For autodidact students of Yiddish, the seventh word is "in," and in Yiddish "in" is אין (in). The learner has met it since the first lesson, in אין דער שטוב (in der shtub), "in the room," and in the songs and dialogues of Lessons 1 and 2. This lesson takes it as the headword and shows what it does. It is the preposition of place: ער איז אין דער שטוב (er iz in der shtub), "he is in the room," אין דער שטאָט (in der shtot), "in the city," אין דעם גאָרטן (in dem gortn), "in the garden."
English has "in," "into," "to" and "at" for the places where one is and where one goes. Yiddish uses אין for much of this, and so the same word serves for rest and for going: ער איז אין שול (er iz in shul), "he is in school," and ער גײט אין שול (er geyt in shul), "he goes to school." The verb shows which is meant, and the preposition does not change. When the learner wishes to say "in" in the sense of "inward," Yiddish adds the little word אַרײַן (arayn): קום אַרײַן אין דער שטוב, "come into the room." The word אַרײַן is an adverb of direction, and it stands where English says "in" without a noun, as in "come in."
The word has a second job, in time. In Yiddish, as in English, one says "in winter," "in the morning," "in summer": אין װינטער (in vinter), אין דער פֿרי (in der fri), אין זומער (in zumer). It has a third job with the written word: "in the letter," "in the book," as in װאָס שטײט אין דעם בריוו? (vos shteyt in dem briv), "what does it say in the letter?" (literally, "what stands in the letter?").
After אין the noun is in the dative, like the nouns after פֿון, צו and אױף: אין דער שטוב, אין דעם גאָרטן, אין דעם בוך, אין די הענט. The article is דעם for a masculine or neuter noun, דער for a feminine one, and די for the plural. Two references consulted for this lesson, a French-language grammar of Yiddish and the English Wikipedia article on Yiddish grammar, agree that the object of a preposition stands in the dative. A learner may meet books that treat a place one goes into differently from a place one is in. Since the masculine and neuter accusative look the same as the dative, any difference could show only in the feminine (די שטוב for דער שטוב), and this course keeps one rule for all places, the dative, as the earlier lessons do.
The word is a cousin of German in and of English "in," and the three are the same word. A learner who knows either has met the word already; the novelty is only the Yiddish script and the dative.
Script note: אין has three letters, written from right to left: the א (alef, which here is silent and only carries the vowel), the י (yud, here the vowel i) and the final ן (nun). The word is one of the family of four short words which the learner met in Lesson 5, פֿון, און, אין and אַן, and it is told from און by the first letter's vowel mark and the vowel letter: אין has the י, and און has the ו. The final ן is a form of the letter נ which is used only at the end of a word. Take care that the vowel is i: אין is said in, not een.
Key Takeaways: - אין (in): "in," "into," "to" (a place), and "in" of time and of the written word - Always followed by the dative: אין דער שטוב, אין דעם גאָרטן, אין דעם הױז, אין די הענט - Rest and going: ער איז אין שול, "he is in school"; ער גײט אין שול, "he goes to school" - Direction inward: אַרײַן, as in קום אַרײַן אין דער שטוב - Place names, seasons and אין שול, אין שטוב take no article: אין װאַרשע, אין װינטער, אין זומער - Time: אין דער פֿרי, "in the morning"; אין זומער, "in summer" - In a text: אין דעם בריוו שטײט אַז …, "the letter says that …" - Contraction: אין דעם becomes אינעם (inem), which the course writes in full - "In" a language is not אין but אױף: אױף ייִדיש, "in Yiddish" - Do not confuse אין with און, "and," nor with אױף, "on"
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7.1a דער the בריוו letter איז is אין in דער the טאַש bag
7.1b der (dair) the-M.NOM briv (brif) letter.M iz (iz) be.3SG in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT tash (tahsh) bag.F
7.2a די the קינדער children זענען are אין in דעם the גאָרטן garden
