Editing Yiddish (section)

== Phonology ==
{{Main|Yiddish phonology}}There is significant [[Phonology|phonological]] variation among the various [[Yiddish dialects]]. The description that follows is of a modern Standard Yiddish that was devised during the early 20th century and is frequently encountered in pedagogical contexts.

=== Consonants ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Yiddish consonants<ref name=kleine>{{Cite journal |last=Kleine |first=Ane |date=December 2003 |title=Standard Yiddish |journal=Journal of the International Phonetic Association |language=en |volume=33 |issue=2 |pages=261–265 |doi=10.1017/S0025100303001385 |doi-broken-date=November 1, 2024 |s2cid=232346563 |issn=1475-3502|doi-access=free }}</ref>
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |
! rowspan="2" |[[Labial consonant|Labial]]
! colspan="2" |[[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
! colspan="2" |[[Postalveolar consonant|Postalveolar]]
! rowspan="2" |[[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
! rowspan="2" |[[Velar consonant|Velar]]/
[[Uvular consonant|Uvular]]
! rowspan="2" |[[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
!{{small|hard}}
!{{small|[[Palatalization (phonetics)|soft]]}}
!{{small|hard}}
!{{small|soft}}
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
|{{IPA link|m}}
|{{IPA link|n}}
|({{IPAplink|ʲ|nʲ}})
| colspan="2" |
|
|({{IPA link|ŋ}})
|
|-
! rowspan="2" |[[Stop consonant|Plosive]]
!{{small|[[voicelessness|voiceless]]}}
|{{IPA link|p}}
|{{IPA link|t}}
|
| colspan="2" |
|
|{{IPA link|k}}
|({{IPA link|ʔ}})
|-
!{{small|[[voice (phonetics)|voiced]]}}
|{{IPA link|b}}
|{{IPA link|d}}
|
| colspan="2" |
|
|{{IPA link|ɡ}}
|
|-
! rowspan="2" |[[Affricate consonant|Affricate]]
!{{small|[[voicelessness|voiceless]]}}
|
|{{IPA link|ts}}
|({{IPAplink|ʲ|tsʲ}})
|{{IPA link|tʃ}}
|({{IPAplink|ʲ|tʃʲ}})
|
|
|
|-
!{{small|[[voice (phonetics)|voiced]]}}
|
|{{IPA link|dz}}
|({{IPAplink|ʲ|dzʲ}})
|{{IPA link|dʒ}}
|({{IPAplink|ʲ|dʒʲ}})
|
|
|
|-
! rowspan="2" |[[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
!{{small|[[voicelessness|voiceless]]}}
|{{IPA link|f}}
|{{IPA link|s}}
|({{IPAplink|ʲ|sʲ}})
|{{IPA link|ʃ}}
|
|
|{{IPA link|χ}}
|{{IPA link|h}}
|-
!{{small|[[voice (phonetics)|voiced]]}}
|{{IPA link|v}}
|{{IPA link|z}}
|({{IPAplink|ʲ|zʲ}})
|({{IPA link|ʒ}})
|
|
|[[Voiced uvular fricative|ʁ]]
|
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Rhotic consonant|Rhotic]]
|
| colspan="6" |{{IPA|r}}
|
|-
! rowspan="2" |[[Approximant consonant|Approximant]]
!{{small|[[Central consonant|central]]}}
|
|
|
| colspan="2" |
|{{IPA link|j}}
|
|
|-
!{{small|[[Lateral consonant|lateral]]}}
|
|{{IPA link|l}}
|
| colspan="2" |
|({{IPA link|ʎ}})
|
|
|}

