will help you exercise the material you learned in the classroom.

For questions about the course material please email Mindelle Wajsman

For questions regarding these self activities, please email Center for Yiddish Culture




Identify the vowel:
Choose a sound option from the drop down choices on the left and identify the related vowel by typing its number in the textbox:

Click to check your answers:

Multiple choice Quiz on pronunciation
Practice the Yiddish letters and words you learned:
Identify and check the correct transliterated sound.
Press "Reset" to begin.
View your score below.

Sounds:The
letter/word:
#
  Ar
  Or
  Er
6
  Doo
  Do
  Da
7
  Aber
  Oober
  Ober
8
  Dort
  Dart
  Dert
9
  Tote
  Tate
  Tata
10
  
Sounds:The
letter/word:
#
  O
  E
  OO
1
  A
  OO
  O
2
  A
  E
  OO
3
  OO
  E
  A
4
  DOr
  DEr
  DAr
5



Your Quiz Score is:




Multiple choice Quiz on translation:
Identify and check the correct answer.
Press "Reset" to begin.
View your score below.

Mean:The words:#
  He
  The
  She
4
  Serves
  Smiles
  Sings
5
  But
  When
  Than
6
  
Mean:The words:#
  You
  He
  She
1
  Rabbi
  Father
  Son
2
  Where
  Who
  When
3



Your Quiz Score is:




Comprehension and writing:
Click the picture to hear the words.
Click on a letter of your choice from the list under each empty box to place it in its place.
Pick another letter from the same list to change your choice, or press the "Reset" button to start from scratch.
Good Luck

Listen & Transliterate. Follow the Yiddish right-to-left Syntax

           
 
 
 
 

Click to check your answer:



  Click the picture to listen
  Slide your mouse over a line to see its transliteration.
  Colored letters represent intonation.





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All audio including songs provided by Yiddish instructor Ray Berman.
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Dora Teitelboim Center for Yiddish Culture, Inc.
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