ליבלינג
liblingmasculine
The English phrase 'darling' is translated into Yiddish as ליבלינג (libling). Wiktionary also lists ליובע (lyube).
Meaning: often used as an affectionate term of address: person who is very dear to one (noun)
Ways to say it
| Yiddish | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ליבלינג | libling | masculine |
| ליובע | lyube | feminine |
The term is used as an affectionate noun to refer to a person who is very dear to someone. In informal situations, particularly when addressing a female, you might also use the phrase Shayneh Maidel to mean 'pretty girl'.
Which one should you use?
ליבלינג is the masculine form, while ליובע is the feminine form.
How do you pronounce it?
libling
Did you know?
- The word ליבלינג shares a root with the German word 'Liebling', reflecting how Yiddish evolved from a blend of Middle High German and Hebrew.
- Yiddish speakers may use ליבלינג sarcastically to tease a friend, turning a term of endearment into a playful jab.
- Yiddish has many specific words for 'darling' that describe the person's soul or heart, such as phrases involving the word harts, meaning 'heart'.
Examples in context
- דאָס איז מײַן ליבלינג.That's my darling.This sentence demonstrates the use of ליבלינג.Tatoeba #11134021 by shekitten, translation #11134019 by shekitten
Example conversation
Miriam and Avraham are greeting each other at home.
- מרים Miriamשלום, מײַן ליבלינג!Sholom, mayn libling!Hello, my darling!
- אברהם Avrahamשלום, מרים, ווי פֿאָרסטו?Sholom, Miriam, vi forstu?Hello, Miriam, how are you?
- מרים Miriamאיך פֿאָר פֿיין, דאַנק איר.Ikh for fayn, dank ir.I am doing well, thank you.
- אברהם Avrahamאיך בין גליקלעך צו זען דיך.Ikh bin gliklekht tsu zen dikh.I am happy to see you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “darling” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