* {{IPA|/m, p, b/}} are [[Bilabial consonant|bilabial]], whereas {{IPA|/f, v/}} are [[Labiodental consonant|labiodental]].<ref name=kleine/>
* The {{IPA|/l – ʎ/}} contrast has collapsed in some speakers.<ref name=kleine/>
* The palatalized coronals {{IPA|/nʲ, tsʲ, dzʲ, tʃʲ, dʒʲ, sʲ, zʲ/}} appear only in Slavic loanwords.<ref name=kleine/> The phonemic status of these palatalised consonants, as well as any other affricates, is unclear.
* {{IPA|/k, ɡ/}} and {{IPA|[ŋ]}} are [[Velar consonant|velar]], whereas {{IPA|/j, ʎ/}} are [[Palatal consonant|palatal.]]<ref name=kleine/>
** {{IPA|[ŋ]}} is an allophone of {{IPA|/n/}} after {{IPA|/k, ɡ/}}, and it can only be syllabic {{IPA|[ŋ̍]}}.<ref name=kleine/>
** {{IPA|[ɣ]}} is an allophone of {{IPA|/χ/}} before {{IPA|/b, d, ɡ, v, z, ʒ/}}.<ref name=katz1987>{{cite book |last=Katz |first=Dovid |title=Grammar of the Yiddish Language |url=https://archive.org/details/grammarofyiddish0000katz |url-access=registration |publisher=Duckworth |location= London |year=1987 |isbn=0-7156-2162-9}}</ref>{{page needed|date=October 2022}}
* The phonetic realization of {{IPA|/χ/}} and {{IPA|/nʲ/}} is unclear:
** In the case of {{IPA|/χ/}},<ref name=kleine/> puts it in the "velar" column, but consistently uses a symbol denoting a voiceless ''uvular'' fricative {{angbr IPA|χ}} to transcribe it. It is thus safe to assume that {{IPA|/χ/}} is phonetically uvular {{IPAblink|χ}}.
** In the case of {{IPA|/nʲ/}},<ref name=kleine/> puts it in the "palatalized" column. This can mean that it is either palatalized alveolar {{IPA|[nʲ]}} or alveolo-palatal {{IPAblink|ɲ̟}}. {{IPA|/ʎ/}} may actually also be alveolo-palatal {{IPAblink|ʎ̟}}, rather than just palatal.
* The rhotic {{IPA|/r/}} can be either alveolar or uvular, either a trill {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|r}} ~ {{IPAplink|ʀ}}]}} or, more commonly, a flap/tap {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|ɾ}} ~ {{IPAplink|ʀ̆}}]}}.<ref name=kleine/>
* The glottal stop {{IPA|[ʔ]}} appears only as an intervocalic separator.<ref name=kleine/>

As in the [[Slavic languages]] with which Yiddish was long in [[Language contact|contact]] (Russian, [[Belarusian language|Belarusian]], [[Polish language|Polish]], and [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]]), but unlike German, [[Voiceless consonant|voiceless]] stops have little to no [[Aspiration (phonetics)|aspiration]]; unlike many such languages, voiced stops are not devoiced in final position.<ref name=kleine/> Moreover, Yiddish has regressive [[Phonation|voicing]] [[Assimilation (linguistics)|assimilation]], so that, for example, {{lang|yi|זאָגט}} {{IPA|/zɔɡt/}} ('says') is pronounced {{IPA|[zɔkt]}} and {{lang|yi|הקדמה}} {{IPA|/hakˈdɔmɜ/}} ('foreword') is pronounced {{IPA|[haɡˈdɔmɜ]}}.

=== Vowels ===
The [[vowel]] phonemes of Standard Yiddish are:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Yiddish [[monophthong]]s<ref name=kleine/>
!
![[Front vowel|Front]]
![[Central vowel|Central]]
![[Back vowel|Back]]
|- align="center"
![[Close vowel|Close]]
|{{IPA link|ɪ}}
|
|{{IPA link|ʊ}}
|- align="center"
![[Open-mid vowel|Open-mid]]
|{{IPA link|ɛ}}
|{{IPA link|ɜ}}
|{{IPA link|ɔ}}
|- align="center"
![[Open vowel|Open]]
|{{IPA link|a}}
|
|
|}

