eSefarad Noticias del Mundo Sefaradi
If your non-Jewish friends are already throwing words such as schmooze, shwitz and schlep with such ease that it makes you wonder how come Yiddish is still considered a foreign language, it’s time to expand their vocabulary. Enter Ladino, or Judaeo-Spanish, the beautiful language of the Sephardic Jews, still spoken in some 30 countries and acknowledged as a minority language in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel, France and Turkey. Start with these 10 easy expressions. Salud i beraha!
Special thanks to Dr. Devin E. Naar and Ty Alhadeff of the University of Washington’s Sephardic Studies Program, best source for all things Ladino, for compiling the list.
- KE HABER?
Hello! What’s news? How are you?
Already up to a good start.
- ECHAR LASHON
To chat, to converse, to schmooze
Schmoozing, Sephardic style. Literal meaning: “to throw tongue”.
- LECHOS / BARMINAN
Far from us. Expression that means «it shouldn´t happen to us». Said when one hears bad news.
With all the bad news in the world, not reserved for grandmas only anymore.
- KE VENGAS EN ORA BUENA
May you arrive at the right time, said as a greeting, the equivalent of «welcome»
Perfect timing for this expression too.
- BENDICHAS MANOS
«Blessed hands», said at the start of a meal as a way to acknowledge those who prepared it
Sephardic food: now we are talking. Don’t forget to thank the “bendichas manos”.
- MEZAS DE ALEGRÍA
Literally, «tables of joy»; said at the conclusionof a meal, meaning may our table and those who sit around it experience joy
The Sephardic “tables of joy” are a given. You better memorize this one too.
- AKSI BASHÍ
Head grouch, chief grump, top cranky person
We all have THAT uncle.
- GUAY DE MI
Oy!
Extremely useful if you are THAT uncle. - BAVAJADAS
Nonsense, stupidities
Can there be a Jewish conversation without this word?
- NOCHADA BUENA
Good night!
Because tomorrow is another day and we need you rested.
Fuente: worldjewishcongress.org
May ermozo