For autodidact students of Yiddish, the sixth word is "to," and in Yiddish "to" is צו (tsu). English uses "to" for two quite different jobs, and Yiddish does the same with one word. The first job is a preposition of direction: ער גײט צו דער מאַמע (er geyt tsu der mame), "he goes to Mother." The second is the little word that stands in front of an infinitive: צו לײענען (tsu leynen), "to read." The two are the same word, and a learner never has to choose between them: if a noun follows, it is the preposition, and if a verb follows, it is the infinitive marker.
As a preposition צו means "to, toward," and it is the usual word for going to a person: צו דער מאַמע, צו דעם דאָקטער (tsu dem doktor), צו מיר (tsu mir). It is also used for a place that one goes up to, as in צו דער טיר of Lesson 1 and צו דעם הױז of Lesson 5. After צו the noun and the pronoun are in the dative, like the nouns after אין, אױף and פֿון: צו דער מאַמע, צו דעם דאָקטער, צו די קינדער, צו מיר, צו אים. When one goes into a room or onto something, Yiddish more often says אין or אױף, and that belongs to later lessons. In this lesson צו is "to" a person or a place that one reaches.
As the infinitive marker צו is the Yiddish "to" of "I like to read," "it is time to go," "something to say." It stands directly in front of the infinitive, which always ends in -ן: צו לײענען, צו גײן, צו זאָגן. But there is a rule that a learner must have at once: after the verbs of wanting, being able and having to, which are װילן (viln), קענען (kenen), מוזן (muzn) and דאַרפֿן (darfn), the infinitive has no צו: איך װיל לײענען, never \*איך װיל צו לײענען. English has the same thing, "I can read," and not "I can to read."
The word has a third small use, which the learner has already met in Lesson 3: before an adjective or adverb צו means "too." דאָס איז צו גרױס is "that is too big," and it is in this lesson as 6.4. The word is the same, and the context shows which meaning is meant.
The word is a cousin of German zu, "to, too," and of English "to" and "too." All three come from one old Germanic word, and in the Germanic languages the one word has kept both jobs, preposition and infinitive marker. A learner who knows German will notice that Yiddish, like German, has the infinitive marker; the English "to" is the same word with the same two jobs.
Script note: צו has two letters, written from right to left: the צ (tsadek) and the ו (vov, here the vowel u, the same plain vov as in פֿון). The צ is the letter for the sound ts, as in the end of English "cats." Take care not to confuse it with ע (ayin, the vowel e): the two are alike at a glance, and a beginner takes one for the other until the eye has learned them. The צ has a final form, ץ, which is used only at the end of a word, as in האָלץ (holts), "wood," in Lesson 5, and קורץ (kurts), "short," in this lesson; the word צו itself ends in ו and so has no final form. A last caution: the combination "tz," which is sometimes seen in English writing of Yiddish, is not used in the YIVO romanisation of this course, which writes ts.
Key Takeaways: - צו (tsu): "to" a person or a place, "to" before an infinitive, and "too" before an adjective - Always followed by the dative: צו דער מאַמע, צו דעם דאָקטער, צו די קינדער, צו מיר, צו אים - Contraction: צו דעם becomes צום (tsum); the feminine and the plural do not contract - Before an infinitive: איך האָב ליב ביכער צו לײענען; עס איז צײַט צו גײן; דאָס בוך איז שװער צו לײענען - The object comes before צו and the infinitive: ביכער צו לײענען, אַ בריוו צו שיקן - No צו after װילן, קענען, מוזן, דאַרפֿן: איך װיל לײענען, never \*איך װיל צו לײענען - Purpose: כּדי (kedey) with צו and the infinitive: כּדי אַ בריוו צו שיקן, "in order to send a letter" - Before an adjective: צו גרױס, "too big"; צו שפּעט, "too late" - Fixed phrases: צו פֿוס, "on foot"; צו װאָס?, "what for?"; צו װעמען?, "to whom?" - Do not confuse the letter צ with ע, nor write \*tz in the romanisation