* {{IPA|/ɪ, ʊ/}} are typically [[Near-close vowel|near-close]] {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|ɪ}}, {{IPAplink|ʊ}}]}} respectively, but the height of {{IPA|/ɪ/}} may vary freely between a higher and lower allophone.<ref name=kleine/>
* {{IPA|/ɜ/}} appears only in [[Stress (linguistics)|unstressed]] syllables.<ref name=kleine/>

{| class="wikitable"
|+[[Diphthong]]s<ref name=kleine/>
!Front [[Syllable#Nucleus|nucleus]]
!Central nucleus
!Back nucleus
|-
| align="center" |{{IPA|ɛɪ}}
| align="center" |{{IPA|aɪ}}
| align="center" |{{IPA|ɔɪ}}
|}

* The last two diphthongs may be realized as {{IPA|[aɛ]}} and {{IPA|[ɔɜ]}}, respectively.[https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-international-phonetic-association/article/standard-yiddish/981F08583A3410BA1D43264975016C2D]

In addition, the [[sonorant]]s {{IPA|/l/}} and {{IPA|/n/}} can function as [[Syllable#Nucleus|syllable nuclei]]:

* אײזל  {{IPA|/ˈɛɪzl̩/}} 'donkey'
* אָװנט  {{IPA|/ˈɔvn̩t/}} 'evening'

{{IPA|[m]}} and {{IPA|[ŋ]}} appear as syllable nuclei as well, but only as allophones of {{IPA|/n/}}, after bilabial consonants and [[dorsal consonant]]s, respectively.

The syllabic sonorants are always unstressed.

=== Dialectal variation ===
Stressed vowels in the [[Yiddish dialects]] may be understood by considering their common origins in the Proto-Yiddish sound system. Yiddish linguistic scholarship uses a system developed by [[Max Weinreich]] in 1960 to indicate the descendent [[diaphoneme]]s of the Proto-Yiddish stressed vowels.<ref name=jacobs2005/>{{rp|28}}

Each Proto-Yiddish vowel is given a unique two-digit identifier, and its reflexes use it as a subscript, for example Southeastern ''o<sub>11</sub>'' is the vowel /o/, descended from Proto-Yiddish */a/.<ref name=jacobs2005/>{{rp|28}} The first digit indicates Proto-Yiddish ''quality'' (1-=*[a], 2-=*[e], 3-=*[i], 4-=*[o], 5-=*[u]), and the second refers to ''quantity or diphthongization'' (−1=short, −2=long, −3=short but lengthened early in the history of Yiddish, −4=diphthong, −5=special length occurring only in Proto-Yiddish vowel 25).<ref name=jacobs2005/>{{rp|28}}

