ברכה
brokhe/ˈbʁɔχə/
The Yiddish word for "blessing" is ברכה (brokhe).
ברכה refers to the act of declaring, seeking or bestowing favor.
Meaning: act of declaring, seeking or bestowing favor (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
ברכה is a feminine noun, which means any accompanying numbers or adjectives must also be in the feminine form.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is brokhe. The IPA is /ˈbʁɔχə/.
When do people say it?
The informal phrase Zei Gezunt means "be healthy" and is used to offer blessings for well-being. For formal holiday wishes, one might use the phrase Gut Yontif, which means "good holiday."
Did you know?
- While ברכה can mean a blessing, its Hebrew root is also linked to the word for 'knee', implying the physical act of kneeling to show devotion.
- While ברכה is the noun for blessing, the act of blessing someone often involves the gesture of placing a hand on the head, particularly when a parent blesses a child.
- In Yiddish culture, a ברכה is not always a prayer but can be a formal written document, such as a wedding or baby naming blessing, meant to be kept as a keepsake.
Examples in context
- ער איז אַ ברכה.It's a blessing.This example shows how to state that something is a ברכה.Tatoeba #11694826 by shekitten, translation #11694713 by shekitten
- דו ביסט אַ ברכה.You are a blessing.This example shows how to tell someone that they are a ברכה.Tatoeba #11694710 by shekitten, translation #9044994 by shekitten
- דו האָסט מײַן ברכה, מײַן זון!You have my blessing, my son!This example shows how to give your ברכה to someone.Tatoeba #12900065 by rul, translation #12503182 by rul
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A daughter asks her father for his approval before a big decision.
- רייזל Reizelטאַטע, איך דאַרף דיין ברכה.Tate, ikh darf dayn brekhe.Father, I need your blessing.
- יצחק Yitzchakדו האָסט מײַן ברכה, רייזל.Du host mayn brekhe, Reyzl.You have my blessing, Reyzl.
- רייזל Reizelאַ דאַנק, יצחק, דאָס מיינט פֿיל.A dank, Yitzkhok, dos maynt fil.Thank you, Yitzhak, that means a lot.
- יצחק Yitzchakזאָלסט האָבן פֿיל גליק!Zolst hobn fil glik!May you have much luck!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ברכה, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ברכה, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
