Topic: Gypsy Thesaurus

Levi Clark

Date: 2015-09-12 12:42 EST
"Grabbing" - A method of seduction used by Gypsy men on women taking a girl outside and hurting or harassing her until she gives you a kiss.

" Gorjers and Country people" non-gypsy, I would never marry a gorjer.

"Pikey and Gyppo" - offensive term for travellers. If you come across a traveller don't call them this or they might challenge you to a bare knuckle fight.

"Bare knuckle fighting" - illegal fighting with strict rules and a fair play referee. A big part of the gypsy culture, often fighting for money or to settle disputes.

"I give me best" - Giving up in a bare knuckle fight. What you'll be saying once you've lost your fight.

"Nick- Nicking- Nicked" Steal or having stollen. "He nicked it from the market"

Donkey's years - For a very very long time

Dosser - Someone who is not working at their job

Feck Off - Go away.

Gobshite - Socially inept person and / or complete fool

Knackered - Very tired or broken beyond repair

Manky - Filthy dirty or disgusting

Taking the Mick- Making fun of someone. "Was only taken the Mick, no hard feelings."

Kip- Sleep "Had a quick kip in the car"

Aout'ba- Hello, what's up. "Aout'ba, not seen you in a long time."

Chez'ba- Thank-you or Good-bye. "Chez'ba, I was needing a beer"

Grace Low

Date: 2017-08-13 22:58 EST
More Gypsy/Romany Language words:

Abiav - wedding feast
Adre - in, inside
Akai - here
Ambrol - pear
Amoni - anvil
Amria - curse; oath
Angustri - ring
Arey - at
Arter - after
Arvah - yes
Atch - stop
Atchin tan - stopping place
Athinganoi - danger
Avree - away
Avri - outside

Bal - hair
Bar - stone
Bar valo - rich
Bari lavuta - viola
Baro - large
Barri - big
Barvalimos - wealth
Baxt - luck
Baxtalo - lucky or happy
Beebee - aunt
Beshtas - sat
Bibaxt - bad luck
Bori - bride; daughter in law, sister in law
Bosh - fiddle
Bov - oven
Bujo - bag; medicine bag
Butji - possession

Chavi - girl
Chava - boy
Cheros -time
Chet - write
Chit - read
Chindilo - cut (past action)
Chindiyas - the one who cut it
Cha(h)vi - child
Chop - exchange
Chor - thief, to steal
Churara - sword
Cikat - front

Daj - mother
Dand - tooth
Daro - bride price
Del - spirit, avatar
Dick - to see, look
Dickin - looking
Dickla - neckscarf
Dickler - neckscarf
Dicklo - headscarf, indicating a married woman
Didikai - gypsy friend
Dilo - fool or imbecile
Dinilo - crazy
Divano - meeting
Diwano - a group of adults (elders) called to discuss a matter publicly
Doodah - sweetmeat
Dook - the sight or magic in general
Dordie - exclamation
Drab - medicine, herbs
Drabarni - a healer; a fortune teller
Drey - in, inside
Drom - road


Familia - an extended family (pl. familiyi)
Ferari - blacksmith

Ga - walk
Gabori - jeweler
Gad - shirt
Gajengi baxt - bad luck, luck of a non-gypsy
Gajo - adult non gypsy (masc) (pl. gaje)
Galbi - gold coins
Gavver - soldier, constable
Ghel -girl
Gooi - pudding
Grast, grai, gry, groi - horse

Iohai - formal component

Jall, jawl, jil - to go
Jekhipe - unity, literally "oneness"
Jilling - going

Ka - will or shall
Kair - to do
Kak - uncle, respectful form of address for an older male person
Kanny - chicken
Karfin - nail
Kasko san - whose are you
Kas zhanes - who do you know
Keck - no, not
Kedas - he made
Keir - house
Kek - no
Kertsheema - inn, tavern
Kesht - stick
Khushti - good
Kintala - balance, literally a state of balance
Klidi - key
Kokalo - bone
Kon - who
Koshtenengo - wooden
Kris - court, trial, justice or fate
Kris romani - a trial composed of adult (elder) Gypsies
Kumpania - (pl. kumpaniyi) a group of Gypsies travelling or living together in a territory, an economic and residential association
Kushti - good, fine


Lashav - shame; honor
Lav - word, name
Lavuta - violin
Led - ice
Ledome - frozen
Lel - to take, catch, arrest
Les - his
Lil - book
Lon - salt
Love - money
Lovor - a ceremony to divide money earned

Ma, maw - an exclamation
Mamioro - a spirit or ghost who is said to bring serious illness
Mandi - I
Mang - to beg
Manus - man
Marime - polluted, defiled; rejected or outcast by trial
Marturo - martyr
Mas - meat
Miri - my (fem)
Mira - my (mas)
Miro - quiet
Monashay, mollisher - wife, woman
Moro - bread
Mort - woman
Mule - the spirit or soul of a dead person
Mule-vi - a medium or an item capable of reaching the world of the dead
Mulani - ghost
Mulo - death
Mulla - corpse
Muller'd - killed, dead
Mush - man

Nai - a negative
Nai man (keck) - I have not got any
Namome - written
Narky- bad, risky, unpleasant
Naswalemos - illness, sickness
Natsia - a nation, tribe, or race of Gypsy
Nav - name
Nav gajikano - non-Gypsy name
Nav romano - Gypsy name
Nevimos - novelty
Nevipe - news
Nevo - new


O - the (masc)
Ofisa - fortune telling establishment
Oprey - up
Orf - off

Paanii - water
Pahome - frozen
Pakiv - to honor, respect; a feast given in honour of a visiting guest
Pakvora - beautiful
Paramitsha - Gypsy fairytales
Parno - white
Patrin - marker, a leaf or page
Pena - sister
Pesha - his
Petalos - horseshoe
Phuro - an elder of a familia
Pi - to drink
Pibe - beverage
Poav - field
Pomana - a death feast
Pooker - to ask, talk
Poove - field
Popin - goose
Posta - sacrifice ritual in nature
Potchee - pocket
Prala - brother
Prey - up, upon
Prikasa - very bad luck or omen


Rakli - girl
Rarti - night
Rawnie - lady
Rinkeni - pretty, attractive
Rocka, rockra - to speak
Roj - spoon
Romane - the language of the Gypsy
Romania - the laws and traditions of the Gypsy, social order
Rom baro - a leader, the "big man" in the kumpania: bandoleer
Rukh - tree
Ruv - wolf
Rye - gentleman

Sar san - how are you
Sastimos - good health, to your health, generally used as a greeting
Satarma - star
Schav - Gypsy boy
Schej - Gypsy girl
Scran - food
Shav - push, shove
Shee - is
Shera - head
Sherp - go
Shilmulo - vampire, literally walking dead
Slobuzenja - freedom
Sov - sleep
Staadi - hat
Strazhno - danger
Strickapen - imprison

Tablipen - warmth
Tan - market
Tenimos - youth
Terno - young
Thoximos - duty
Tooti - you
Top - on
Torarti - tonight
Tsera - tent; household
Tshor - thief
Tshurii - knife
Tsox - skirt
Tumnimos - the betrothal

Vela (avela) - came
Vezlime' - embroidered
Vitsa - a category of kin, cousin; literally vine or tendril
Vortimo - truth
Vurdon - wagon


Wavver - wood (forest)
Wesh - other
Wortacha - partners in an economic endeavor
Wuzho - clean, pure

Xa - eat

Y - and
Yog - fire


Zamutro - son in law, brother in law
Zor - strength
Zumi - soup

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