Vocabulary of the Judeo-Spanish language

Vocabulary

The vocabulary of Ladino is full of Jewish words referring to the Judaic religion and specific features of the Jewish life. After the exodus from Spain Ladino adopted a lot of foreign words and phrases. Among them are words that are found in the other languages of the Iberian peninsula, but are not used in Spanish. Many borrowings came from Turkish, Persian, the Balkan languages, and in the 19th century from Italian and especially French (there was a specific mixed slang -- judeo-franyol).

abásho (OSp. abaxo from Lat. ad+bassus) prep below.

abashár abásho to go down .

los de abásho the departed, the dead.

tódo sta de arríva abásho everything is upside down.

abastádo (Port. from Lat.) adj almighty, omnipotent (referring to God).
aínda (Port. ainda) conj. yet (=Sp. todavía).
alefbet (from the Heb. names of the first two letters of the alphabet) m alphabet.
alforría (Ar.) f liberty, freedom.
Alhát (Ar. The First Day, related to Heb. ehad one) Sunday; thus it is distinguished from the Christian Sunday (in Sp. Domingo, from Lat. Domini dies).
amares m ignoramus (lit., peasant).
anav (Heb.) adj. humble, obedient.
arrivar vi (=Sp. arribar) to arrive.
arón (Heb.) m grave (= ataúd).
asetuna f (= Sp. aceituna) olive fruit.
asetunal m olive tree.
asur adj prohibited (by religious law).
atakanear (Heb.) vt to arrange.
azno m (=Sp. asno) ass, donkey.
aznedad f foolish thing, foolish act.
atabafar v suffocate.
atemar (Ar.) vt to terminate.
axarvar vt to beat.
badkar (Heb.) vt to reconsider.
balta (Turk.) m ax.
baul m trunk.
bel m waist.
beraxa (Heb.) f blessing.
biterear (Turk.) vt to terminate.
boyadear (Turk.) vt to paint, color.
chapeo (Port. chapéu) m hat (=Sp. sombrero).
chapines (Cat. chapins) mpl shoes (=Sp. zapatos).
chay (Pers.) m tea.
chini (Pers.) m plate.
chikés f youth.
defender vt to prohibit (in Sp. to defend).
din (Heb.) m religious law.
Dio (modification of Sp. dios from Lat. deus god) m God; the Spanish word was modified, because the final -s appeared to the Jews a plural suffix; moreover Dio was used always with definite article (El Dio) to underline the monotheistic principle of Judaism.
donde pron. adv. of whom, of which, whose (=Fr. dont).
(g)uay interj woe.
innat (Turk.) m whim, caprice.
kal (Heb.) community, synagogue.
kamma (Heb.) adv how much? how many? (= kuanto?).
karpus m watermelon.
kavo(d) m honor.
kavzar vt to cause.
kazal m village.
kolay (Turk.) adj easy.
korex m bookbinder.
kushak (Turk.) m belt, girdle.
lamber vt to lick.
libero (It.) adj free (=Sp. libre).
ma (It. mai from Lat. magis; Sp. mas) conj but, why.
maalé (Turk.) m street, Turkish quarters, neighborhood.

maalé yahudí Jewish quarters .

maaráv (Heb.) m west.
maasé (Heb.) m story, event.

kontar un maasè tell a story.

maabe (Heb.) m deluge, downpour, torrent.

No kyerro tanto, me dátes mabul. I don't want so much, you gave me plenty.

machará (LT) f spool of thread.
mazal (Heb.) m star, destiny.
mazalozo adj happy.
meara f cave.
meatad f half.
merkar vt to buy.
meshared m servant.
met (Heb.) adj dead (= muerto).
na interj here! behold.
niftar (Heb.) adj dead (= muerto).
orozo (F. heureux) adj heappy.
paja (L. palia straw) f hay (in Sp. straw).
paras (Pers.) fpl money.
portokal (It.) m orange (fruit) (=Sp. naranja).
preto (Port.) adj black.
purimlik (Heb. Purim + Turkic -lik) f Purim present.
raki (Balkan Slavic, of Hebraic origin) m arak.
rio (Sp. rio river) m lake.
saraf (Ar.) m money changer.
sedaka (Heb.) m charity.
shara (Ar.) f wood.
shasheo (Pers.) m dizziness.
shavon (ML sapo, -onis from Gmc; cf. Sp. jabón) m soap.
shemin-de-fer (F. chemin de fer) m railroad.
sutlach m rice pudding.
tefilá (Heb.) f prayer.
trocar (Port. trocar) vti to change (=Sp. cambiar).
xaber m news.
xaftona f beating.
xamam m bath-house.
zahut (Heb.) m blessing.
ziara (Ar.) f cemetery visit.

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