7.2b di (dee) the-PL.NOM kinder (KIN-der) children.PL zenen (ZEH-nen) be.3PL in (in) in dem (dem) the-M.DAT gortn (GOR-tn) garden.M
7.3a דאָס the װאַסער water איז is אין in דעם the גלאָז glass
7.3b dos (doss) the-N.NOM vaser (VAH-ser) water.N iz (iz) be.3SG in (in) in dem (dem) the-N.DAT gloz (gloz) glass.N
7.4a איך I װױן live אין in װאַרשע Warsaw
7.4b ikh (ikh) I voyn (voyn) live.1SG in (in) in varshe (VAR-sheh) Warsaw
7.5a ער he לײענט reads אַ a בוך book אין in דער the שטוב room
7.5b er (er) he leynt (laynt) read.3SG a (ah) a bukh (bookh) book.N in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT shtub (shtoob) room.F
7.6a די the מאַמע mother האָט has אַ a בוך book אין in דער the האַנט hand
7.6b di (dee) the-F.NOM mame (MAH-meh) mother.F hot (hot) have.3SG a (ah) a bukh (bookh) book.N in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT hant (hahnt) hand.F
7.7a מיר we װױנען live אין in אַ a גרױסן big הױז house
7.7b mir (meer) we voynen (VOY-nen) live.1PL in (in) in a (ah) a groysn (GROY-sn) big-N.DAT hoyz (hoyz) house.N
7.8a אין in װינטער winter איז is קאַלט cold
7.8b in (in) in vinter (VIN-ter) winter.M iz (iz) be.3SG kalt (kahlt) cold
7.9a ער he גײט goes אין in שול school
7.9b er (er) he geyt (gayt) go.3SG in (in) in shul (shool) school.F
7.10a מיר we גײען go אין in דער the שטאָט city
7.10b mir (meer) we geyen (GAY-en) go.1PL in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT shtot (shtot) city.F
7.11a איך I זע see אַ a גוטן good פֿרײַנד friend אין in דער the גאַס street
7.11b ikh (ikh) I ze (zeh) see.1SG a (ah) a gutn (GOOT-n) good-M.ACC fraynd (frighnt) friend.M in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT gas (gahs) street.F
7.12a װאָס what איז is אין in דעם the בריוו letter
7.12b vos (voss) what iz (iz) be.3SG in (in) in dem (dem) the-M.DAT briv (brif) letter.M
7.13a אין in דעם the בוך book זענען are שײנע beautiful בילדער pictures
7.13b in (in) in dem (dem) the-N.DAT bukh (bookh) book.N zenen (ZEH-nen) be.3PL sheyne (SHAY-neh) beautiful-PL bilder (BIL-der) pictures.PL
7.14a אין in דער the פֿרי morning טרינקט drinks ער he טײ tea אין in דער the קיך kitchen
7.14b in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT fri (free) morning.F trinkt (trinkt) drink.3SG er (er) he tey (tay) tea in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT kikh (kikh) kitchen.F
7.15a אין in דער the גרױסער big שטאָט city איז is דער the װעג road צו to דער the שול school לאַנג long
7.15b in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT groyser (GROY-ser) big-F.DAT shtot (shtot) city.F iz (iz) be.3SG der (dair) the-M.NOM veg (vek) road.M tsu (tsoo) to der (dair) the-F.DAT shul (shool) school.F lang (lahng) long
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7.1 דער בריוו איז אין דער טאַש. (der briv iz in der tash) "The letter is in the bag." 7.2 די קינדער זענען אין דעם גאָרטן. (di kinder zenen in dem gortn) "The children are in the garden." 7.3 דאָס װאַסער איז אין דעם גלאָז. (dos vaser iz in dem gloz) "The water is in the glass." 7.4 איך װױן אין װאַרשע. (ikh voyn in varshe) "I live in Warsaw." 7.5 ער לײענט אַ בוך אין דער שטוב. (er leynt a bukh in der shtub) "He is reading a book in the room." 7.6 די מאַמע האָט אַ בוך אין דער האַנט. (di mame hot a bukh in der hant) "Mother has a book in her hand." 7.7 מיר װױנען אין אַ גרױסן הױז. (mir voynen in a groysn hoyz) "We live in a big house." 7.8 אין װינטער איז קאַלט. (in vinter iz kalt) "In winter it is cold." 7.9 ער גײט אין שול. (er geyt in shul) "He goes to school." 7.10 מיר גײען אין דער שטאָט. (mir geyen in der shtot) "We are going into the city." 7.11 איך זע אַ גוטן פֿרײַנד אין דער גאַס. (ikh ze a gutn fraynd in der gas) "I see a good friend in the street." 7.12 װאָס איז אין דעם בריוו? (vos iz in dem briv) "What is in the letter?" 7.13 אין דעם בוך זענען שײנע בילדער. (in dem bukh zenen sheyne bilder) "In the book there are beautiful pictures." 7.14 אין דער פֿרי טרינקט ער טײ אין דער קיך. (in der fri trinkt er tey in der kikh) "In the morning he drinks tea in the kitchen." 7.15 אין דער גרױסער שטאָט איז דער װעג צו דער שול לאַנג. (in der groyser shtot iz der veg tsu der shul lang) "In the big city the road to the school is long."
