How do I learn Yiddish?

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amother

Sat, Feb 24 2024, 8:04 pm

Dh and I really want to learn but don’t know what the best way is. People say osmosis but we’re not around Yiddish speakers enough

amother

Broom

Sat, Feb 24 2024, 8:09 pm

amother OP wrote:

Dh and I really want to learn but don’t know what the best way is. People say osmosis but we’re not around Yiddish speakers enough

Just curious why you would be interested in learning Yiddish?

Just hang out in Williamsburg a bit. You’ll forget English almost!

Or get yourself a chasidish friend.

amother

Sat, Feb 24 2024, 9:02 pm

amother Broom wrote:

Just curious why you would be interested in learning Yiddish?

Just hang out in Williamsburg a bit. You’ll forget English almost!

Or get yourself a chasidish friend.

Looking for advice that’s a bit more practical. Thanks though!

cnc

Sat, Feb 24 2024, 9:06 pm

Duolingo

zaq

Sat, Feb 24 2024, 9:08 pm

You can start with an app like Duolingo, which is free, or a paid program like Babel.

amother

Sat, Feb 24 2024, 9:39 pm

Is duolingo good? I heard it doesn’t help w conversational ?

amother

Tealblue

Sat, Feb 24 2024, 9:44 pm

Buy a Yiddish dvd like the interen plays

amother

Papaya

Sat, Feb 24 2024, 10:45 pm

Yiddish is very broad. You could learn some basic yiddish with whatever language program you like. Different groups each speak their own Yiddish. It varies by age groups as well. And location.
If you want to stick to a group/age ,you might learn their conversation Yiddish.

amother

Sat, Feb 24 2024, 10:47 pm

amother Tealblue wrote:

Buy a Yiddish dvd like the interen plays

What’s interen plays?

yachnabobba

Sat, Feb 24 2024, 10:49 pm

Listen to the yidish language plays. Read the kindline.
Listen to kol mevaser
Duolingo will not help with cultural nuance

amother

Tealblue

Sat, Feb 24 2024, 10:49 pm

amother OP wrote:

What’s interen plays?

https://www.yiddishplays.com/

amother

Tealblue

Sat, Feb 24 2024, 10:51 pm

yachnabobba wrote:

Listen to the yidish language plays. Read the kindline.
Listen to kol mevaser
Duolingo will not help with cultural nuance

Kol mevaser is good but it’s only audio and for someone who is just starting out it might be hard. Reading a magazine or watching a dvd is easier.

funmother

Sat, Feb 24 2024, 11:28 pm

Start by reading toddler books, children's books, picture dictionaries. Preschool children's cd. Lchaim kindergarten is good.

amother

Sun, Feb 25 2024, 7:37 am

Thanks everyone! Do these things translate to English or I’ll just understand the context?

frumNYC

Mon, Mar 04 2024, 5:26 am

I am learning yiddish on Duolingo! you can do the free version to see if you like it.

cbsp

Mon, Mar 04 2024, 8:19 am

amother OP wrote:

Thanks everyone! Do these things translate to English or I’ll just understand the context?

The yiddish Toras Avigdor Jr story at some point came out in English (sometimes that week, sometimes the year before) so I can use it for reference. I do have some familiarity with yiddish and how to read it (although DH at some point will hand me a cup for my broken teeth LOL

) so I get around 80% on my own, maybe another 10% from context. Then I ask DH about the remainder, usually a word or two in a long sentence or paragraph.

Last edited by cbsp on Mon, Mar 04 2024, 10:13 am; edited 1 time in total

amother

Mint

Mon, Mar 04 2024, 9:28 am

If any of you speak fluent hebrew I would be your partner. You speak to me in hebrew and I would respond in yiddish.
From what I heard, daily conversations are the way to go.

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