ווי צו זאָגן
vi tsu zogn/vɪ t͡su ˈzuː.ɡŋ̩/word by word
The Yiddish phrase for "how to say" is ווי צו זאָגן (vi tsu zogn).
A phrase used to ask for the correct way to express something in another language.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of ווי (how), צו (to) and זאָגן (say).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the infinitive form of the verb זאָגן (to say) preceded by the particle צו (to).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /vɪ tsu ˈzuː.ɡŋ̩/. The stress is on the second of three syllables.
Did you know?
- Yiddish is written from right to left using the Hebrew alphabet, but it is a Germanic language. This creates a unique visual contrast where Germanic sounds are mapped onto Semitic letters.
- The Yiddish word זאָגן is a distant relative of the English word 'say'. Both trace their origins back to the Proto-Indo-European root *sekʷ-.
- Yiddish often incorporates 'loanwords' from other languages, meaning that when asking ווי צו זאָגן for a word, the answer might be a term borrowed from Slavic or Hebrew sources.
Examples in context
- איך ווייס נישט ווי צו זאָגן דאָס אויף ייִדיש.Ikh veys nisht vi tsu zogn dos oyf yiddish.I don't know how to say this in Yiddish.
Example conversation
Reizel and Menachem are studying a language together.
- רייזל Reizelמנחם, איך ווייס נישט ווי צו זאָגן דאָס.Menachem, ikh veys nisht vi tsu zogn dos.Menachem, I don't know how to say this.
- מנחם Menahemוועלכע וואָרט מיינסטו?velkhe vort meynstu?Which word do you mean?
- רייזל Reizelדעם וואָרט פֿאַר 'שלום'.dem vort far 'sholem'.The word for 'peace'.
- מנחם Menahemמאַך עס אַזוי: שלום.makh es azoy: sholem.Do it like this: sholem.