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7.1 דער בריוו איז אין דער טאַש. 7.2 די קינדער זענען אין דעם גאָרטן. 7.3 דאָס װאַסער איז אין דעם גלאָז. 7.4 איך װױן אין װאַרשע. 7.5 ער לײענט אַ בוך אין דער שטוב. 7.6 די מאַמע האָט אַ בוך אין דער האַנט. 7.7 מיר װױנען אין אַ גרױסן הױז. 7.8 אין װינטער איז קאַלט. 7.9 ער גײט אין שול. 7.10 מיר גײען אין דער שטאָט. 7.11 איך זע אַ גוטן פֿרײַנד אין דער גאַס. 7.12 װאָס איז אין דעם בריוו? 7.13 אין דעם בוך זענען שײנע בילדער. 7.14 אין דער פֿרי טרינקט ער טײ אין דער קיך. 7.15 אין דער גרױסער שטאָט איז דער װעג צו דער שול לאַנג.
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These are the grammar rules for אין (in), "in."
Always the dative. Everything that stands after אין 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: אין דעם גאָרטן (7.2), אין דעם גלאָז (7.3), אין דער שטוב (7.5), אין דער טאַש (7.1). A plural noun after אין has the article די, and the noun does not change its ending: אין די הענט, "in the hands." The dative pronouns are the same as after צו and פֿון: אין מיר, "in me," אין דיר, "in you," אין אים, "in him." This is the rule of Lessons 1, 5 and 6.
An adjective after the article, and after אַ. When there is an adjective, it takes an ending in the dative. After דער of a feminine noun it is -ער: אין דער גרױסער שטאָט (7.15). After אַ with a masculine or neuter noun it is -ן: אין אַ גרױסן הױז (7.7). The same ending -ן stands in the accusative of a masculine noun after אַ, and so אַ גוטן פֿרײַנד in 7.11 looks like the dative, but it is the object of זע, "I see," and is not governed by אין. The adjective of a plural noun without an article has -ע: שײנע בילדער (7.13), where the phrase is the subject.
Contraction. As Lesson 1 gave it, אין דעם fuses in speech into אינעם (inem): אינעם גאָרטן for אין דעם גאָרטן. The feminine and the plural do not contract: אין דער שטוב stays as it is. As elsewhere in this course, the full forms are written.
Rest and going. The same preposition serves for the place where one is and the place to which one goes: ער איז אין שול (the verb זײַן, "to be," of Lesson 2), but ער גײט אין שול (7.9, the verb גײן, "to go," of Lesson 6). In the same way, מיר גײען אין דער שטאָט (7.10) is "we are going into the city," and the dialogue's קום אין דער קיך (7.23) is "come into the kitchen." The verb tells the reader which is meant. For "come in" without a place, Yiddish adds אַרײַן: קום אַרײַן (7.17). The two may be joined: קום אַרײַן אין דער שטוב, "come into the room."
No article. Yiddish leaves out the article in some fixed phrases after אין. A place name takes none: אין װאַרשע (7.4), אין װילנע. So do the seasons: אין װינטער (7.8), אין זומער (7.27). So do the institutions of daily life that one attends: ער גײט אין שול (7.9), "he goes to school." The same word with the article means a particular building: אין דער שול (7.15), "in the school." In the same way, אין שטוב, without article, is "in the house, indoors," as in the song of Lesson 2, אין שטוב איז הײס, while אין דער שטוב is "in the room."
In time. For a part of the day אין takes the dative of a feminine noun: אין דער פֿרי (7.14), "in the morning." For a season it takes no article: אין זומער, אין װינטער. The word order is the usual one of a Yiddish sentence: when the time phrase stands first, the verb follows it at once and the subject comes after: אין דער פֿרי טרינקט ער טײ (7.14). Compare the pattern of Lesson 2: אין שטוב איז הײס, with no עס when another word stands first.
