ברעכן
brekhn
The Yiddish phrase for 'throw up' is ברעכן (brekhn).
ברעכן is used to describe the act of vomiting food or liquid from the stomach through the mouth.
How do you pronounce it?
brekhn
Did you know?
- Because ברעכן means 'to break', it is the same root used in Yiddish for 'breaking' a fast after Yom Kippur.
- While ברעכן means 'to vomit', it is also the standard Yiddish word for 'to break' something, such as a glass or a promise.
- The word ברעכן shares a common Germanic ancestor with the English word 'break', meaning the linguistic root is identical to the English word for shattering an object.
Example conversation
Chana and Menachem are at home after a meal.
- חנה Chanaמנחם, איך פיל זיך נישט גוט.Menakhem, ikh fil zikh nisht gut.Menachem, I don't feel well.
- מנחם Menahemוואָס איז פאַסירט, חנה?vos iz pasirt, Khone?What happened, Chana?
- חנה Chanaאיך האב דארף גיין ברעכן.ikh hob darf geyn brekhn.I need to go throw up.
- מנחם Menahemגיי שנעל אין באַדרוים!gey shnel in badruym!Go quickly to the bathroom!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ברעכן, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ברעכן, CC BY-SA 4.0.