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6.1a ער he גײט goes צו to דער the מאַמע mother
6.1b er (er) he geyt (gayt) go.3SG tsu (tsoo) to der (dair) the-F.DAT mame (MAH-meh) mother.F
6.2a קום come צו to מיר me
6.2b kum (koom) come.IMP.SG tsu (tsoo) to mir (meer) me.DAT
6.3a זי she גײט goes צו to דעם the דאָקטער doctor
6.3b zi (zee) she geyt (gayt) go.3SG tsu (tsoo) to dem (dem) the-M.DAT doktor (DOK-tor) doctor.M
6.4a דאָס that איז is צו too גרױס big
6.4b dos (doss) that iz (iz) be.3SG tsu (tsoo) too groys (groys) big
6.5a איך I שרײַב write אַ a בריוו letter צו to דער the מאַמע mother
6.5b ikh (ikh) I shrayb (shrighp) write.1SG a (ah) a briv (brif) letter.M tsu (tsoo) to der (dair) the-F.DAT mame (MAH-meh) mother.F
6.6a דער the װעג road צו to דעם the הױז house איז is קורץ short
6.6b der (dair) the-M.NOM veg (vek) road.M tsu (tsoo) to dem (dem) the-N.DAT hoyz (hoyz) house.N iz (iz) be.3SG kurts (koorts) short
6.7a איך I װיל want לײענען read אַ a בוך book
6.7b ikh (ikh) I vil (vil) want.1SG leynen (LAY-nen) read.INF a (ah) a bukh (bookh) book.N
6.8a איך I האָב have ליב dear ביכער books צו to לײענען read
6.8b ikh (ikh) I hob (hob) have.1SG lib (lip) dear bikher (BIKH-er) books.PL tsu (tsoo) to-INF leynen (LAY-nen) read.INF
6.9a דאָס the בוך book איז is שװער hard צו to לײענען read
6.9b dos (doss) the-N.NOM bukh (bookh) book.N iz (iz) be.3SG shver (shvair) hard tsu (tsoo) to-INF leynen (LAY-nen) read.INF
6.10a עס it איז is צײַט time צו to גײן go
6.10b es (es) it iz (iz) be.3SG tsayt (tsight) time.F tsu (tsoo) to-INF geyn (gayn) go.INF
6.11a ער he הײבט begins אָן on צו to לײענען read
6.11b er (er) he heybt (haypt) begin.3SG on (awn) PRT tsu (tsoo) to-INF leynen (LAY-nen) read.INF
6.12a איך I גײ go צו to דער the פּאָסט post-office כּדי in-order אַ a בריוו letter צו to שיקן send
6.12b ikh (ikh) I gey (gay) go.1SG tsu (tsoo) to der (dair) the-F.DAT post (post) post-office.F kedey (keh-DAY) in-order a (ah) a briv (brif) letter.M tsu (tsoo) to-INF shikn (SHIK-n) send.INF
6.13a צו for װאָס what דאַרפֿסט need דו you דאָס that
6.13b tsu (tsoo) for vos (voss) what darfst (darfst) need.2SG du (doo) you.SG dos (doss) that
6.14a מיר we גײען go צו to פֿוס foot
6.14b mir (meer) we geyen (GAY-en) go.1PL tsu (tsoo) to fus (foos) foot
6.15a דער the לערער teacher האָט has װאָס what צו to זאָגן say צו to די the קינדער children
6.15b der (dair) the-M.NOM lerer (LEH-rer) teacher.M hot (hot) have.3SG vos (voss) what tsu (tsoo) to-INF zogn (ZOG-n) say.INF tsu (tsoo) to di (dee) the-PL.DAT kinder (KIN-der) children.PL
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6.1 ער גײט צו דער מאַמע. (er geyt tsu der mame) "He goes to Mother." 6.2 קום צו מיר. (kum tsu mir) "Come to me." 6.3 זי גײט צו דעם דאָקטער. (zi geyt tsu dem doktor) "She goes to the doctor." 6.4 דאָס איז צו גרױס. (dos iz tsu groys) "That is too big." 6.5 איך שרײַב אַ בריוו צו דער מאַמע. (ikh shrayb a briv tsu der mame) "I write a letter to Mother." 6.6 דער װעג צו דעם הױז איז קורץ. (der veg tsu dem hoyz iz kurts) "The road to the house is short." 6.7 איך װיל לײענען אַ בוך. (ikh vil leynen a bukh) "I want to read a book." 6.8 איך האָב ליב ביכער צו לײענען. (ikh hob lib bikher tsu leynen) "I like to read books." 6.9 דאָס בוך איז שװער צו לײענען. (dos bukh iz shver tsu leynen) "The book is hard to read." 6.10 עס איז צײַט צו גײן. (es iz tsayt tsu geyn) "It is time to go." 6.11 ער הײבט אָן צו לײענען. (er heybt on tsu leynen) "He begins to read." 6.12 איך גײ צו דער פּאָסט כּדי אַ בריוו צו שיקן. (ikh gey tsu der post kedey a briv tsu shikn) "I go to the post office to send a letter." 6.13 צו װאָס דאַרפֿסט דו דאָס? (tsu vos darfst du dos?) "What do you need that for?" 6.14 מיר גײען צו פֿוס. (mir geyen tsu fus) "We go on foot." 6.15 דער לערער האָט װאָס צו זאָגן צו די קינדער. (der lerer hot vos tsu zogn tsu di kinder) "The teacher has something to say to the children."