In a text. A book, a letter and a page "contain" what is written in them, and Yiddish says that it "stands" there: װאָס שטײט אין דעם בריוו? (7.21), אין דעם בריוו שטײט אַז איך בין געזונט (7.22). The conjunction אַז (az) means "that" and introduces what the letter says. Compare the plain question װאָס איז אין דעם בריוו? (7.12), which asks what is physically inside the letter.
"Is there": איז דאָ. The question איז דאָ מילך אין דעם טײ? (7.24) asks whether there is milk in the tea. The word דאָ (do), "here, there," with the verb זײַן gives "there is": איז דאָ, זענען דאָ. The word order of a question puts the verb first, as in Lesson 1.
Not "in" a language. Yiddish does not say אין for "in" a language. It says אױף: אױף ייִדיש, "in Yiddish," אױף ענגליש, "in English." The preposition אין would be understood as a place, and so \*אין ייִדיש is wrong. The preposition אױף is the subject of a later lesson, but the learner should know this at once.
"In" and "on." For "on a surface" Yiddish uses אױף, as in Lesson 1: אױף דעם טיש, "on the table." For a thing which is inside a container, a room or a city, it uses אין: אין דעם גלאָז, "in the glass" (7.3). The two do not mix.
Common Mistakes: - Using the nominative after the preposition: \*אין דער גאָרטן. It is אין דעם גאָרטן - Using the masculine article for a feminine noun: \*אין דעם שטוב. It is אין דער שטוב - Using a nominative pronoun: \*אין איך. It is אין מיר - Putting an article before a place name: \*אין דער װאַרשע. It is אין װאַרשע - Using אין for a language: \*אין ייִדיש. It is אױף ייִדיש - Using אין for "on a surface": \*אין דעם טיש. It is אױף דעם טיש - Reading the אין as און, "and," or writing the one for the other - Leaving out the ending of the adjective: \*אין דער גרױס שטאָט. It is אין דער גרױסער שטאָט - Saying the vowel as ee: the word is in, short, as in English "in"
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אין is the seventh word on the frequency list this course follows, and it is a short word that a reader meets in nearly every paragraph. It is unstressed in speech, said quickly, in, into the word after it, and in a fast speaker the n is often joined to the article, so that אין דעם is heard as inem. It is correct in every register.
A word on the sound. The word is as short as the English word "in," and the learner who speaks English will tend to hold the vowel too long. It is in, never een, and no stress falls on it.
The word שטוב (shtub) has been in the course since Lesson 1. It means "room" and also the living space of a family, and אין שטוב, with no article, is "indoors." The word שול (shul) means both "synagogue" and "school" in Yiddish, and the context decides. In 7.9 and 7.15 it is "school." The French-language grammar of Yiddish consulted for this lesson gives גיין אין שול, "to go to school," among its examples of אין with a verb of going.
Yiddish titles of books and songs often begin with אין, and so tell the reader at once where the story stands. The next section takes one of the best known of these.
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יוסף אָפּאַטאָשו, אין פּױלישע װעלדער (Yoysef Opatoshu, In poylishe velder), a novel of 1921
Joseph Opatoshu (1886–1954), born in Mława in Poland and living in New York, published the novel In poylishe velder, "In the Polish Woods," in New York in 1921, and the book made his name. It is a historical novel of the Jews of Poland in the nineteenth century, set among the Jews who lived in the forests and the villages and among the Hasidim. The title is a complete phrase, with no verb, and it shows in a few words what this lesson teaches: אין, a plural noun without an article, and an adjective with the plural ending -ע. The title was checked in these places: the English Wikipedia article on Opatoshu, the Yiddish Wikipedia article on him, and the catalogue record of the Universal Yiddish Library, which lists the book as In poylishe velder; the date of 1921 and the place of publication are given in the encyclopedic entries found for the author. In the Wikipedia article and in the catalogue the title is printed in a different spelling (אין פּוילישע וועלדער), with the letter sequences וי and וו where the YIVO standard spelling used by this course has the digraph letters ױ and װ. Only the title is cited: the lesson does not quote from the text of the novel, since no passage of it was opened and checked in this session.
אין פּױלישע װעלדער
F-A: Interlinear
F.1a אין in פּױלישע Polish װעלדער woods
F.1b in (in) in poylishe (POY-lee-sheh) Polish-PL velder (VEL-der) woods.PL
F-B: Original and Translation
אין פּױלישע װעלדער
"In Polish Woods." (Translation: Latinum Institute.) The usual English title is "In the Polish Woods," with the article which English adds. The Yiddish title has no article, and Yiddish does not need one for a plural place of this kind.
