“Oy Vey” & More Common Yiddish Phrases

When it comes to iconic characters from 90s American sitcoms, nothing compares to the fashionista Fran Fine from the hit show The Nanny. In the show, Fran Fine, otherwise known as the flashy girl from Flushing, is the nanny of the three children of British Broadway producer Maxwell Sheffield.

But Fran isn’t a scary nanny. Not at all. In fact, she is a very fun nanny who loves shopping at Loehmann’s and loves using Yiddish sayings whenever she can. Ms. Fine tosses plenty of Yiddish words in her talks because she grew up hearing these Yiddish phrases in her Jewish household.

Quick info on Fran Fine: She was born into a Jewish family in New York and was raised in Flushing, Queens. Fran Fine is a Jewish-American woman who never shies away from her beautiful heritage, which is an important part of the rich and diverse American culture.

Now, as a viewer of this funny show, you may or may not be familiar with Yiddish. But are you able to distinguish the Yiddish phrases Fran uses in her ordinary conversations and do you know what they mean? If not, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered.

Quick info on Yiddish (American Yiddish): Yiddish is a West Germanic language and was one of the primary languages of the Ashkenazic Jews. The language is a mix of German, Hebrew, and other languages.

• Farpitzet: to get dolled up or dressed up
• Farmisht: confused
• Futz: to fool or play around
• Klutz: to describe someone who is clumsy
• Nosh: to eat or to snack
• Oy vey: an expression of dismay; similar to "Woe is me"
• Putz / Schmuck: terms to describe someone acting like a jerk or a fool
• Kvetch: to complain
• Schmooze: to chat or network
• Yenta: someone who is a gossip
• Bubbe / Zeide: terms of endearment for grandmother and grandfather
• Chutzpah: extreme self-confidence or audacity
• Mensch: a person of integrity and honor
• Schlep: to carry something or travel with great effort
• Spiel: a long or involved story or argument
• Tuchus: the rear end; butt
• Mazel Tov: a Jewish phrase used to express congratulations
• L’chaim: a toast meaning "to life"