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Yiddish Alef-beys (Alphabet)

Click on the names of the letters below to hear Yiddish words beginning with those letters. (Some letters, such as final letters used at the end of words, do not have audio segments.)

Yiddish Letter

Name of Letter

Sound

Romanization

א

 shtumer (silent) alef silent N/A

אַ

 pasekh alef a as in wand a

אָ

 komets alef o as in ore o

ב

 beys b as in boy b

בֿ

veys

 v as in violet v

ג

 giml g as in gold g

ד

 daled d as in dog d

ה

 hey h as in home h

ו

 vov oo as in room u

וּ

 melupm vov oo as in room u

ז

 zayen z as in zoo z

ח

 khes ch as in loch kh

ט

 tes t as in toy t

י

 yud y as in yes;
i as in bit;
ee as in beet 		y; i

כּ

 kof k as in kitchen k

כ

 khof ch as in loch kh

ך

 langer khof (used at end of word) ch as in loch kh

ל

 lamed l as in long l

מ

 mem m as in mouse m

ם

 shlos mem (used at end of word) m as in mouse m

נ

 nun n as in now n

ן

 langer nun (used at end of word) n as in now n

ס

 samekh s as in sink s

ע

 ayen e as in elm e

פּ

 pey p as in pink p

פֿ

 fey f as in farm f

ף

 langer fey (used at end of word) f as in farm f

צ

 tsadek ts as in patsy ts

ץ

 langer tsadek (used at end of word) ts as in patsy ts

ק

 kuf k as in kitchen k

ר

 reysh r as in red r

ש

 shin sh as in shop sh

שׂ

 sin s as in sink s

תּ

 tof t as in toy t

ת

 sof s as in sink s

 

Letter Combinations

Sound

Romanization

וו

 v as in violet v

זש

 s as in measure zh

דזש

 j as in judge dzh

טש

 ch as in cheese tsh

וי

 oy as in toy oy

יי

 a as in date ey

ײַ

 i as in ride ay