F-C: Original
אין פּױלישע װעלדער
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
The preposition אין is followed by the dative, and here the noun is plural and has no article, so that the dative cannot be seen: װעלדער is the plural of װאַלד (vald), "forest, wood," with the changed vowel and the ending -ער which many Yiddish nouns take in the plural, as in קינדער, "children," and ביכער, "books." The adjective פּױלישע (poylishe), "Polish," has the plural ending -ע, as שײנע בילדער in 7.13. It is formed from פּױלן (poyln), "Poland," with the ending -יש, as English "Polish" is from "Pole."
The letters of the title deserve a look. The פּ has a dot inside, which makes it p, as in שפּעט of Lesson 6. The ױ in פּױלישע is the diphthong oy, as in הױז, and the װ at the start of װעלדער is the consonant v. The title thus uses two of the digraph letters which the learner has met since Lesson 1.
The title also shows that Yiddish, like English, can give the place of a story in the title: "in" with a place makes the reader a visitor to that place. Compare the plain sentence of 7.15, אין דער גרױסער שטאָט, where the same preposition opens the phrase.
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Leyzer, who in Lesson 6 went to the doctor with a letter, comes to Beyle's house, as he promised. The dialogue uses אין in almost every line: in a place, in the hand, in a letter, in a season and in the morning. It follows Beyle and Leyzer of Lessons 5 and 6.
7.16a לײזער Leyzer גוטן good טאָג day בײלע Beyle איך I בין am שױן already אין in דער the גאַס street
7.16b leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer gutn (GOOT-n) good-M.ACC tog (tawg) day.M beyle (BAY-leh) Beyle ikh (ikh) I bin (bin) be.1SG shoyn (shoyn) already in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT gas (gahs) street.F
7.17a בײלע Beyle קום come אַרײַן in אין in דער the שטוב room לײזער Leyzer
7.17b beyle (BAY-leh) Beyle kum (koom) come.IMP.SG arayn (ah-RIGHN) inward in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT shtub (shtoob) room.F leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer
7.18a לײזער Leyzer אַ a דאַנק thanks עס it איז is הײס hot אין in דער the גאַס street
7.18b leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer a (ah) a dank (dahnk) thanks es (es) it iz (iz) be.3SG heys (hayss) hot in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT gas (gahs) street.F
7.19a בײלע Beyle אין in דער the שטוב room איז is שטיל quiet װאָס what האָסט have דו you אין in דער the האַנט hand
7.19b beyle (BAY-leh) Beyle in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT shtub (shtoob) room.F iz (iz) be.3SG shtil (shtil) quiet vos (voss) what host (host) have.2SG du (doo) you.SG in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT hant (hahnt) hand.F
7.20a לײזער Leyzer איך I האָב have אַ a בריוו letter פֿון from דעם the דאָקטער doctor אין in דער the האַנט hand
7.20b leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer ikh (ikh) I hob (hob) have.1SG a (ah) a briv (brif) letter.M fun (foon) from dem (dem) the-M.DAT doktor (DOK-tor) doctor.M in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT hant (hahnt) hand.F
7.21a בײלע Beyle װאָס what שטײט stands אין in דעם the בריוו letter
7.21b beyle (BAY-leh) Beyle vos (voss) what shteyt (shtayt) stand.3SG in (in) in dem (dem) the-M.DAT briv (brif) letter.M
7.22a לײזער Leyzer אין in דעם the בריוו letter שטײט stands אַז that איך I בין am געזונט well
7.22b leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer in (in) in dem (dem) the-M.DAT briv (brif) letter.M shteyt (shtayt) stand.3SG az (ahz) that ikh (ikh) I bin (bin) be.1SG gezunt (geh-ZOONT) well
7.23a בײלע Beyle גוט good קום come אין in דער the קיך kitchen מיר we טרינקען drink טײ tea
7.23b beyle (BAY-leh) Beyle gut (goot) good kum (koom) come.IMP.SG in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT kikh (kikh) kitchen.F mir (meer) we trinken (TRIN-ken) drink.1PL tey (tay) tea
7.24a לײזער Leyzer איז is דאָ there מילך milk אין in דעם the טײ tea
