שאַנדע
shande/ˈʃandə/
The Yiddish word for "disgrace" is שאַנדע (shande).
שאַנדע refers to a state of being dishonored or covered with shame. When you are describing a specific person or thing as "a disgrace," you should precede the word with the indefinite article אַ, forming the phrase אַ שאַנדע.
Meaning: state of being dishonored or covered with shame (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of שאַנדע is שאַנדעס.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is shande and the IPA is /ˈʃandə/.
Did you know?
- The Proto-Germanic root of שאַנדע is '*skandō', which is the same ancient ancestor for many modern European words related to shame and scandal.
- In traditional Jewish communities, a שאַנדע was often viewed as a collective stain on the family or community, not just a personal failure.
- The phrase אַ שאַנדע is often used as a standalone exclamation to express a sense of tragedy or irony, rather than just assigning blame.
Examples in context
- אָרעם איז נישט קיין שאַנדע.Poverty is no disgrace.This sentence shows how to express that poverty is not a disgrace using שאַנדע.Tatoeba #8901874 by shekitten, translation #9266788 by Nylez
- בנימין נתניהו איז אַ שאַנדע פֿאַר די גויים.Benjamin Netanyahu is a disgrace to the Jewish people.This sentence uses שאַנדע to describe a person as a disgrace.Tatoeba #8082050 by shekitten, translation #8082051 by shekitten
- דאָס איז אַ גרויסע שאַנדע פֿאַר דער משפּחה.dos iz a groysye shande far der mishpokhe.This is a great disgrace to the family.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Berl and Miriam are discussing a family member's bad behavior.
- בערל Berelהאָט איר געהערט וואָס ער האָט געטאָן?hot ir gehert vos er hot geton?Did you hear what he did?
- מרים Miriamיאָ, עס איז אַ שאַנדע.yo, es iz a shande.Yes, it is a disgrace.
- בערל Berelאיך קען עס נישט גלייבן.ikh ken es nisht glaybn.I cannot believe it.
- מרים Miriamמיר מוזן רעדן מיט אים.mir muzn redn mit im.We must talk to him.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry שאַנדע, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries שאַנדע, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
