OyChicago blog

In today’s lesson, we will learn how to kvetch properly. These are Yiddish adjectives with which we can correctly complain. We will learn the words to accurately describe how we are disappointed by life, people, politics, entertainment, food and the world around us.

Cacamamie— Ridicuolus, dismissable: “Whose cacamamie idea was ‘ninja turtles’?”

Chaloshes— Disgusting, ratty, neauseating: “I refuse to watch those chaloshes zombie movies.”

Farblonget— Bludgeoned, beaten down: “Our poor, farblonget team got shut out again.”

Farfallen— Fallen in, collapsed, trashed, totalled: “After the scandal, his political career was farfallen.”

Ferdrimmeled— Daydream-y, lost in reverie: “I get ferdrimmeled looking at old yearbooks.”

Fershlugginer— Slugged, sucker-punched: “Oy, look at that dent in your fershlugginger car.”

Ferschnoshked— Schnockered, drunk: “That holiday is just as excuse to get ferschnoshked.”

Foilishtik— Foolish, based on poor reasoning or information: “I can’t believe you listen to that foilishtik pundit.”

Hitsik— Hot-headed, short-fused, quick-tempered: “I won’t let my puppy play with that crazy, hitsik dog up the block.”

Ibberbuttel— Forgetful, addled: “Of course you’re ibberbuttel; you have five kids to keep track of!”

Kop’drayenish— Head-spinning, befuddling, over-complicated: “I can’t make heads or tails of these kop’dreynish insurance forms.”

Parve— Wishy-washy, middle-of-the-road, noncommittal: “The award votes always leave you with the most parve winners.”

Prust— Coarse, unrefined, boorish: “We’re going to a nice place— you can’t wear those prust hiking boots.”

Shvach— Weak, weary, exhausted; bland, insubstantial, unremarkable: “The soup needs salt or something; it’s very shvach.”

Tzechisht— Distraught, upset, beside oneself: “Every time my baby gets sick, I get so tzechisht I call her doctor constantly.”

Ungebloozen— Surly, pouty: “I see— so ‘emo’ is basically ‘ungebloozen’ as a fashion statement.”

Ungepotchkied— Overdone, over-decorated, overdressed: “That pop star has way more talent for wearing ungepotchkied outfits than she does for singing.”

Next Up: How to praise— adjectives of approval of things and situations.