Vowels 23, 33, 43 and 53 have the same reflexes as 22, 32, 42 and 52 in all Yiddish dialects, but they developed distinct values in [[Middle High German]]; Katz (1987) argues that they should be collapsed with the −2 series, leaving only 13 in the −3 series.<ref name=katz1987/>{{rp|17}}
{|
|+'''Genetic sources of Yiddish dialect vowels'''<ref name=katz1987/>{{rp|25}}
|
{| class="wikitable"
|+Netherlandic
!
![[Front vowel|Front]]
![[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
![[Close vowel|Close]]
| align="center" |{{IPA|i<sub>31</sub> iː<sub>32</sub>}}
| align="center" |{{IPA|u}}<sub>52</sub>
|-
![[Close-mid vowel|Close-mid]]
| align="center" |{{IPA|eː}}<sub>25</sub>
| align="center" |{{IPA|o<sub>51</sub> oː}}<sub>12</sub>
|-
![[Open-mid vowel|Open-mid]]
| align="center" |{{IPA|ɛ<sub>21</sub> ɛj}}<sub>22/34</sub>
| align="center" |{{IPA|ɔ<sub>41</sub> ɔu}}<sub>42/54</sub>
|-
![[Open vowel|Open]]
| colspan="2" align="center" |{{IPA|a<sub>11/13</sub> aː}}<sub>24/44</sub>
|}
|
{| class="wikitable"
|+Polish
!
![[Front vowel|Front]]
![[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
![[Close vowel|Close]]
| align="center" |{{IPA|i<sub>31/51</sub> iː<sub>32/52</sub>}}
| align="center" |{{IPA|u}}<sub>12/13</sub>
|-
![[Close-mid vowel|Close-mid]]
| align="center" |{{IPA|eː~ej}}<sub>25</sub>
| align="center" |{{IPA|oː~ou<sub>54</sub>}}
|-
![[Open-mid vowel|Open-mid]]
| align="center" |{{IPA|ɛ<sub>21</sub>}}
| align="center" |{{IPA|ɔ<sub>41</sub> ɔj}}<sub>42/44</sub>
|-
![[Open vowel|Open]]
| colspan="2" align="center" |{{IPA|a<sub>11</sub> aː<sub>34</sub> aj<sub>22/24</sub>}}
|}
|
{| class="wikitable"
|+Lithuanian
!
![[Front vowel|Front]]
![[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
![[Close vowel|Close]]
| align="center" |{{IPA|i<sub>31/32</sub>}}
| align="center" |{{IPA|u}}<sub>51/52</sub>
|-
![[Close-mid vowel|Close-mid]]
| align="center" |{{IPA|ej}}<sub>22/24/42/44</sub>
| align="center" |
|-
![[Open-mid vowel|Open-mid]]
| align="center" |{{IPA|ɛ<sub>21/25</sub>}}
| align="center" |{{IPA|ɔ<sub>12/13/41</sub> ɔj<sub>54</sub>}}
|-
![[Open vowel|Open]]
| colspan="2" align="center" |{{IPA|a<sub>11</sub> aj}}<sub>34</sub>
|}
|}

=== Comparison with German ===
{{see also|High German consonant shift}}

In vocabulary of Germanic origin, the differences between Standard German and Yiddish pronunciation are mainly in the [[vowel]]s and [[diphthong]]s. All varieties of Yiddish lack the German [[front rounded vowel]]s {{IPA|/œ, øː/}} and {{IPA|/ʏ, yː/}}, having merged them with {{IPA|/ɛ, e:/}} and {{IPA|/ɪ, i:/}}, respectively. In many respects, particularly with vowels and vowel diphthongs, and even how it forms diminutives, Yiddish is closer to [[Swabian German]] than to standard High German.

Diphthongs have also undergone divergent developments in German and Yiddish. Where Standard German has merged the [[Middle High German]] diphthong ''ei'' and long vowel ''î'' to {{IPA|/aɪ/}}, Yiddish has maintained the distinction between them; and likewise, the Standard German {{IPA|/ɔʏ/}} corresponds to both the MHG diphthong ''öu'' and the long vowel ''iu'', which in Yiddish have merged with their unrounded counterparts ''ei'' and ''î'', respectively. Lastly, the Standard German {{IPA|/aʊ/}} corresponds to both the MHG diphthong ''ou'' and the long vowel ''û'', but in Yiddish, they have not merged. Although Standard Yiddish does not distinguish between those two diphthongs and renders both as {{IPA|/ɔɪ/}}, the distinction becomes apparent when the two diphthongs undergo [[Germanic umlaut]], such as in forming plurals:
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="4" |Singular
! colspan="2" |Plural
|-
! English
! MHG
! Standard German
! Standard Yiddish
! Standard German
! Standard Yiddish
|-
| tree
| {{lang|gmh|boum}}
| {{lang|de|Baum}} /baʊ̯m/
| {{lang|yi|בױם}} /bɔɪm/
| {{lang|de|Bäume}} /ˈbɔʏ̯mə/
| {{lang|yi|בײמער‎}} /bɛɪmɜr/
|-
| abdomen
| {{lang|gmh|bûch}}
| {{lang|de|Bauch}} /baʊ̯x/
| {{lang|yi|בױך}} /bɔɪχ/
| {{lang|de|Bäuche}} /ˈbɔʏ̯çə/
| {{lang|yi|בײַכער‎}} /baɪχɜr/
|}
The [[vowel length]] distinctions of German do not exist in the Northeastern (Lithuanian) varieties of Yiddish, which form the phonetic basis for Standard Yiddish. In those varieties, the vowel qualities in most long/short vowel pairs diverged and so the phonemic distinction has remained.

