How to Say Thank You in Yiddish

Last Updated: March 13, 2023 References

So you want to say "thank you" in Yiddish. Say "a dank" to mean "thank you", and say "a sheynem dank" for "thank you very much."^{[1]
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Research source} Read on for more cultural context!

Steps

1
Say "A dank" (אַ דאַנק). Pronounce it "ah dank". This phrase directly translates to "thank you." Say it in any situation that calls for thanks.^{[2]
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2
Learn how to say "thank you very much." Say "A sheynem dank" (אַ שיינעם דאַנק) – pronounced "ah shay-nem dank". Bring out this phrase in situations where you are feeling especially grateful.^{[3]
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3
Practice the pronunciation. If you're going to try speaking Yiddish, it's important that you take the time to say it right. Search for online videos or audio recordings^{[4]
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Research source} of people saying "a dank".^{[5]
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Research source} If you know anyone that speaks Yiddish, try asking him or her to say it aloud for you.
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Understand the roots of Yiddish. It is no coincidence that "a dank" and "a sheynem dank" sound like the German "danke" and "danke schoen." Yiddish is the traditional tongue of the Ashkenazi Jews. The language came about in 9th century Central Europe, drawing its influences from a rich cultural context of languages and peoples. Yiddish took elements from German, Hebrew, and Aramaic, as well as certain Slavic and Romance languages.^{[6]
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- Many Yiddish words (including אַ דאַנק, or "a dank") are written in the original Hebrew or Aramaic. Words of European origin are written out using the phonetic pronunciation.

Community Q&A

Question

Are there (or were there) different dialects of Yiddish spoken throughout the world? Would Yiddish spoken in Poland, for example, be intelligible to Yiddish speakers in say Romania?

Community Answer

There are many dialects of Yiddish, and they're usually mutually understandable. For instance, you might say "kegal," "meshiga," and mema" for 'pudding," "crazy," and "aunt," but many speakers say "kugel," "meshugah," and "muma." In other words, where one says "ee", others say "oo".
Question

How do I say, "Thank you for the bed"?

Community Answer

Adank far di bet.
Question

How do I say "You're welcome" in Yiddish?

Community Answer

You would say "Nishto far vos" (נישתּו פֿאַר װאָס).