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6.1 ער גײט צו דער מאַמע. 6.2 קום צו מיר. 6.3 זי גײט צו דעם דאָקטער. 6.4 דאָס איז צו גרױס. 6.5 איך שרײַב אַ בריוו צו דער מאַמע. 6.6 דער װעג צו דעם הױז איז קורץ. 6.7 איך װיל לײענען אַ בוך. 6.8 איך האָב ליב ביכער צו לײענען. 6.9 דאָס בוך איז שװער צו לײענען. 6.10 עס איז צײַט צו גײן. 6.11 ער הײבט אָן צו לײענען. 6.12 איך גײ צו דער פּאָסט כּדי אַ בריוו צו שיקן. 6.13 צו װאָס דאַרפֿסט דו דאָס? 6.14 מיר גײען צו פֿוס. 6.15 דער לערער האָט װאָס צו זאָגן צו די קינדער.
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These are the grammar rules for צו (tsu), "to."
Always the dative. Everything that stands after צו as a preposition is in the dative: the article, the adjective, the noun and the pronoun. The article is דעם for a masculine or neuter noun, דער for a feminine one, and די for the plural: צו דעם דאָקטער (6.3), צו דער מאַמע (6.1, 6.5), צו די קינדער (6.15). The dative pronouns are מיר (mir), דיר (dir), אים (im), איר (ir), אונדז (undz), אײַך (aykh) and זײ (zey): צו מיר (6.2), "to me," צו דיר, "to you," צו אים, "to him." This is the same rule as for אין, אױף and פֿון.
Contraction. As Lesson 1 gave it, צו דעם fuses in speech into צום (tsum): צום דאָקטער for צו דעם דאָקטער. The feminine and the plural do not contract. As elsewhere in this course, the full forms are written.
To a person, to a place. The usual word for going to a person is צו: ער גײט צו דער מאַמע (6.1), זי גײט צו דעם דאָקטער (6.3), קום צו מיר (6.2). For a place that one goes up to, צו also serves: דער װעג צו דעם הױז (6.6), איך גײ צו דער פּאָסט (6.12). The verb is גײן (geyn), "to go," and its present tense is irregular: איך גײ, דו גײסט, ער גײט, מיר גײען. Note that the infinitive is the short form גײן (6.10), while "we go" is גײען (6.14); the verb זײַן, "to be," has a short infinitive of the same kind.
To whom. The question is צו װעמען? (tsu vemen), "to whom?" with װעמען the dative of װער, as in Lesson 5. In the dialogue, און צו װעמען איז דער בריוו? (6.20) asks to whom the letter is addressed. For "from whom" it was פֿון װעמען, and the pair should be learned together. The answer names the person with צו, as in 6.5: אַ בריוו צו דער מאַמע.
The infinitive marker. Before an infinitive Yiddish puts צו, as English puts "to": צו לײענען, צו גײן, צו שיקן, צו זאָגן. Three patterns, each with examples in this lesson, cover almost every use. - After an adjective: דאָס בוך איז שװער צו לײענען (6.9), "the book is hard to read." The opposite adjective is לײכט (leykht), "easy": לײכט צו לײענען. - After a noun: עס איז צײַט צו גײן (6.10), "it is time to go"; דער לערער האָט װאָס צו זאָגן (6.15), "the teacher has something to say." The same pattern gives איך האָב נישט װאָס צו עסן, "I have nothing to eat," and the dialogue's איך האָב נישט קײן צײַט צו טרינקען (6.27), "I have no time to drink." - After certain verbs: איך האָב ליב ביכער צו לײענען (6.8), "I like to read books," and ער הײבט אָן צו לײענען (6.11), "he begins to read." The verb אָנהײבן (onheybn), "to begin," has the prefix אָן, which stands apart from the verb in the present tense: ער הײבט אָן.
The order of the words. The infinitive goes at the end, with צו right in front of it, and the object goes before them both: ביכער צו לײענען (6.8), אַ בריוו צו שיקן (6.12). English says "to read books," and the English order must not be copied: \*צו לײענען ביכער is wrong in this place. The plain infinitive after װילן, in contrast, may keep the object after it, as in 6.7: איך װיל לײענען אַ בוך.