7.24b leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer iz (iz) be.3SG do (doh) there milkh (milkh) milk.F in (in) in dem (dem) the-M.DAT tey (tay) tea.M
7.25a בײלע Beyle יאָ yes די the מילך milk איז is שױן already אין in דעם the גלאָז glass
7.25b beyle (BAY-leh) Beyle yo (yoh) yes di (dee) the-F.NOM milkh (milkh) milk.F iz (iz) be.3SG shoyn (shoyn) already in (in) in dem (dem) the-N.DAT gloz (gloz) glass.N
7.26a לײזער Leyzer אין in דער the פֿרי morning טרינק drink איך I טײ tea אין in דער the שטוב room
7.26b leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT fri (free) morning.F trink (trink) drink.1SG ikh (ikh) I tey (tay) tea in (in) in der (dair) the-F.DAT shtub (shtoob) room.F
7.27a בײלע Beyle אין in זומער summer טרינקען drink מיר we טײ tea אין in דעם the גאָרטן garden
7.27b beyle (BAY-leh) Beyle in (in) in zumer (ZOO-mer) summer.M trinken (TRIN-ken) drink.1PL mir (meer) we tey (tay) tea in (in) in dem (dem) the-M.DAT gortn (GOR-tn) garden.M
7.28a לײזער Leyzer איז is עס it שײן beautiful אין in דעם the גאָרטן garden אין in זומער summer
7.28b leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer iz (iz) be.3SG es (es) it sheyn (shayn) beautiful in (in) in dem (dem) the-M.DAT gortn (GOR-tn) garden.M in (in) in zumer (ZOO-mer) summer.M
7.29a בײלע Beyle יאָ yes אין in דעם the גאָרטן garden זענען are שײנע beautiful בלומען flowers
7.29b beyle (BAY-leh) Beyle yo (yoh) yes in (in) in dem (dem) the-M.DAT gortn (GOR-tn) garden.M zenen (ZEH-nen) be.3PL sheyne (SHAY-neh) beautiful-PL blumen (BLOO-men) flowers.PL
7.30a לײזער Leyzer גוט good אין in זומער summer קום come איך I אין in דעם the גאָרטן garden
7.30b leyzer (LAY-zer) Leyzer gut (goot) good in (in) in zumer (ZOO-mer) summer.M kum (koom) come.1SG ikh (ikh) I in (in) in dem (dem) the-M.DAT gortn (GOR-tn) garden.M
7.16 לײזער: גוטן טאָג, בײלע. איך בין שױן אין דער גאַס. (leyzer: gutn tog, beyle. ikh bin shoyn in der gas) "Leyzer: Good day, Beyle. I am already in the street." 7.17 בײלע: קום אַרײַן אין דער שטוב, לײזער. (beyle: kum arayn in der shtub, leyzer) "Beyle: Come into the room, Leyzer." 7.18 לײזער: אַ דאַנק. עס איז הײס אין דער גאַס. (leyzer: a dank. es iz heys in der gas) "Leyzer: Thanks. It is hot in the street." 7.19 בײלע: אין דער שטוב איז שטיל. װאָס האָסט דו אין דער האַנט? (beyle: in der shtub iz shtil. vos host du in der hant) "Beyle: In the room it is quiet. What do you have in your hand?" 7.20 לײזער: איך האָב אַ בריוו פֿון דעם דאָקטער אין דער האַנט. (leyzer: ikh hob a briv fun dem doktor in der hant) "Leyzer: I have a letter from the doctor in my hand." 7.21 בײלע: װאָס שטײט אין דעם בריוו? (beyle: vos shteyt in dem briv) "Beyle: What does the letter say?" 7.22 לײזער: אין דעם בריוו שטײט אַז איך בין געזונט. (leyzer: in dem briv shteyt az ikh bin gezunt) "Leyzer: The letter says that I am well." 7.23 בײלע: גוט. קום אין דער קיך, מיר טרינקען טײ. (beyle: gut. kum in der kikh, mir trinken tey) "Beyle: Good. Come into the kitchen, we are drinking tea." 7.24 לײזער: איז דאָ מילך אין דעם טײ? (leyzer: iz do milkh in dem tey) "Leyzer: Is there milk in the tea?" 7.25 בײלע: יאָ, די מילך איז שױן אין דעם גלאָז. (beyle: yo, di milkh iz shoyn in dem gloz) "Beyle: Yes, the milk is already in the glass." 7.26 לײזער: אין דער פֿרי טרינק איך טײ אין דער שטוב. (leyzer: in der fri trink ikh tey in der shtub) "Leyzer: In the morning I drink tea in the room." 7.27 בײלע: אין זומער טרינקען מיר טײ אין דעם גאָרטן. (beyle: in zumer trinken mir tey in dem gortn) "Beyle: In summer we drink tea in the garden." 7.28 לײזער: איז עס שײן אין דעם גאָרטן אין זומער? (leyzer: iz es sheyn in dem gortn in zumer) "Leyzer: Is it beautiful in the garden in summer?" 7.29 בײלע: יאָ, אין דעם גאָרטן זענען שײנע בלומען. (beyle: yo, in dem gortn zenen sheyne blumen) "Beyle: Yes, in the garden there are beautiful flowers." 7.30 לײזער: גוט, אין זומער קום איך אין דעם גאָרטן. (leyzer: gut, in zumer kum ikh in dem gortn) "Leyzer: Good, in summer I shall come into the garden."