There are consonantal differences between German and Yiddish. Yiddish [[Lenition|deaffricates]] the Middle High German [[voiceless labiodental affricate]] {{IPA|/pf/}} to {{IPA|/f/}} initially (as in {{lang|yi|פֿונט}} {{lang|yi-Latn|funt}}, but this pronunciation is also quasi-standard throughout northern and central Germany); /pf/ surfaces as an [[High German consonant shift|unshifted]] {{IPA|/p/}} medially or finally (as in {{lang|yi|עפּל}} {{IPA|/ɛpl/}} and {{lang|yi|קאָפּ}} {{IPA|/kɔp/}}). Additionally, final voiced stops appear in Standard Yiddish but not Northern Standard German.
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |M. Weinreich's
[[diaphoneme]]
! colspan="6" |Pronunciation
! colspan="3" |Examples
|-
! Middle High German
! Standard German
! Western Yiddish
! Northeastern ("Litvish")
! Central ("Poylish")
! South-Eastern ("Ukrainish")
! MHG
! Standard German
! Standard Yiddish
|-
| A<sub>1</sub>
| ''a'' in closed syllable
| short ''a'' {{IPAslink|ä|a}}
| {{IPA|/a/}}
| {{IPA|/a/}}
| {{IPA|/a/}}
| {{IPA|/ɔ/}}
| {{lang|gmh|machen, glat}}
| {{lang|de|machen, glatt}} {{IPA|/ˈmaxən, ɡlat/}}
| {{lang|yi|מאַכן, גלאַט}} {{IPA|/maχn, ɡlat/}}
|-
| A<sub>2</sub>
|''â''
| rowspan="2" |long ''a'' {{IPAslink|ä|aː}}
| {{IPA|/oː/}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/ɔ/}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/uː/}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/u/}}
| {{lang|gmh|sâme}}
| {{lang|de|Samen}} {{IPA|/ˈzaːmən/}}
| {{lang|yi|זױמען}} {{IPA|/ˈzɔɪ̯mn̩/}}
|-
| A<sub>3</sub>
| ''a'' in open syllable
| {{IPA|/aː/}}
| {{lang|gmh|vater, sagen}}
| {{lang|de|Vater, sagen}} {{IPA|/ˈfaːtɐ, zaːɡən/}}
| {{lang|yi|פֿאָטער, זאָגן}} {{IPA|/ˈfɔtɜr, zɔɡn/}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |E<sub>1</sub>
| ''e, ä, æ'', all in closed syllable
| short ''ä'' and short ''e'' {{IPAslink|ɛ}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/ɛ/}}
| rowspan="3" |{{IPA|/ɛ/}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/ɛ/}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/ɛ/}}
| {{lang|gmh|becker, mensch}}
| {{lang|de|Bäcker, Mensch}} {{IPA|/ˈbɛkɐ, mɛnʃ/}}
| {{lang|yi|בעקער, מענטש}} {{IPA|/ˈbɛkɜr, mɛntʃ/}}
|-
