Amish Words
A Guide to Pronunciation of PA-Dutch Words
Vowels
A vowel is long when doubled. A vowel is long when followed by an h. Almost always a vowel is short when followed by two consonants.
| VOWEL | PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH | ENGLISH APPROXIMATION |
| a (short) | sache (things) | a as in what |
| aa (long) | aag (eye) | aw as in saw |
| ae (long) | baer (bear) gaes (gas) | ea as in bear a as in gas |
| ae (short) | paesching (peach) | a as in match |
| a (r) (long) | darf (may) | a as in father |
| e (long) | geht (goes) | a as in gate |
| e (short) | fett (fat) | e as in get |
| i (long) | ihn (him) | ee as in see |
| i (short) | bin (am) | i as in pin |
| o (long) | rot (red) | oa as in boat |
| u (long) | blut (blood) | oo as in mood |
| u (short) | dumm (stupid) | oo as in cook |
Dipthongs
| DIPTHONG | PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH | ENGLISH APPROXIMATION |
| au | laut (loud) | ow as in cow |
| ei | leicht (light) | i as in pine |
| oi | roi (row) | oy as in boy |
Consonants
Most of the consonants of Pennsylvania Dutch are pronounced much like they are in American English (b, p, d, t, k, ck, f, h, l, m, n, s, and w). Some of them are associated with letters that occur in English but with different sounds.
| CONSONANT | PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH | ENGLISH APPROXIMATION |
| b | bank (bench) ab (off, away) | b as in bank p as in bump |
| ch (always follows a vowel) | ich (I) mache (to make) | (Sound not in English) (Sound not in English) |
| ck | packe (to pack) pack (pack) | ck as in picky ck as in pack |
| d | daal (valley) dodder (egg yolk) dog (death) | d as in dog dd as in buddy d as in dot |
| f | finne (to find) hoffe (to hope) schof (sheep) | f as in find f as in huffy f as in hoof |
| g | geld (money) Grischt (Christian) regischder (register) | g as in gold g as in ground g as in regulate |
| g (between vowels only) | aage (eyes) | (Sound not in English) |
| g (in final position) | aag (eye) | k as in kick |
| h | hut (hat) | h as in hat |
| h (silent) | uhr (clock | i as in pin |
| k | keenich (king) | k as in king |
| l | leicht (funeral) millich (milk) schlingel (rogue) | l as in light ll as in silly l as in single |
| m | mann (man) besem (broom) | m as in man m as in broom |
| n | not (need) menner (men) in (in) | n as in not nn as in banner n as in in |
| ng | ring (ring) | ng as in ring |
| nk | gennuk (enough) | nk as in sink |
| p | parre (pastor) lumbe (rag) | p as in pastor b as in number |
| pp | kopp (head) roppe (to pick, pluck) | p as in help bb as in robber |
| s, ss | sadde (sort of) kissi (cushion) boss (kiss) | s as in sort ss as in sissy ss as in boss |
| sch | schul (school) | sh as in shop |
| t | tee (tea) text (text) dot (dead) | t as in tea t as in next t as in debt |
| v | verrickt (crazy) | f as in for |
| w | wasser (water) | w as in water |
| x | hex (witch) | x as in ax |
| x (sometimes ch) | waxe, wachse (to grow) | x as in ax |
| y | yung (young) | y as in yard |
| z | zucker (sugar) | ts as in hats |
