Yiddish Word of the Week: Tretn – טרעטן

Tretn - טרעטן \TRET-en\ Verb \ Past Participle: Getrotn

People Walking

photo by Shulamit Seidler-Feller
Definition:
To step, tread, trample.
Pronunciation:
Click here to hear a native Yiddish speaker use this word in conversation.
Synonyms: doyres zayn (דורס זיין), toptshen (טאפטשען).
German equivalents:
schreiten, trampeln, treten.
Yiddish Phrases:
(טראט ביי טראט) - step-by-step
oyf trit un shrit (אויף טריט און שריט) - at every step, everywhere you turn
Yiddish Expressions:
On Gots vort, keyn trit fun ort (אן גאטס ווארט, קיין טריט פון ארט) - Without God's word, no step [can be taken] from one's place (i.e. the power to do even the most basic things in life comes solely from God).

Vemen es iz tsu eng - der zol optretn (וועמען עס איז צו ענג - דער זאל אפטרעטן) - If you're uncomfortable, leave (lit., He for whom it is too narrow - he should withdraw). This expression has a halakhic parallel in bBava Metsi'a 117a and bBava Batra 18b in a discussion concerning who must distance himself from whom when one party is causing distress to the other. One of the opinions is that 'al ha-nizak leharhik 'et 'atsmo (על הניזק להרחיק את עצמו) - it is upon the damagee to distance himself [from the damager] (and if I'm not mistaken, that's actually how the Halakhah is decided in the end).

Sentence:

Tretn in a sentence: Zey vos geyen oyf ayz zoln tretn laykht (זיי וואס גייען אויף אייז זאלן טרעטן לייכט) - Those who walk upon ice should tread lightly.

Have a gute vakh! A good week!

Posted in Word of the Week