זשעדנע
zhedne
The Yiddish word for greedy is זשעדנע (zhedne). Wiktionary also lists גיריק (girik) and אײַנרײַסעריש (aynrayserish).
Meaning: having greed, consumed by selfish desires (adj)
Ways to say it
| Yiddish | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| זשעדנע | zhedne | |
| גיריק | girik | /ˈɡɪrɪk/ |
| אײַנרײַסעריש | aynrayserish |
All three forms describe a person or entity characterized by greed or being consumed by selfish desires.
Which one should you use?
זשעדנע is the default form, while גיריק and אײַנרײַסעריש are alternative ways to express the same concept of greed.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form זשעדנע functions as an adjective that can be used with both masculine and feminine subjects in many Yiddish dialects, though it often appears in its uninflected or specific gendered forms depending on the noun it modifies.
How do you pronounce it?
zhedne
Did you know?
- The word אײַנרײַסעריש conveys greed through the image of someone 'ripping' or 'tearing' things apart. It suggests a greed so intense it is almost a physical act of destruction.
- The Yiddish word זשעדנע is actually a linguistic relative of the Russian word жадный, reflecting the heavy influence of Slavic languages on Yiddish vocabulary.
- The term אײַנרײַסעריש uses the suffix ־יש, which is a common way in Yiddish to turn a noun or root into an adjective, similar to the English suffix '-ish'.
Examples in context
- ער איז זשעדנע און פֿויל.He is greedy and lazy.This sentence is useful for describing someone who is both greedy and lazy using זשעדנע.Tatoeba #13207365 by rul, translation #2136827 by GLOBULE38
- איך מיין אַז טאָם איז גיריק.I think Tom is greedy.This sentence shows how to express an opinion about someone being greedy using גיריק.Tatoeba #8458596 by shekitten, translation #3183902 by CK
- זיי זענען זייער זשעדנע לײַט.They are very greedy people.This sentence demonstrates how to describe a group of people as being greedy using זשעדנע.Tatoeba #13899738 by rul, translation #9343943 by CK
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Berl and Sarah are discussing a relative who wants everything for himself.
- בערל Berelפֿאַר וואָס נעמט ער אַלע פֿרוכטן?far vos nemt er ale frukhtn?Why is he taking all the fruits?
- שרה Saraער איז פֿשוט זייער זשעדנע.er iz fshprot zeyer zhedne.He is simply very greedy.
- בערל Berelדאָס איז נישט רעכט.dos iz nisht rekht.That is not right.
- שרה Saraיאָ, זשעדנע מענשן טראַכטן נאָר פֿון זיך.yo, zhedne menshn trakhtn nor fun zikh.Yes, greedy people only think of themselves.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “greedy” translations and entries זשעדנע, גיריק, אײַנרײַסעריש, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries אײַנרײַסעריש, גיריק, זשעדנע, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