No צו after the modal verbs. The verbs װילן (viln), קענען (kenen), מוזן (muzn), דאַרפֿן (darfn), זאָלן (zoln) and מעגן (megn) take the infinitive directly: איך װיל לײענען (6.7), װילסט דו טרינקען אַ גלאָז טײ? (6.26), "do you want to drink a glass of tea?" Note that דאַרפֿן is a modal when a verb follows (דו דאַרפֿסט גײן, "you must go"), and a full verb when a thing follows it: צו װאָס דאַרפֿסט דו דאָס? (6.13), "what do you need that for?"
Purpose: כּדי צו. To say "in order to," Yiddish uses the word כּדי (kedey), which comes from Hebrew, with צו and the infinitive: איך גײ צו דער פּאָסט כּדי אַ בריוו צו שיקן (6.12), "I go to the post office in order to send a letter." The object stands between כּדי and צו. The word כּדי is written with the dot in the כ, as in the Hebrew from which it comes, and the course writes the Hebrew-Aramaic words in their traditional spelling.
"Too": צו before an adjective. Before an adjective or an adverb צו means "too": דאָס איז צו גרױס (6.4), "that is too big," and מאָרגן איז נישט צו שפּעט (6.30), "tomorrow is not too late." Compare Lesson 3: דאָס איז צו טײַער. With a noun, "too much" is צו פֿיל (tsu fil): צו פֿיל טײ, "too much tea." The word צו is the same, and so the learner must tell by the next word whether it means "to" or "too": a noun in the dative means "to," an infinitive means "to," and an adjective means "too."
Two fixed phrases. צו פֿוס (tsu fus) means "on foot": מיר גײען צו פֿוס (6.14), איך גײ צו פֿוס (6.23). The word פֿוס is not given an article. צו װאָס? (tsu vos) means "what for?", "why?" in the sense of "for what purpose": צו װאָס דאַרפֿסט דו דאָס? (6.13). The ordinary word for "why" is פֿאַרװאָס (farvos), which asks for a reason, and צו װאָס asks what a thing is for.
Common Mistakes: - Using the nominative after the preposition: \*צו דער דאָקטער. It is צו דעם דאָקטער - Using the masculine article for a feminine noun: \*צו דעם מאַמע. It is צו דער מאַמע - Using a nominative pronoun: \צו איך, \צו ער. It is צו מיר, צו אים - Putting צו after a modal verb: \*איך װיל צו לײענען. It is איך װיל לײענען - Leaving out צו after a noun or an adjective: \*עס איז צײַט גײן. It is עס איז צײַט צו גײן - Using the English order of object and infinitive: \*צו לײענען ביכער. It is ביכער צו לײענען - Leaving out צו after כּדי: \*כּדי שיקן אַ בריוו. It is כּדי אַ בריוו צו שיקן - Writing the romanisation \tzu. The course writes tsu* - Reading the צ as the ע, or the other way round - Taking "too" for "to," or "to" for "too," and forgetting that both are צו
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צו is the sixth word on the frequency list this course follows, and, like פֿון, it is a short word that a reader meets in nearly every sentence. It is unstressed in speech and said quickly, tsu, into the word after it. It is correct in every register.
The "too" of צו appears in one of the best known songs of the Yiddish stage: איך האָב דיך צו פֿיל ליב (Ikh hob dikh tsu fil lib), "I love you too much." The music was written by Alexander Olshanetsky and the words by Chaim Towber in 1933 for the musical comedy Der Katerinshtshik ("The Organ-grinder"), which was played at David Kessler's Second Avenue Theatre in New York. Its title is a good model for this lesson: it has the "too" of 6.4 and the words האָב … ליב of 6.8, "to love." Notice that "you" in the song is דיך, the accusative of דו, because it is the object of האָב … ליב; after צו it would be the dative דיר, as in 6.29.
Yiddish has a saying built on the same "too," which is listed in an online collection of Yiddish proverbs in transliteration as Tsu fil koved iz a halbe shand, "Too much honour is half a shame." The saying is about excess: a good thing, honour, turns into its opposite when there is too much of it. The collection gives it in transliteration only, so it is quoted here in that form and not in Yiddish script.
Last, a word on leave-taking. The dialogue ends with זײַ געזונט (zay gezunt), literally "be well," the usual Yiddish word for "goodbye." It is the same imperative of זײַן that the learner met in Lesson 2.
