מלכּה
malkefeminine
The Yiddish word for queen is מלכּה (malke). Wiktionary also lists קיניגין (kinigin).
Meaning: female monarch (noun)
Ways to say it
| Yiddish | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| מלכּה | malke | feminine |
| קיניגין | kinigin | feminine, rare |
The word refers to a female monarch. The form קיניגין can also be used to refer to a monarch, a playing card, a chess piece or a metaphorical queen.
Which one should you use?
קיניגין is a rare alternative.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both forms are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
malke
Did you know?
- Although מלכּה is a Yiddish word, it is actually a direct loan from Hebrew, making it a 'Hebrewism' used to provide a more formal or sacred tone.
- The term מלכּה is used in the traditional Yiddish greeting and blessing for the Sabbath, referring to the 'Sabbath Queen'.
- In some Yiddish dialects, calling someone a מלכּה sarcastically can imply they are acting overly demanding or 'regal' in an annoying way.
Examples in context
- מיר ווילן אַ מלכּה.We want a queen.This sentence shows how to use מלכּה to express a desire for a queen.Tatoeba #12643250 by rul, translation #12642613 by rul
- די מלכּה מוז שטאַרבן.The queen must die.This sentence demonstrates the use of מלכּה in a sentence about a necessity.Tatoeba #8142685 by shekitten, translation #6106391 by mailohilohi
- ער איז אַ דרעג־מלכּה.He's a drag queen.This sentence illustrates a specific use of מלכּה in the phrase drag queen.Tatoeba #11247590 by shekitten, translation #2282264 by Hybrid
- Zi iz di kaynigin fun di Yidn (זי איז די קעיניגין פֿון די יידן)She is the queen of the Jews.
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chana and Menachem are looking at a history book.
- חנה Chanaזעט, דאָס איז די מלכּה.zet, dos iz di malkhe.Look, this is the queen.
- מנחם Menahemזי זעט זייער וויזשענטיק אויס.zi zet zeyer vizhentik oys.She looks very important.
- חנה Chanaיא, זי איז געווען אַ גוטע מלכּה.yo, zi iz geven a gute malkhe.Yes, she was a good queen.
- מנחם Menahemאיך וויל לייענען מער וועגן איר.ikh vil leyenen mer vegn ir.I want to read more about her.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “queen” translations and entries מלכּה, קיניגין, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries מלכּה, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
