Ways to say it
| Yiddish | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| אידיאָט | idyot | /ɪdˈjɔt/ | masculine |
| נאַר | nar | masculine | |
| שוטה | shoyte | masculine |
The terms used to describe a person of low general intelligence range from mild descriptions of a simpleton to aggressive insults. While אידיאָט describes an idiot, the word Putz can also be used informally to describe someone who is silly, foolish or somewhat clumsy.
Which one should you use?
The terms differ in their intensity and origin. אידיאָט is a direct loanword from European roots. נאַר is the more traditional Yiddish term for a fool or idiot. שוטה is generally less harsh and more descriptive of a simpleton or a fool than the more aggressive אידיאָט.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use these concepts as adjectives, you can use נאַריש (foolish) which is derived from נאַר or אידיאָטיש (idiotic) which is derived from אידיאָט.
How do you pronounce it?
idyot (/ɪdˈjɔt/)
Did you know?
- The Yiddish word Putz is often used to mean 'idiot' or 'fool', but its literal anatomical meaning makes it far more vulgar than אידיאָט.
- The Yiddish word אידיאָט has a surprisingly noble origin, tracing back to the Ancient Greek word ἰδιώτης, which originally referred to a 'private citizen' or a 'layman' rather than someone lacking intelligence.
Examples in context
- דו ביסט אַ נאַר.You're an idiot.This sentence shows how to use נאַר to call someone an idiot.Tatoeba #11127356 by shekitten, translation #461945 by tamsanh
- זײַ נישט קיין נאַר.Don't be an idiot.This sentence shows how to use נאַר in a negative command.Tatoeba #10332424 by shekitten, translation #1112467 by Scott
- טאָם איז אַן אידיאָט.Tom is an idiot.This sentence shows how to use אידיאָט to describe a person.Tatoeba #9002886 by shekitten, translation #2272951 by CK
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yitzhak and Chana are discussing a clumsy neighbor.
- יצחק Yitzchakער האט צעבראכן דעם פנסטער.er hot tsebrokhn dem fenster.He broke the window.
- חנה Chanaוואס פאר אן אידיאָט איז ער!vos far an idiot iz er!What an idiot he is!
- יצחק Yitzchakיעס, ער איז זייער קלוגניק.yes, er iz zeyer klugnik.Yes, he is very foolish.
- חנה Chanaאיך קען עס נישט גלייבן.ikh ken es nisht gleybn.I cannot believe it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “idiot” translations and entries אידיאָט, נאַר, שוטה, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries אידיאָט, נאַר, שוטה, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