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שלום־עליכם, שװער צו זײַן אַ ייִד (Sholem Aleichem, Shver tsu zayn a yid), a comedy of 1914
Sholem Aleichem (1859–1916) wrote the comedy Shver tsu zayn a yid, "It's Hard to Be a Jew," in 1914, and it was first played at the Yiddish Art Theatre on Second Avenue in New York on 1 October 1920, after his death. The title is a complete sentence with the verb left out, and it is the clearest example in Yiddish literature of the infinitive צו of this lesson: an adjective, שװער, "hard," then צו and the infinitive זײַן. The title was checked in two places: the online edition of Sholem Aleichem's works held by the University of Kentucky, where the play is headed "Fun tsvey veltn: Shver tsu zayn a yid," and the Wikipedia article on the play, which gives the Yiddish title as Shver tsu zayn a yid and the date of 1914. Only the title is cited here: the lesson does not quote from the text of the play, since the editions seen divide it differently and no line of the dialogue has been verified against more than one of them. The title is given in the YIVO standard spelling.
שװער צו זײַן אַ ייִד.
F-A: Interlinear
F.1a שװער hard צו to זײַן be אַ a ייִד Jew
F.1b shver (shvair) hard tsu (tsoo) to-INF zayn (zighn) be.INF a (ah) a yid (yid) Jew.M
F-B: Original and Translation
שװער צו זײַן אַ ייִד.
"Hard to be a Jew." (Translation: Latinum Institute.) The usual English title is "It's Hard to Be a Jew," which adds "it's," as English requires. The Yiddish title is shorter and has no verb at all.
F-C: Original
שװער צו זײַן אַ ייִד.
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
The full sentence behind the title would be עס איז שװער צו זײַן אַ ייִד, with the pattern of 6.9: דאָס בוך איז שװער צו לײענען. The adjective שװער, the marker צו and the infinitive are the three parts, and the title keeps only these. In the title, as in a headline, the word עס איז is left out, and the reader supplies it. Yiddish allows this in a title or a saying, and the learner should not copy it in an ordinary sentence.
The infinitive זײַן (zayn), "to be," is one of the short infinitives of Yiddish, like גײן in 6.10, and its present tense is irregular: איך בין, דו ביסט, ער איז. After it the noun that says what someone is has the article אַ and no ending, as in Lesson 4: ער איז אַ לערער, "he is a teacher," and so אַ ייִד, "a Jew." The word ייִד (yid) begins with two yuds: the first is the consonant y, and the second, with the small mark (the khirik) under it, is the vowel i. The final ד is said as t, a final consonant said hard, as the final ב of בריוו and the final ג of װעג are in Lesson 5.
The title also shows the word order of this lesson: nothing stands between צו and the infinitive, and the adjective comes before them. Compare 6.9 and 6.10.
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Beyle meets Leyzer again, in the street, and learns that he is going to the doctor with a letter. The dialogue uses צו in each line or almost each line: to a person, to a place, with an infinitive, in "too," and in the fixed phrases of Section D. It follows Beyle and Leyzer of Lesson 5.
6.16a בײלע Beyle װוּהין where-to גײסט go דו you לײזער Leyzer
6.16b beyle (BAY-leh) Beyle vuhin (VOO-hin) where-to geyst (gayst) go.2SG du (doo) you.SG leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer
6.17a לײזער Leyzer איך I גײ go צו to דעם the דאָקטער doctor
6.17b leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer ikh (ikh) I gey (gay) go.1SG tsu (tsoo) to dem (dem) the-M.DAT doktor (DOK-tor) doctor.M
6.18a בײלע Beyle ביסט are דו you קראַנק sick
6.18b beyle (BAY-leh) Beyle bist (bist) be.2SG du (doo) you.SG krank (krank) sick
