Ways to say it
| Yiddish | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| כּבֿוד | koved | /ˈkɔvəd/ (Northern Yiddish, YIVO) /ˈkʊvəd/ (Southern Yiddish) |
masculine |
| דרך־ארץ | derekherets | /ˌdɛr(ə)ˈχɛrət͡s/ (Northeastern, YIVO) /ˌdɛr(ə)ˈχɛɪ̯rət͡s/ |
masculine |
In Yiddish, respect is expressed through two different lenses: the concept of honor and the practice of social politeness. Use כּבֿוד to describe the abstract concept of esteem, honor or the weight a person possesses. Use דרך־ארץ to describe the practice of decorum, politeness and good manners.
What does it mean word for word?
The term דרך־ארץ literally translates to way of the land.
Which one should you use?
כּבֿוד refers to honor, glory or esteem, often carrying a more formal or spiritual sense of a person's merit. In contrast, דרך־ארץ specifically emphasizes social behavior, such as politeness and proper decorum.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both כּבֿוד and דרך־ארץ are masculine nouns. When expressing that someone deserves respect, Yiddish frequently uses the verb ווערט (to be worth/to deserve).
How do you pronounce it?
koved is pronounced /ˈkɔvəd/.
Did you know?
- The phrase דרך־ארץ appears in the Talmud to suggest that basic politeness and respect for others are actually more important than the study of Torah.
- The word כּבֿוד shares a linguistic root with the Hebrew word for 'heavy'. In this cultural context, respect is imagined as something that gives a person spiritual or social weight.
- Because דרך־ארץ is so tied to social decorum, a person can be highly educated but still be said to lack 'derekh eretz' if they are rude.
Examples in context
- זקנים זענען ווערט דרך־ארץ.Elderly people deserve respect.This sentence uses דרך־ארץ to show what elderly people deserve.Tatoeba #13050129 by rul, translation #13050105 by araneo
- האָב דרך־ארץ פֿאַר קורווישע.Respect sluts.This sentence uses דרך־ארץ in the context of how one should treat others.Tatoeba #13884396 by rul, translation #12725127 by rul
- מיט געלט קויפֿט מען נישט קיין כּבֿוד.Money can't buy respect.This sentence uses כּבֿוד to show that money cannot purchase honor.Tatoeba #12122435 by shekitten, translation #12122282 by shekitten
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two people are discussing a local community leader.
- רייזל Reizelיצחק, ער איז אַ מענש מיט פֿיל כּבֿוד.Yitzhok, er iz a mensh mit fil kvod.Yitzhak, he is a man with a lot of respect.
- יצחק Yitzchakיא, רייזל, יעדער אין דער שטעט לערנט פֿון אים.Ya, Reyzl, yeder in der shtet lernt fun im.Yes, Reyzl, everyone in town learns from him.
- רייזל Reizelער האָט דעם כּבֿוד פֿון אַללעמען.Er hot dem kvod fun alemen.He has the respect of everyone.
- יצחק Yitzchakדאָס איז ווײַל ער העלפֿט יעדן.Dos iz vayl er helft yeden.That is because he helps everyone.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “respect” translations and entries כּבֿוד, דרך־ארץ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