| ''ö'' in closed syllable
| short ''ö'' {{IPAslink|œ}}
| {{lang|gmh|töhter}}
| {{lang|de|Töchter}} {{IPA|/ˈtœçtɐ/}}
| {{lang|yi|טעכטער}} {{IPA|/ˈtɛχtɜr/}}
|-
| E<sub>5</sub>
| ''ä'' and ''æ'' in open syllable
| long ''ä'' {{IPAslink|ɛː}}
| {{IPA|/eː/}}
| {{IPA|/eː~eɪ/}}
| {{IPA|/eɪ~ɪ/}}
| {{lang|gmh|kæse}}
| {{lang|de|Käse}} {{IPA|/ˈkɛːzə/}}
| {{lang|yi|קעז}} {{IPA|/kɛz/}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |E<sub>2/3</sub>
| ''e'' in open syllable, and ''ê''
| long ''e'' {{IPAslink|eː}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/ɛɪ/}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/eɪ/}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/aɪ/}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/eɪ/}}
| {{lang|gmh|esel}}
| {{lang|de|Esel}} {{IPA|/eːzl̩/}}
| {{lang|yi|אײזל}} {{IPA|/ɛɪzl/}}
|-
| ''ö'' in open syllable, and ''œ''
| long ''ö'' {{IPAslink|øː}}
| {{lang|gmh|schœne}}
| {{lang|de|schön}} {{IPA|/ʃøːn/}}
| {{lang|yi|שײן}} {{IPA|/ʃɛɪn/}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |I<sub>1</sub>
| ''i'' in closed syllable
| short ''i'' {{IPAslink|ɪ}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/ɪ/}}
| rowspan="4" |{{IPA|/ɪ/}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/ɪ/}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/ɪ/}}
| {{lang|gmh|niht}}
| {{lang|de|nicht}} {{IPA|/nɪçt/}}
| {{lang|yi|נישט}} {{IPA|/nɪʃt/}}
|-
| ''ü'' in closed syllable
| short ''ü'' {{IPAslink|ʏ}}
| {{lang|gmh|brück, vünf}}
| {{lang|de|Brücke, fünf}} {{IPA|/ˈbʁʏkə, fʏnf/}}
| {{lang|yi|בריק, פֿינף}} {{IPA|/brɪk, fɪnf/}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |I<sub>2/3</sub>
| ''i'' in open syllable, and ''ie''
| long ''i'' {{IPAslink|iː}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/iː/}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/iː/}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/iː/}}
| {{lang|gmh|liebe}}
| {{lang|de|Liebe}} {{IPA|/ˈliːbə/}}
| {{lang|yi|ליבע}} {{IPA|/ˈlɪbɜ/}}
|-
| ''ü'' in open syllable, and ''üe''
| long ''ü'' {{IPAslink|yː}}
| {{lang|gmh|grüene}}
| {{lang|de|grün}} {{IPA|/ɡʁyːn/}}
| {{lang|yi|גרין}} {{IPA|/ɡrɪn/}}
|-
| O<sub>1</sub>
| ''o'' in closed syllable
