Yiddish is a language derived from German and eastern Europe in the 9th century, but written in the Hebrew alphabet. It is widely used by Jews as spoken language Yiddish language.
Appearances in The Big Bang Theory
Being Jews, Howard and His Mother often use Yiddish words in their English conversations, such as "bar mitzvah" (literally "son of commandment", meaning a Jewish boy who reaches age of 13 and begins to bear his own responsibility for Jewish ritual law, tradition, and ethics, and are able to participate in all areas of Jewish community life), "putz" (literally "penis", meaning "fool" or "idiot" to describe a person in an offensive way), "shmutz" (dirt), "kreplach" (meat-filled dumplings), "shiksa" (non-Jewish woman), "ferkakta" (literally "shitted upon"; shitty; crappy), mishegas (craziness; crazy thing), tuchus or tuchis (arse or arsehole), tatellah (baby).
While Raj seems to know some words as well (such as "kreplach" and "shiksa"), Sheldon does not.
- In "The Middle-Earth Paradigm (S1E06), Howard uses the phrase "bar mitzvah":
- Howard: Yes, but you don't have to lose to Kyle Burnsteen Bar Mitzvah Party.
- In "The Dumpling Paradox" (S1E07), Mrs. Wolowitz describes Howard as "putz". Howard also talks about his 'Bar Mitzvah' cards after spending the night with Penny's friend Christy Vanderbel:
- Mrs. Wolowitz: HE'S NOT A MAN, HE'S A PUTZ, AND DON'T YOU TAKE THAT TONE WITH ME, YOU GOLD DIGGER!
- Howard: Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some Bar Mitzvah cards to cash in.
- In "The Nerdvana Annihilation (S1E14), Howard uses the phrase "bar mitzvah":
- Howard: (to the phone) Mom? My bar mitzvah bonds. How much do I got? Thanks. (to Leonard) I can go $2600 and two trees in Israel.
- In "The Griffin Equivalency" (S2E04) Howard refers to the planetary object Raj discovered as a "clump of cosmic schmutz".
- In the beginning of "The Panty Piñata Polarization" (S2E07), when the guys play Klingon Boggle, Howard tries to mix the Yiddish word "kreplach" into Klingon words, but is seen through by Raj:
- Raj: Hold on a second. Kreplach?
- Howard: Yeah.
- Raj: That isn't Klingon. It's Yiddish for meat-filled dumpling!
- In "The Jiminy Conjecture" (S3E02), the word "shiksa" is talked about on two occasions:
- Howard:No, you're misunderstanding. A shiksa goddess isn't an actual goddess.And we don't pray to them. We prey on them.
- Raj: Whatever, dude. The point is, Leonard's got one and you don't.
- Raj: What happened?
- Sheldon: Obviously another carnal fiasco with the 'Shiksee' goddess.
- Howard: Shiksa. Shik-Sa.
- Sheldon: Forgive me. Yiddish was not spoken in East Texas. And if it was, it wasn't spoken for long.
- In "The Precious Fragmentation" (S3E17), When Howard is talking to his mother through phone, Raj disturbs them, using the Yiddish word "shiksa":
- Howard (on the phone): I'm sorry Ma, I have to, stay late at the office.
- Raj: NO HE DOESN'T! HE'S LYING TO YOU!
- Howard: Will you be quiet?!
- Raj: Well if you want privacy, let go of the ring. I'M SO GLAD WE CAME TO THIS GENTILE STRIP CLUB! HOWARD, HERE'S SOME MORE BACON TO TUCK INTO THE SHIKSA'S G-STRING!
- Howard (on the phone): I'll call you back.
- In "The Desperation Emanation" (S4E05), Mrs. Wolowitz uses the word "tuchus":
- Mrs. Wolowitz: HOLY MOSES, HOW MUCH LIQUID CAN BE IN ONE'S TUCHUS?
- In "The Benefactor Factor" (S4E15), Howard uses the word "tuchis":
- Howard: Okay, let’s go smooch some rich, wrinkled tuchis.
- In "The Cohabitation Formulation" (S4E16), Howard uses the word "tuchus" when talking to Bernadette; and when Howard returns home at the end of the episode, Mrs. Wolowitz uses the word "ferkakta":
- Howard: Better put it on the list. If you wash my underwear with regular soap, I get little red bumps on my tuchus.
- Howard: DIDN'T YOU READ MY EMAIL?!
- Mrs. Wolowitz: YOU KNOW I CAN'T TURN ON THAT FERKAKTA COMPUTER! I LEFT YOU SOME BRISKET ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER!
- In "The Engagement Reaction" (S4E23), Mrs. Wolowitz teaches Bernadette the Yiddish word "putz":
- Bernadette: Howard!
- Howard: What?
- Bernadette: You're a putz! (Howard looks a little shocked) Do you have any idea what that means?!
- Howard: Yeah, do you?
- Bernadette: Your mother just taught it to me. She says she thinks she got food poisoning from that deli and she just wanted to make sure that I was OK!
- In "The Russian Rocket Reaction" (S5E05), when Mrs. Wolowitz finally gets to know that Howard is going to space, she reacts angrily using the word "tuchis":
- Mrs. Wolowitz: Make up all you want! Your tuchis is not leaving this planet!
- In "The Shiny Trinket Maneuver" (S5E12), Mrs. Wolowitz uses the word "mishegas":
- Mrs. Wolowitz: Don’t forget to talk to her about this mishegas where I don’t get grandkids!
- In "The Weekend Vortex" (S5E19), Mrs. Wolowitz manages to arrive at Apartment 4A The Spoiler Alert Segmentation to look for Howard, and uses the word "ferkakta'":
- Mrs. Wolowitz: (Bangs on door) HOWARD JOEL WOLOWITZ! I'VE BEEN WORRIED SICK FOR TWO DAYS AND I KNOW YOU'VE TURNED OFF YOUR PHONE! YOU OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I'VE HAD IT UP TO HERE! I'VE BEEN TO THE MORGUE AND THE HOSPITAL AND I'VE SPENT THE LAST HALF-HOUR WALKING UP THESE FERKAKTA STAIRS!
- In "The Date Night Variable" (S6E01), when Howard communicates his mother from International Space Station, she uses the word "ferkakta":
- Howard: Hey, Ma. You know, we could see each other if you turn on the computer.
- Mrs. Wolowitz: I'M NOT GOING NEAR THAT FERKAKTA THING. I'LL CATCH A COMPUTER VIRUS!
- In "The Spoiler Alert Segmentation", Mrs. Wolowitz uses the word "tatellah":
- Mrs. Wolowitz: RAJESH, TATELLAH, I RUN YOU A BATH!
- In "The Spoiler Alert Segmentation", Howard uses the phrase "bar mitzvah":
- Bernadette: Should we go back and rescue him?
- Howard: It's too late. We'll see him at his bar mitzvah.