7.16 לײזער: גוטן טאָג, בײלע. איך בין שױן אין דער גאַס. 7.17 בײלע: קום אַרײַן אין דער שטוב, לײזער. 7.18 לײזער: אַ דאַנק. עס איז הײס אין דער גאַס. 7.19 בײלע: אין דער שטוב איז שטיל. װאָס האָסט דו אין דער האַנט? 7.20 לײזער: איך האָב אַ בריוו פֿון דעם דאָקטער אין דער האַנט. 7.21 בײלע: װאָס שטײט אין דעם בריוו? 7.22 לײזער: אין דעם בריוו שטײט אַז איך בין געזונט. 7.23 בײלע: גוט. קום אין דער קיך, מיר טרינקען טײ. 7.24 לײזער: איז דאָ מילך אין דעם טײ? 7.25 בײלע: יאָ, די מילך איז שױן אין דעם גלאָז. 7.26 לײזער: אין דער פֿרי טרינק איך טײ אין דער שטוב. 7.27 בײלע: אין זומער טרינקען מיר טײ אין דעם גאָרטן. 7.28 לײזער: איז עס שײן אין דעם גאָרטן אין זומער? 7.29 בײלע: יאָ, אין דעם גאָרטן זענען שײנע בלומען. 7.30 לײזער: גוט, אין זומער קום איך אין דעם גאָרטן.
Good day (7.16). גוטן טאָג (gutn tog), "good day," is the greeting of the day, and it is in the accusative, as a wish: the adjective has -ן. The preposition אין follows in the second sentence: איך בין שױן אין דער גאַס. The word שױן, "already," stands after the verb, as in Lesson 6.
Come in (7.17). קום אַרײַן אין דער שטוב is the imperative of קומען with the adverb אַרײַן and the place. The word אַרײַן stands after the imperative and before the place. The phrase is the usual invitation to a guest.
Weather and quiet (7.18, 7.19). עס איז הײס אין דער גאַס has the עס of Lesson 2, since nothing else stands first. In 7.19, אין דער שטוב איז שטיל has no עס, because the place stands first. This is the pattern of the song of Lesson 2: אין שטוב איז הײס.
In the hand (7.19, 7.20). װאָס האָסט דו אין דער האַנט? asks what someone holds. The Yiddish says "in the hand," with the article, where English says "in your hand." The verb האָבן here means "to have" in the sense of holding; the second person is האָסט, as in Lesson 6. The answer, איך האָב אַ בריוו פֿון דעם דאָקטער אין דער האַנט, has two prepositions, פֿון and אין, one after the other, each with its own dative.
What it says (7.21, 7.22). װאָס שטײט אין דעם בריוו? asks what the letter says. The verb שטײן (shteyn), "to stand," has the third person שטײט. The answer begins with the place, אין דעם בריוו, and so the verb follows at once: אין דעם בריוו שטײט אַז איך בין געזונט. The word אַז, "that," begins the clause which says what is written. Into the kitchen (7.23). קום אין דער קיך is "come into the kitchen." Here אין follows a verb of going, and Section D shows that the preposition stays the same. The second clause, מיר טרינקען טײ, is the present tense, which in Yiddish also serves for what is happening now.