| short ''o'' {{IPAslink|ɔ}}
| {{IPA|/ɔ/}}
| {{IPA|/ɔ/}}
| {{IPA|/ɔ/}}
| {{IPA|/ɔ/}}
| {{lang|gmh|kopf, scholn}}
| {{lang|de|Kopf, sollen}} {{IPA|/kɔpf, ˈzɔlən/}}
| {{lang|yi|קאָפּ, זאָלן}} {{IPA|/kɔp, zɔln/}}
|-
| O<sub>2/3</sub>
| ''o'' in open syllable, and ''ô''
| long ''o'' {{IPAslink|oː}}
| {{IPA|/ɔu/}}
| {{IPA|/eɪ~u~ui/}}
| {{IPA|/ɔɪ/}}
| {{IPA|/ɔɪ/}}
| {{lang|gmh|hôch, schône}}
| {{lang|de|hoch, schon}} {{IPA|/hoːx, ʃoːn/}}
| {{lang|yi|הױך, שױן}} {{IPA|/hɔɪχ, ʃɔɪn/}}
|-
| U<sub>1</sub>
| ''u'' in closed syllable
| short ''u'' {{IPAslink|ʊ}}
| {{IPA|/ʊ/}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/ʊ/}}
| {{IPA|/ɪ/}}
| {{IPA|/ɪ/}}
| {{lang|gmh|hunt}}
| {{lang|de|Hund}} {{IPA|/hʊnt/}}
| {{lang|yi|הונט}} {{IPA|/hʊnt/}}
|-
| U<sub>2/3</sub>
| ''u'' in open syllable, and ''uo''
| long ''u'' {{IPAslink|uː}}
| {{IPA|/uː/}}
| {{IPA|/iː/}}
| {{IPA|/iː/}}
| {{lang|gmh|buoch}}
| {{lang|de|Buch}} {{IPA|/buːx/}}
| {{lang|yi|בוך}} {{IPA|/bʊχ/}}
|-
| E<sub>4</sub>
| ''ei''
| rowspan="2" |''ei'' {{IPA|/aɪ/}}
| {{IPA|/aː/}}
| {{IPA|/eɪ/}}
| {{IPA|/aɪ/}}
| {{IPA|/eɪ/}}
| {{lang|gmh|vleisch}}
| {{lang|de|Fleisch}} {{IPA|/flaɪ̯ʃ/}}
| {{lang|yi|פֿלײש}} {{IPA|/flɛɪʃ/}}
|-
| I<sub>4</sub>
| ''î''
| {{IPA|/aɪ/}}
| {{IPA|/aɪ/}}
| {{IPA|/aː/}}
| {{IPA|/a/}}
| {{lang|gmh|mîn}}
| {{lang|de|mein}} {{IPA|/maɪ̯n/}}
| {{lang|yi|מײַן}} {{IPA|/maɪn/}}
|-
| O<sub>4</sub>
| ''ou''
| rowspan="2" |''au'' {{IPA|/aʊ/}}
| {{IPA|/aː/}}
| {{IPA|/eɪ/}}
| {{IPA|/ɔɪ/}}
| {{IPA|/ɔɪ/}}
| {{lang|gmh|ouh, koufen}}
| {{lang|de|auch, kaufen}} {{IPA|/aʊ̯x, ˈkaʊ̯fən/}}
| {{lang|yi|אױך, קױפֿן}} {{IPA|/ɔɪχ, kɔɪfn/}}
|-
| U<sub>4</sub>
| ''û''
| {{IPA|/ɔu/}}
| {{IPA|/ɔɪ/}}
| {{IPA|/oː~ou/}}
| {{IPA|/ou~u/}}
| {{lang|gmh|hûs}}
| {{lang|de|Haus }}{{IPA|/haʊ̯s/}}
| {{lang|yi|הױז}} {{IPA|/hɔɪz/}}
|-
| (E<sub>4</sub>)
| ''öu''
| rowspan="2" |''äu'' and ''eu'' {{IPA|/ɔʏ/}}
| {{IPA|/aː/}}
| {{IPA|/eɪ/}}
| {{IPA|/aɪ/}}
| {{IPA|/eɪ/}}
| {{lang|gmh|vröude}}
| {{lang|de|Freude}} {{IPA|/ˈfʁɔʏ̯də/}}
| {{lang|yi|פֿרײד}} {{IPA|/frɛɪd/}}
|-
| (I<sub>4</sub>)
| ''iu''
| {{IPA|/aɪ/}}
| {{IPA|/aɪ/}}
| {{IPA|/aː/}}
| {{IPA|/a/}}
| {{lang|gmh|diutsch}}
| {{lang|de|Deutsch}} {{IPA|/dɔʏ̯t͡ʃ/}}
| {{lang|yi|דײַטש}} {{IPA|/daɪtʃ/}}
|}