6.19a לײזער Leyzer ניין no איך I בין am געזונט well איך I האָב have אַ a בריוו letter
6.19b leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer neyn (nine) no ikh (ikh) I bin (bin) be.1SG gezunt (geh-ZOONT) well ikh (ikh) I hob (hob) have.1SG a (ah) a briv (brif) letter.M
6.20a בײלע Beyle און and צו to װעמען whom איז is דער the בריוו
6.20b beyle (BAY-leh) Beyle un (oon) and tsu (tsoo) to vemen (VEH-men) who.DAT iz (iz) be.3SG der (dair) the-M.NOM briv (brif) letter.M
6.21a לײזער Leyzer ער it איז is צו to דעם the דאָקטער doctor דער the דאָקטער doctor איז is אַ a גוטער good פֿרײַנד friend
6.21b leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer er (er) it.M iz (iz) be.3SG tsu (tsoo) to dem (dem) the-M.DAT doktor (DOK-tor) doctor.M der (dair) the-M.NOM doktor (DOK-tor) doctor.M iz (iz) be.3SG a (ah) a guter (GOO-ter) good-M.NOM fraynd (frighnt) friend.M
6.22a בײלע Beyle איז is דער the װעג road צו to אים him לאַנג long
6.22b beyle (BAY-leh) Beyle iz (iz) be.3SG der (dair) the-M.NOM veg (vek) road.M tsu (tsoo) to im (im) him.DAT lang (lang) long
6.23a לײזער Leyzer ניין no ער it איז is נישט not װײַט far איך I גײ go צו to פֿוס foot
6.23b leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer neyn (nine) no er (er) it.M iz (iz) be.3SG nisht (nisht) not vayt (vight) far ikh (ikh) I gey (gay) go.1SG tsu (tsoo) to fus (foos) foot
6.24a בײלע Beyle עס it איז is שױן already שפּעט late לײזער Leyzer עס it איז is צײַט time צו to גײן go
6.24b beyle (BAY-leh) Beyle es (es) it iz (iz) be.3SG shoyn (shoyn) already shpet (shpet) late leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer es (es) it iz (iz) be.3SG tsayt (tsight) time.F tsu (tsoo) to-INF geyn (gayn) go.INF
6.25a לײזער Leyzer יאָ yes איך I האָב have נאָר only אַ a ביסל little צײַט time
6.25b leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer yo (yoh) yes ikh (ikh) I hob (hob) have.1SG nor (nor) only a (ah) a bisl (BIS-l) little tsayt (tsight) time.F
6.26a בײלע Beyle װילסט want דו you טרינקען drink אַ a גלאָז glass טײ tea
6.26b beyle (BAY-leh) Beyle vilst (vilst) want.2SG du (doo) you.SG trinken (TRIN-ken) drink.INF a (ah) a gloz (gloz) glass.N tey (tay) tea
6.27a לײזער Leyzer ניין no אַ a דאַנק thanks איך I האָב have נישט not קײן any צײַט time צו to טרינקען drink
6.27b leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer neyn (nine) no a (ah) a dank (dahnk) thanks ikh (ikh) I hob (hob) have.1SG nisht (nisht) not keyn (kane) any tsayt (tsight) time.F tsu (tsoo) to-INF trinken (TRIN-ken) drink.INF
6.28a בײלע Beyle גוט good גײ go צו to דעם the דאָקטער doctor און and נאָכדעם afterwards קום come צו to מיר me
6.28b beyle (BAY-leh) Beyle gut (goot) good gey (gay) go.IMP.SG tsu (tsoo) to dem (dem) the-M.DAT doktor (DOK-tor) doctor.M un (oon) and nokhdem (NOKH-dem) afterwards kum (koom) come.IMP.SG tsu (tsoo) to mir (meer) me.DAT
6.29a לײזער Leyzer גוט good איך I קום come צו to דיר you מאָרגן tomorrow
6.29b leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer gut (goot) good ikh (ikh) I kum (koom) come.1SG tsu (tsoo) to dir (deer) you.DAT.SG morgn (MOR-gn) tomorrow
6.30a בײלע Beyle מאָרגן tomorrow איז is נישט not צו too שפּעט late זײַ be געזונט well לײזער Leyzer
6.30b beyle (BAY-leh) Beyle morgn (MOR-gn) tomorrow iz (iz) be.3SG nisht (nisht) not tsu (tsoo) too shpet (shpet) late zay (zigh) be.IMP.SG gezunt (geh-ZOONT) well leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer
