קאַטשקע
katshke/ˈkat͡ʃkə/feminine
The English word "duck" translates to Yiddish as קאַטשקע (katshke), ענטל or ענטע.
Meaning: aquatic bird of the family Anatidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Yiddish | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| קאַטשקע | katshke | /ˈkat͡ʃkə/ | feminine |
| ענטל | entl | /ˈɛntɫ̩/ | neuter |
| ענטע | ente | /ˈɛntə/ | feminine |
The terms refer to an aquatic bird of the family Anatidae.
Which one should you use?
קאַטשקע is a feminine noun, while ענטל is a neuter noun. ענטע is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is katshke. The IPA is /ˈkatʃkə/.
Did you know?
- Yiddish uses two different words for 'duck' depending on the source language, with קאַטשקע coming from Slavic roots and ענטע coming from Germanic roots.
- In traditional Jewish folklore and storytelling, the ענטע often appears as a symbol of domesticity and simple village life in Eastern Europe.
- The word ענטל was originally a diminutive form meaning 'little duck', but over time it lost that specific meaning and became a standard word for the bird.
Examples in context
- ס׳זעט אויס ווי אַ קאַטשקע.It looks like a duck.This sentence is useful for describing what something looks like using קאַטשקע.Tatoeba #9630510 by shekitten, translation #67766 by CK
- די קאַטשקע האָט געגעסן אַנאַנאַס.The duck ate pineapple.This sentence is useful for describing an action performed by קאַטשקע.Tatoeba #8938603 by shekitten, translation #6440642 by erikinkinen
- די קאַטשקע קוואַקעט „קוואַ־קוואַ!״The duck quacks 'quack quack'.This sentence is useful for describing the sound made by קאַטשקע.Tatoeba #11329041 by shekitten, translation #7137553 by jimkillock
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Miriam and Avraham are walking in a park by a pond.
- מרים Miriamקוק, אַ קאַטשקע שווימט אין טײַך!Kuk, a katchke shvimt in taykh!Look, a duck is swimming in the pond!
- אברהם Avrahamזי איז זייער שיין.Zi iz zeyer sheyn.It is very beautiful.
- מרים Miriamהאָסטו עפּס פֿאַר דער קאַטשקע?Hostu eps far der katchke?Do you have some food for the duck?
- אברהם Avrahamניין, איך האָב גאָרנישט.Nayn, ikh hob gornisht.No, I have nothing.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “duck” translations and entries קאַטשקע, ענטל, ענטע, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ענטל, ענטע, קאַטשקע, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