=== Comparison with Hebrew ===
The pronunciation of vowels in Yiddish words of [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] origin is similar to [[Ashkenazi Hebrew]] but not identical. The most prominent difference is ''[[kamatz]] gadol'' in closed syllables being pronounced same as ''[[patah]]'' in Yiddish but the same as any other ''kamatz'' in Ashkenazi Hebrew. Also, Hebrew features no reduction of unstressed vowels and so the given name [[Jochebed]] {{lang|yi|יוֹכֶבֶֿד}} would be {{IPA|/jɔɪˈχɛvɛd/}} in Ashkenazi Hebrew but {{IPA|/ˈjɔχvɜd/}} in Standard Yiddish.
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |M. Weinreich's
[[diaphoneme]]
! rowspan="2" |[[Tiberian vocalization]]
! colspan="3" |Pronunciation
!Examples
|-
!Western Yiddish
!Northeastern ("Litvish")
!Central ("Poylish")
!Standard Yiddish
|-
|A<sub>1</sub>
|''patah'' and ''kamatz gadol'' in closed syllable
|{{IPA|/a/}}
|{{IPA|/a/}}
|{{IPA|/a/}}
|{{lang|yi|אַלְמָן, כְּתָבֿ}} {{IPA|/ˈalmɜn, ksav/}}
|-
|A<sub>2</sub>
|''kamatz gadol'' in open syllable
|{{IPA|/oː/}}
|{{IPA|/ɔ/}}
|{{IPA|/uː/}}
|{{lang|yi|פָּנִים‎}} {{IPA|/ˈpɔnɜm/}}
|-
|E<sub>1</sub>
|''[[tzere]]'' and ''[[segol]]'' in closed syllable; ''hataf segol''
|{{IPA|/ɛ/}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/ɛ/}}
|{{IPA|/ɛ/}}
|{{lang|yi|גֵּט, חֶבְֿרָה, אֱמֶת‎}} {{IPA|/gɛt, ˈχɛvrɜ, ˈɛmɜs/}}
|-
|E<sub>5</sub>
|''segol'' in open syllable
|{{IPA|/eː/}}
|{{IPA|/eː~eɪ/}}
|{{lang|yi|גֶּפֶֿן}} {{IPA|/ˈgɛfɜn/}}
|-
|E<sub>2/3</sub>
|''tzere'' in open syllable
|{{IPA|/ɛɪ/}}
|{{IPA|/eɪ/}}
|{{IPA|/aɪ/}}
|{{lang|yi|סֵדֶר‎}} {{IPA|/ˈsɛɪdɜr/}}
|-
|I<sub>1</sub>
|''[[hiriq]]'' in closed syllable
|{{IPA|/ɪ/}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/ɪ/}}
|{{IPA|/ɪ/}}
|{{lang|yi|דִּבּוּק}} {{IPA|/ˈdɪbɜk/}}
|-
|I<sub>2/3</sub>
|''hiriq'' in open syllable
|{{IPA|/iː/}}
|{{IPA|/iː/}}
|{{lang|yi|מְדִינָה}} {{IPA|/mɜˈdɪnɜ/}}
|-
|O<sub>1</sub>
|''holam'' and ''kamatz katan'' in closed syllable
|{{IPA|/ɔ/}}
|{{IPA|/ɔ/}}
|{{IPA|/ɔ/}}
|{{lang|yi|חָכְמָה, עוֹף‎}} {{IPA|/ˈχɔχmɜ, ɔf/}}
|-
|O<sub>2/3</sub>
|''holam'' in open syllable
|{{IPA|/ɔu/}}
|{{IPA|/eɪ/}}
|{{IPA|/ɔɪ/}}
|{{lang|yi|סוֹחֵר}} {{IPA|/ˈsɔɪχɜr/}}
|-
|U<sub>1</sub>
|''[[kubutz and shuruk]]'' in closed syllable
|{{IPA|/ʊ/}}
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/ʊ/}}
|{{IPA|/ɪ/}}
|{{lang|yi|מוּם}} {{IPA|/mʊm/}}
|-
|U<sub>2/3</sub>
|''kubutz and shuruk'' in open syllable
|{{IPA|/uː/}}
|{{IPA|/iː/}}
|{{lang|yi|שׁוּרָה}} {{IPA|/ˈʃʊrɜ/}}
|}
''[[Patah]]'' in open syllable, as well as ''hataf patah'', are unpredictably split between A<sub>1</sub> and A<sub>2</sub>: {{lang|yi|קַדַּחַת, נַחַת}} {{IPA|/kaˈdɔχɜs, ˈnaχɜs/}}; {{lang|yi|חֲלוֹם, חֲתֻנָּה}} {{IPA|/ˈχɔlɜm, ˈχasɜnɜ/}}.