6.16 בײלע: װוּהין גײסט דו, לײזער? (beyle: vuhin geyst du, leyzer?) "Beyle: Where are you going, Leyzer?" 6.17 לײזער: איך גײ צו דעם דאָקטער. (leyzer: ikh gey tsu dem doktor) "Leyzer: I am going to the doctor." 6.18 בײלע: ביסט דו קראַנק? (beyle: bist du krank?) "Beyle: Are you sick?" 6.19 לײזער: ניין, איך בין געזונט. איך האָב אַ בריוו. (leyzer: neyn, ikh bin gezunt. ikh hob a briv) "Leyzer: No, I am well. I have a letter." 6.20 בײלע: און צו װעמען איז דער בריוו? (beyle: un tsu vemen iz der briv?) "Beyle: And who is the letter to?" 6.21 לײזער: ער איז צו דעם דאָקטער. דער דאָקטער איז אַ גוטער פֿרײַנד. (leyzer: er iz tsu dem doktor. der doktor iz a guter fraynd) "Leyzer: It is to the doctor. The doctor is a good friend." 6.22 בײלע: איז דער װעג צו אים לאַנג? (beyle: iz der veg tsu im lang?) "Beyle: Is the road to him long?" 6.23 לײזער: ניין, ער איז נישט װײַט. איך גײ צו פֿוס. (leyzer: neyn, er iz nisht vayt. ikh gey tsu fus) "Leyzer: No, it is not far. I go on foot." 6.24 בײלע: עס איז שױן שפּעט, לײזער. עס איז צײַט צו גײן. (beyle: es iz shoyn shpet, leyzer. es iz tsayt tsu geyn) "Beyle: It is already late, Leyzer. It is time to go." 6.25 לײזער: יאָ, איך האָב נאָר אַ ביסל צײַט. (leyzer: yo, ikh hob nor a bisl tsayt) "Leyzer: Yes, I have only a little time." 6.26 בײלע: װילסט דו טרינקען אַ גלאָז טײ? (beyle: vilst du trinken a gloz tey?) "Beyle: Do you want to drink a glass of tea?" 6.27 לײזער: ניין, אַ דאַנק. איך האָב נישט קײן צײַט צו טרינקען. (leyzer: neyn, a dank. ikh hob nisht keyn tsayt tsu trinken) "Leyzer: No, thanks. I have no time to drink." 6.28 בײלע: גוט, גײ צו דעם דאָקטער און נאָכדעם קום צו מיר. (beyle: gut, gey tsu dem doktor un nokhdem kum tsu mir) "Beyle: Good, go to the doctor, and afterwards come to me." 6.29 לײזער: גוט, איך קום צו דיר מאָרגן. (leyzer: gut, ikh kum tsu dir morgn) "Leyzer: Good, I shall come to you tomorrow." 6.30 בײלע: מאָרגן איז נישט צו שפּעט. זײַ געזונט, לײזער. (beyle: morgn iz nisht tsu shpet. zay gezunt, leyzer) "Beyle: Tomorrow is not too late. Goodbye, Leyzer."
6.16 בײלע: װוּהין גײסט דו, לײזער? 6.17 לײזער: איך גײ צו דעם דאָקטער. 6.18 בײלע: ביסט דו קראַנק? 6.19 לײזער: ניין, איך בין געזונט. איך האָב אַ בריוו. 6.20 בײלע: און צו װעמען איז דער בריוו? 6.21 לײזער: ער איז צו דעם דאָקטער. דער דאָקטער איז אַ גוטער פֿרײַנד. 6.22 בײלע: איז דער װעג צו אים לאַנג? 6.23 לײזער: ניין, ער איז נישט װײַט. איך גײ צו פֿוס. 6.24 בײלע: עס איז שױן שפּעט, לײזער. עס איז צײַט צו גײן. 6.25 לײזער: יאָ, איך האָב נאָר אַ ביסל צײַט. 6.26 בײלע: װילסט דו טרינקען אַ גלאָז טײ? 6.27 לײזער: ניין, אַ דאַנק. איך האָב נישט קײן צײַט צו טרינקען. 6.28 בײלע: גוט, גײ צו דעם דאָקטער און נאָכדעם קום צו מיר. 6.29 לײזער: גוט, איך קום צו דיר מאָרגן. 6.30 בײלע: מאָרגן איז נישט צו שפּעט. זײַ געזונט, לײזער.
Where to (6.16, 6.17). װוּהין (vuhin) means "where to," and it asks about direction, in contrast to װוּ (vu), "where," which asks about place. The answer to װוּהין גײסט דו? names the goal with צו: איך גײ צו דעם דאָקטער. The verb גײן is irregular: גײ, גײסט, גײט, גײען.
The question without a question word (6.18). ביסט דו קראַנק? has the verb first, as in Lesson 1. The answer ניין, איך בין געזונט turns it round: געזונט (gezunt) is "well, healthy."
To whom (6.20). און צו װעמען איז דער בריוו? puts the preposition first, and then the dative װעמען. In Yiddish the preposition does not stand at the end, as English often puts it ("who is it to?"). The word און, "and," at the start only joins the question to the one before.
The pronoun for a thing (6.21, 6.23). The letter is דער בריוו, a masculine noun, so the pronoun is ער: ער איז צו דעם דאָקטער; ניין, ער איז נישט װײַט refers to the road, דער װעג, which is also masculine. This is the rule of Lesson 5.
Distance and manner (6.22, 6.23). The question איז דער װעג צו אים לאַנג? has צו with the dative pronoun אים, "to him," that is, to his house. The answer says that the road is not far, נישט װײַט, and that Leyzer goes צו פֿוס, with no article.
