מלך
meylekh/ˈmɛɪ̯lɜχ/masculine
The English word "king" translates to Yiddish as מלך (meylekh) or קיניג.
Meaning: a male of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation (noun)
Ways to say it
| Yiddish | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| מלך | meylekh | /ˈmɛɪ̯lɜχ/ | masculine |
| קיניג | kinig | masculine |
Both words refer to a male member of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of a nation.
Which one should you use?
The two forms differ by their linguistic origin. מלך is of Hebrew origin, while קיניג is of Germanic origin.
How does it change in a sentence?
For the Germanic-origin word קיניג, the plural form is קיניגים.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of מלך is /ˈmɛɪ̯lɜχ/.
Did you know?
- The word קיניג is a direct linguistic relative of the English word 'king', as both descend from the Proto-Germanic word 'kuningaz'.
- In Yiddish literature, using the Germanic קיניג instead of the Hebrew מלך can change the tone from a sacred or historical context to a more secular or folkloric one.
- In Yiddish, קיניג is more likely to be used when referring to foreign monarchs like the 'King of England', while מלך often carries a more biblical or spiritual connotation.
Examples in context
- דער קונה איז מלך.The customer is king.This sentence shows how to use מלך in a common proverb.Tatoeba #11843103 by shekitten, translation #11734334 by Adelpa
- מיר ווילן אַ מלך.We want a king.This sentence demonstrates the use of מלך in a simple sentence.Tatoeba #12642044 by rul, translation #12640768 by rul
- מיר דאַרפֿן אַ מלך.We need a king.Tatoeba #12642037 by rul, translation #12640770 by rul
- 31 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Berel and Chana are reading a history book together.
- בערל Berelווער איז געווען דער מלך?ver iz geven der melekh?Who was the king?
- חנה Chanaאיך ווייס נישט, בערל.ikh veys nisht, Berel.I don't know, Berel.
- בערל Berelדער מלך איז געווען זייער שטרענג.der melekh iz geven zeyer shtreng.The king was very strict.
- חנה Chanaדאָס איז טאַקע אינטערעסאַנט.dos iz take interesant.That is indeed interesting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “king” translations and entries מלך, קיניג, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
