BOBBEMYSEH: Old wive’s tales, nonsense.

BUBBA: A grandmother.

BUBBALA: A term of endearment, darling. (Mammala is another form of this, though it usually is in reference to one’s mother)

BUPKES: Something worthless or absurd.

CHUTZPAH: Nerve; gall, as in a person who kills her parents and asks for mercy because she is an orphan.

FERCOCKT: All **** up.

FERSHTINKINER: A stinker, a louse.

KVELL: To beam with pride and pleasure, Jewish parents are prone to kvell over their children’s achievements.

KVETCH: To annoy or to be an annoying person, to complain.

MAZEL TOV: Good luck, usually said as a statement of support or congratulations.

MENSCH: A person of character. An individual of recognized worth because of noble values or actions.

MESHUGGINA: Crazy, refers to a more chronic disturbance.

MISHEGOSS: Inappropriate, crazy, or bizarre actions or beliefs.

MISHPOCHA: Family, usually extended family.

NOODGE: To bother, to push, a person who bothers you.

NOSH: To snack.

OY VEY: “Oh, how terrible things are”.

PISHER: A bed-wetter, a young inexperienced person, a person of no consequence.

PLOTZ: To burst, to explode, “I can’t laugh anymore or I’ll “plotz.” To be aggravated beyond bearing.

PUTZ: A vulgarism for penis but most usually used as term of contempt for a fool, or an easy mark.

SCHLUB: a dull, unpolished person, usually a male

SCHMALTZ: Literally chicken fat. Usually refers to overly emotional and sentimental behavior.

SCHMUCK: A vulgarism for penis, strong putdown for a jerk, a detestable person.

SHIKSA: A gentile girl or woman.

SHLEP: To carry or to move about. Can refer to a person, a “shlepper,” who is unkempt and has no ambition.

SHMEGEGGE: A petty person, an untalented person.

SHMEER: To spread as in to “shmeer” butter on bread. Can also mean to bribe and can refer to the “whole package”, as in I’ll accept the whole shmeer.

SHMOOZ: To hang out with, a friendly gossipy talk.

SHTUP: An expression for sexual intercourse, to “screw.” (I actually learned this from Mel Brooks =P)

SHVITZ: To sweat, also refers to a Turkish bath house. A shvitzer means a braggart, a showoff.

TCHOTCHKA: An inexpensive trinket, a toy. Can also mean a sexy but brainless girl. The affectionate diminutive is tchotchkala.

TUCHES: Backside, ass

VER CLEMPT: All choked up.

YENTA: A busybody, usually refers to an older woman.