כּוח
koyekhmasculine
The English word "strength" can be translated into Yiddish as כּוח (koyekh) or שטאַרקײַט.
Meaning: quality of being strong (noun)
Ways to say it
| Yiddish | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| כּוח | koyekh | masculine |
| שטאַרקײַט | shtarkayt | feminine |
כּוח is used to refer to power, force or energy. שטאַרקײַט refers to the abstract quality of being strong.
Which one should you use?
While both words translate to "strength", כּוח is more commonly used when speaking about power, force or energy. In contrast, שטאַרקײַט is used for the abstract quality of strength itself.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form כּוח has the plural כּוחים (strengths/powers). The feminine form שטאַרקײַט has the plural שטאַרקייטן (strengths).
How do you pronounce it?
koyekh
Did you know?
- In traditional Yiddish culture, asking if someone has כּוח is often a subtle way of asking about their health or their ability to recover from an illness.
- The word כּוח comes from the Hebrew word כּוֹחַ, illustrating the deep linguistic blending of Semitic and Germanic traditions within the Yiddish language.
- While שטאַרקײַט is the standard word for strength, Yiddish speakers may use the plural כּוחים to describe a person's diverse range of intellectual or artistic skills.
Examples in context
- היט אויף דײַן כּוח.Save your strength.This sentence is useful for learning how to use כּוח when telling someone to save their energy.Tatoeba #11593227 by shekitten, translation #275279 by CK
- דאָס אַחדות גיט כּוח.Unity makes strength.This sentence shows how כּוח can be used to describe the strength provided by unity.Tatoeba #11593234 by shekitten, translation #437117 by jerom
- גאָט איז אונדזער כּוח.God is our strength.This sentence demonstrates the use of כּוח in a spiritual context.Tatoeba #11593249 by shekitten, translation #269648 by CM
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Berl and Reizel are talking about a difficult workout.
- בערל Berelאיך האב שוין נישט קיין כּוח.Ikh hob shoyn nisht keyn koykh.I don't have any strength left.
- רייזל Reizelבערל, דו מוזט האָבן מער כּוח!Berl, du muzt hobn mer koykh!Berl, you must have more strength!
- בערל Berelדאָס איז צו שווער פֿאַר מיר.Dos iz tsu shver far mir.This is too hard for me.
- רייזל Reizelנאָר איין מאָל נאָך, רייזל גלויבט אין דיר.Nor eyn mol nokh, Reizel gloybt in dir.Just one more time, Reizel believes in you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “strength” translations and entries כּוח, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries כּוח, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
