פֿעטער
feter/ˈfɛtəʁ/masculine
The Yiddish word for uncle is פֿעטער (feter).
פֿעטער is a masculine noun used to refer to the brother or brother-in-law of someone’s parent.
Meaning: brother (or brother-in-law) of someone’s parent (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈfɛtəʁ/ (feter)
Did you know?
- In traditional Ashkenazi Jewish culture, the term פֿעטער often extends beyond biological relations to include close family friends or mentors as a sign of respect.
- The root of פֿעטער is a Proto-West Germanic word *faderjō, which links the term for 'uncle' directly to the word for 'father'.
- Depending on which European city a Yiddish speaker's ancestors came from, the way they pronounce פֿעטער can change significantly.
Examples in context
- איך האָב אַ רײַכן פֿעטער.I have a rich uncle.This sentence shows how to use פֿעטער to describe someone's wealth.Tatoeba #8854402 by shekitten, translation #6667006 by CK
- אָט דער מאַן איז מײַן פֿעטער.This man is my uncle.This sentence demonstrates identifying a person as one's פֿעטער.Tatoeba #13884446 by rul, translation #13635280 by rul
- מײַן פֿעטער איז אַן אַדוואָקאַט.My uncle is a lawyer.This sentence shows how to use פֿעטער to state someone's profession.Tatoeba #11038201 by shekitten, translation #11038119 by DJ_Saidez
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Menachem and Chana are looking at a family photograph.
- מנחם Menahemווער איז דער מאַן אויף דעם פֿאָטאָ?Ver iz der man oyf dem foto?Who is the man in this photo?
- חנה Chanaדאָס איז מײַן פֿעטער מאָרִיס.Dos iz mayn feter Moris.This is my uncle Morris.
- מנחם Menahemוואו וואוינט ער יעצט?Vu voynt er yetst?Where does he live now?
- חנה Chanaער וואוינט אין ניו־יאָרק.Er voynt in Nyu-York.He lives in New York.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “uncle” translations and entries פֿעטער, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries פֿעטער, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