"Is there" (7.24). איז דאָ מילך אין דעם טײ? has the verb first, as in a question without a question word. The noun מילך (milkh) stands with no article, since it is an indefinite amount. The answer in 7.25 has the article, because the milk is a particular milk: די מילך איז שױן אין דעם גלאָז. As in Lesson 4, a substance with no unit has no אַ.
Morning and summer (7.26, 7.27). אין דער פֿרי has the article, and אין זומער has none, as Section D explained. In both sentences the time phrase stands first and the verb follows at once: טרינק איך, טרינקען מיר. The second אין in each, אין דער שטוב, אין דעם גאָרטן, gives the place.
A question with עס (7.28). איז עס שײן אין דעם גאָרטן אין זומער? has two phrases with אין, the place and the season, one after the other. The pronoun עס is the subject, "it," and stands after the verb in a question.
Plural subject (7.29). The phrase אין דעם גאָרטן stands first, and so the verb זענען comes next and the subject last: זענען שײנע בלומען. Compare 7.13, אין דעם בוך זענען שײנע בילדער. The plural of בלום (blum), "flower," is בלומען.
Coming (7.30). קום איך is "I come," the present tense used for the future, with the time phrase first, as it often is in Yiddish: אין זומער קום איך. The preposition אין after the verb of coming is the same אין as in 7.23.
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The respellings follow the Standard Yiddish pronunciation of the YIVO tradition, as in Lessons 1 to 6, and the transliteration is the YIVO romanisation.
אין (in) — IPA: /ɪn/ — The א is silent and carries the vowel, the י is the vowel i as in English "in," and the final ן is n. It is short and unstressed in a sentence. אינעם (inem) — IPA: /ˈɪnəm/ — The contraction of אין דעם, with the stress on the first syllable. אַרײַן (arayn) — IPA: /aˈraɪn/ — Stress on the second syllable. The ײַ is ay, as in English "nigh." שטוב (shtub) — IPA: /ʃtʊp/ — The final ב is said as p, a final consonant said hard. שטאָט (shtot) — IPA: /ʃtɔt/ — The אָ is the vowel of British "dog." גאָרטן (gortn) — IPA: /ˈɡɔrtn̩/ — The final n is syllabic. װאַרשע (varshe) — IPA: /ˈvarʃə/ — The װ is v, and the final ע is a weak e. װױנען (voynen) — IPA: /ˈvɔɪnən/ — The ױ is oy, as in the English "boy." גרױסן (groysn) — IPA: /ˈɡrɔɪsn̩/ — The ױ is oy, and the final n is syllabic. גרױסער (groyser) — IPA: /ˈɡrɔɪsər/ — The ending -ער is a weak er. װינטער (vinter) — IPA: /ˈvɪntər/ — The װ is v, and the stress falls on the first syllable. זומער (zumer) — IPA: /ˈzʊmər/ — The ו is the vowel u, and the stress falls on the first syllable. קאַלט (kalt) — IPA: /kalt/ — The אַ is a short a. שול (shul) — IPA: /ʃʊl/ — The ש is sh, and the ו is the vowel u. האַנט (hant) — IPA: /hant/ — The אַ is a short a. גאַס (gas) — IPA: /ɡas/ — The אַ is a short a. פֿרי (fri) — IPA: /fri/ — The פֿ (with a bar) is f, and the final י is the vowel i, here long. שײנע (sheyne) — IPA: /ˈʃeɪnə/ — The ײ is ey, as in "hay." בילדער (bilder) — IPA: /ˈbɪldər/ — The stress falls on the first syllable. בלומען (blumen) — IPA: /ˈblʊmən/ — The ו is the vowel u. לײענט (leynt) — IPA: /leɪnt/ — The ײ is ey. שטײט (shteyt) — IPA: /ʃteɪt/ — The ײ is ey. אַז (az) — IPA: /az/ — A short word, unstressed in a sentence. דאָ (do) — IPA: /dɔ/ — The אָ is the vowel of British "dog." מילך (milkh) — IPA: /mɪlx/ — The כ is kh, the sound of Scottish "loch." קיך (kikh) — IPA: /kɪx/ — The final ך is kh, as in מילך. פּױלישע (poylishe) — IPA: /ˈpɔɪlɪʃə/ — The פּ with a dot is p, and the ױ is oy. װעלדער (velder) — IPA: /ˈvɛldər/ — The װ is v, and the ע is e as in "bed." 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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Course Index: [latinum.substack.com/p/index](https://latinum.substack.com/p/index)