It is time to (6.24). עס איז צײַט צו גײן is the pattern of Section D: a noun, then צו and the infinitive. The word שױן, "already," stands after the verb.
A little time (6.25). אַ ביסל (a bisl), "a little," stands before a noun that is not counted, as in Lesson 4: אַ ביסל צײַט. The word נאָר, "only," stands in front of it.
Wanting and having no time (6.26, 6.27). װילסט דו טרינקען אַ גלאָז טײ? has no צו, because װילן is a modal verb. The answer has צו, because the verb is האָבן and the infinitive depends on the noun צײַט: איך האָב נישט קײן צײַט צו טרינקען. The negative article קײן, "no, not any," is used instead of אַ, as Lesson 4 said. The words אַ דאַנק are "thanks," or more fully, "a thanks."
Commands (6.28). גײ is the imperative of גײן, and קום is the imperative of קומען, as in Lesson 5. Both are the singular, addressed to one friend. The word נאָכדעם, "afterwards," joins the two commands in time.
To you (6.29). צו דיר is the dative of דו, and so "I come to you." The pronoun דיר, not דו, stands after the preposition, as מיר, not איך, does in 6.28.
"Too" and "goodbye" (6.30). נישט צו שפּעט is "not too late": the negative נישט stands before the צו of "too." The words זײַ געזונט (zay gezunt) are the imperative of זײַן with געזונט, literally "be well," and they are the common word for "goodbye." Compare the earlier זײַ in Lesson 2.
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The respellings follow the Standard Yiddish pronunciation of the YIVO tradition, as in Lessons 1 to 5, and the transliteration is the YIVO romanisation.
צו (tsu) — IPA: /tsu/ — The צ is ts, as the end of English "cats," and the ו is the vowel u of "rule." It is short and unstressed in a sentence. צום (tsum) — IPA: /tsum/ — The contraction of צו דעם, with m at the end. צײַט (tsayt) — IPA: /tsaɪt/ — The ײַ is ay, as in English "nigh," and the צ is ts again. כּדי (kedey) — IPA: /kəˈdeɪ/ — Stress on the second syllable. The first vowel is weak, and the ײ is ey, as in "hay." צו װאָס (tsu vos) — IPA: /tsu vɔs/ — The װ is v, and the אָ is the vowel of British "dog." פֿוס (fus) — IPA: /fus/ — The פֿ (with a bar) is f, and the vowel is u. קורץ (kurts) — IPA: /kʊrts/ — The final ץ is ts, as in האָלץ of Lesson 5. שװער (shver) — IPA: /ʃvɛr/ — The ש is sh, the װ is v, and the ע is e, as in "bed." גײן (geyn) — IPA: /ɡeɪn/ — The ײ is ey. The plural form גײען (geyen) is /ˈɡeɪən/. לײענען (leynen) — IPA: /ˈleɪnən/ — The ײ is ey, with stress on the first syllable. הײבט (heybt) — IPA: /heɪpt/ — The b before t is said as p. שיקן (shikn) — IPA: /ˈʃɪkn̩/ — The final n is syllabic. זאָגן (zogn) — IPA: /ˈzɔɡn̩/ — The אָ is the vowel of British "dog." װוּהין (vuhin) — IPA: /ˈvuhɪn/ — Stress on the first syllable. The װוּ is vu; the dot inside the second ו marks it as the vowel u. געזונט (gezunt) — IPA: /ɡəˈzʊnt/ — Stress on the second syllable, as in Lesson 3. שפּעט (shpet) — IPA: /ʃpɛt/ — The שפּ is shp, with the dot in the פ, which makes it p. טרינקען (trinken) — IPA: /ˈtrɪŋkən/ — The n before k is said as ng. נאָכדעם (nokhdem) — IPA: /ˈnɔxdɛm/ — The כ is kh, the sound of Scottish "loch." דאַנק (dank) — IPA: /daŋk/ — The n before k is said as ng. קײן (keyn) — IPA: /keɪn/ — The ײ is ey. ייִד (yid) — IPA: /jɪt/ — The final d is said as t. Vowel letters: ו is u, װ is v, ױ is oy /ɔɪ/, ײ is ey /eɪ/, ײַ is ay /aɪ/, י is i, ע is e /ɛ/, אַ is a /a/, אָ is o /ɔ/. The letters ן (final nun), ם (final mem), ך (final khof), ף (final fey) and ץ (final tsadek) are used only at the end of a word.
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