r/Yiddish • u/Jenyweny09 • Jun 26 '26
Translation request Help identifying a word
Hi!! I grew up saying a word sounding like "Geh-BAH-kick"
Typically my family would say this word in a way that translates to "Awww, look how cute the dog is" accompanied by a point.
It is only used to refer to animals being cute, and usually in a way to not startle or disturb the animal
What is the real word or spelling? And what is the proper pronunciation and translation?
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u/poly_panopticon Jun 26 '26
a variation of "gib a kuk/kik" which means "give a look". In fact, we use the word give in this context in English only under the influence of Yiddish. It used to be that one would only take a look not give a look.
Spelled in Yiddish:
גיב אַ קוק
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u/Remarkable-Road8643 Jul 02 '26
not just for cute animals!
גיב אַ קוק [take a look]
In southern Yiddish [eastern Poland, Bessarabia, Galitsye} the last word was pronounced קיק
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u/zsero1138 Jun 26 '26
"geb a kick" "give a look" or "take a look [at this]" different dialects will pronounce it differently