Welcome to the Yiddish Academy Course Contents!
Click on the Right for a message from Shmelke about the first unit of the course.
Below is a full content outline of the course with descriptions of the lessons, so you can know exactly what to expect, if you haven't gone through them yet, and what you might want to revisit if you have.
How to Get the Most Out of the Course
Lesson A: Greetings
You need to know your Yiddish greeting so you can be a mensch! (See our Yiddish Slang page)
Lesson B: Common Words
Teach yourself Yiddish with these common Yiddish words. You can use them right away to sound heymish, just like a native Yiddish speaker.
Lesson C: Schmooze 1
Teach yourself Yiddish by listening to this short exchange between Moyshe and Shmelke and you’ll be ready to schmooze yourself.
Lesson D: Schmooze 2
Hear Berl and Shmerl (Ok, it’s really us.) in another schmooze to reinforce what you have already learned.
Lesson E: Paragraph 1
You’ll love this classic Yiddish joke. Who’s zeyde is older?
Lesson F: Paragraph 2
Learn another joke about running a business. You’ll learn some great new Yiddish vocabulary.
Lesson G: Schmooze 3
Moyshe and Shmelke talk about how business is going, to help you with the business of learning more Yiddish vocabulary, and reviewing what you already know.
Lesson H: Schmooze 4
Tyrone and Fred celebrate Fred’s birthday together with you. Join in, you’re invited!
Lesson I: Proverb
This Yiddish Proverb will encourage you to keep having fun learning Yiddish!
Test your knowledge with this vocabulary exercise.
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Bonus Video! Hard Day's Night
Learn Yiddish with this Beatle's Tune. It's a Hard Day's Night in Yiddish. We've written out all the Yiddish for you, transcribed in YIVO transliteration, in Hebrew characters, and of course with the English. After you go through the course, revisit this. You'll see how much easier it is for you to follow!
Lesson A: The Yiddish Language
You’ll learn Yiddish history and improve your vocabulary with this lesson. Test your comprehension in the exercise.
Lesson B: Question Words
Lesson C: Question Word Examples
What did you say? A Jew answers a question with a question. You have to know these words!
Lesson D: Articles
Grammar!? We make it easy for you.
Lesson E: Days of the Week
You’ll expand your vocabulary with this lesson.
Lesson F: Schmooze 1
You’ll learn directions when you listen to Sarah asking David how to get there.
Lesson G: Schmooze 2
You’ll review your new vocabulary when you listen to this conversation with an easy-going salesman.
Lesson H: Pronouns
Him, her, them or you? You want to know how to refer to them in Yiddish. And You need to know your pronouns because you’ll need them to conjugate verbs in all different tenses.
Lesson I: Proverb
Kids are a blessing.
Review your vocabulary. You already know tens of words.
Bonus Video ! The Dreydl song
Learn the original Dreydl song in Yiddish! Go on, make it out of clay!
Lesson A: The Postman
You’ll laugh when you hearthis classic Yiddish mailman joke. And you’ll learn more Yiddish too.
Lesson B: "to be" or not "to be"
Learn how to conjugate your first verb. Just do it. I mean, just be.
Lesson C: "Zeyn" Examples
Practice your new knowledge with full sentences.
Lesson D: "S'iz ok"
A very useful abbreviation. You’ll want to know this.
Lesson E: Around the House
Your vocabulary is really expanding. Now it’s all over the house.
Lesson F: Schmooze 1
You’ll enjoy hearing Lilly and Mark talk Jewish geography and get to know each other.
Lesson G: Schmooze 2
Avreml and Isaac talk about gelt (money). You’ll want to hear what they have to say.
Lesson H: Proverb
Don’t be jealous of your friend’s Yiddish knowledge… Get to it!
Now you know over a hundred Yiddish words now… Make sure you remember them!
This come from Shmelke's slightly warped sense of humor... It's a Yiddish spoof of an old Kung-fu classic.
Lesson A: Shabes
You’ll expand your cultural knowledge and Yiddish vocabulary with this article. You'll listen to our special
guest reader- a native speaker from the Ukraine. Shabbos, Shabbat, or now in YIVO - Shabes. Everyone loves Shabbos.
Lesson B: Hoben- You got it!
You gotta have the auxillary verb hoben! It helps you conjugate past tense for most verbs.
Lesson C: "Hoben" Examples
Practice makes perfect!
Lesson D: Nokh a Grammar Rule
You’ll also need to learn this. The word has a number of usages, in addition.
Lesson E: Adjectives
Get colorful! An introduction to adjectives.
Lesson F: Lots of Adjectives
In this lesson you’ll expand your vocabulary with many common adjectives.
Lesson G: Schmooze 1
Chap (lit. grab) a schmooze with Meyer and his Zeyde (grandpa)! They have a talk about life for the aged. Review and learn new.
Lesson H: Schmooze 2
Mame and Getsel talk about chutzpah!
Lesson I: Proverb
Not everyone has the same qualities.
Review your Yiddish vocabulary. You know over two hundred common words by now. Congratulations!
Lesson 5a: Another Pair
Hear a famous Yiddish joke/tale about the people of Chelm.
Lesson 5b: 5b Present Tense!
Live in the now! Learn the Yiddish present tense.
Lesson 5c: Useful Verbs
Now that you know how to conjugate, here’s a nice list of verbs to work with!
Lesson 5d: Sentences wiith Verbs
Gain proficiency with your verbs, practice them in full sentences.
Lesson 5e: Men
Just another Jew…
Lesson 5f: Food Words
A Gastronomic cornucopia of vocabulary.
Barry and Gary talk about where to learn Yiddish. Where do you think they say is the best place?
Mama wants to feed her child. Hear what the child wants.
With over 300 words, and useful basic grammar, you’re on your way to total fluency! Keep up the good work!