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Language Tips

Tips for Learning Pennsylvania Dutch Language

Woman holding a flashcard auth a picture of a dog on it.

Want to learn a language like Pennsylvania Dutch, or continue improving?

The How to Get Started page is a good place to find learning resources for learning Pennsylvania Dutch. But how to you actually learn a language?

Here are some tips that have helped many people learn a new language. And the good news is, they work with learning Deitsh as well.

1) Study and learn a little bit every day

Instead of trying to study for an hour or 2 every so often, take just a few minutes each day to learn and practice Pennsylvania Dutch. Even just 15 or 20 minutes is good. The important part is to do a little every day.

2) Add variety to what you learn

Language is made of different types of skills:

  • Learning and memorizing new words (vocab)
  • Practicing pronouncing words
  • Reading silently and understanding what you read
  • Reading out loud
  • Understanding when others speak
  • Putting your thoughts into words

Everyone will do better at certain parts of the language learning process. It’s tempting to just practice and spend more time on the parts you’re good at. But to really improve, you’ll want to practice it all.

For example, if you set aside 20 minutes a day to learn, divide it into 5 minute chunks:

  • 5 minutes Learning new vocab words and reviewing ones you already know. Goal: 1-3 new words a day.
    • (Learn different types of words: 1 noun, 1 verb, and 1 adjective or adverb)
  • 5 minutes Reading Pennsylvania Dutch silently.
  • 5 minutes Listening to audio or videos in the language.
    • If you can find an article that you can read along with in Pennsylvania German at the same time as listening, even better.
      • Try this: Listen and write down what you hear; one sentence at a time. Then check what you heard with the article.
    • Videos with interviews or videos involving conversations will help you get used to hearing a variety of pronouns and verb conjugations.
  • 5 minutes Reading out loud or speaking.
    • (Even talking to yourself can help.)

3) Use what you learn as soon as you can

Using what you learn as soon as you can will help the new things you learn to stick. And it’ll motivate you to keep learning.

For example, if you learn 2 or 3 new Deitsh words a day, make it a goal to use them in conversations that same day.

Don’t wait until you feel like you can say things perfectly. Find native speakers. Start conversations, ask questions, make mistakes.

4) Don’t be afraid to make mistakes

Making mistakes is how how you learn. Just know that those who speak the language well have made lots of mistakes.

Try to laugh at yourself. The bigger the mistake, the less likely you will be to make it again.

5) Don’t stop learning

Keep learning.

Some keep a notebook or note on their phone for writing down new words and phrases they hear. You will be surprised what you pick up.

If you start feeling like you’re getting in a rut or getting bored, mix things up and try new ways to learn.

  • Write in a journal what you did today; using the language.
  • Practice describing a picture.
  • Try teaching someone something using Pennsylvania Dutch.
  • Pick your favorite song and try translating it.

6) Have fun

The most important thing is: have fun. Enjoy the process. Don’t compare your progress with other people’s.

Be patient with yourself. It won’t happen all at once, but you will make progress if you keep trying and stick with it!

Categories
Language Tips Words of the Week

regret and regretted

Regret verb = shpeida

  • Regret verb = shpeida (conjugate)
    Es zayld mich shpeida. (I will regret it.)
    Es shpeit mich. (I regret it.) (lit. It regrets me.)
    Es zayld dich shpeida vann du nett dess gans recht fashtaysht.
  • Regretted verb = kshpeit past tense
    Sell hott mich kshpeit. (I regretted that.)
    Es hott mich kshpeit. (I regretted it.)

Regret noun = regret (use the English word)

Regrets noun = di regrets plural

Categories
Language Tips Words of the Week

good news and bad news

When talking about good news or bad news we hear or read about, the English phrases good news and bad news are clear and quickly understandable.

💡It’s common for native Pennsylvania Dutch speakers to toss in an English phrase here and there in the middle of a Deitsh sentence.

Good news noun = di good news (common)

Bad news noun = di bad news (common)

Using di good news when talking about good news from the Bible is also clear.

di good news veyyich da Jesus
di good news funn di Bivvel

Goodi sacha is a theocratic term that will need to be explained more. It’s okay to use it when talking about things from the Bible. Just be prepared to explain when talking to Deitshi leit (native Deitsh speakers).

Categories
Words of the Week

Memorial Words

Memorial (or ’S Ohdenkes) Words

Here are a few common words that are used when talking about the Memorial of Christ’s Death (also known as ’s Ohdenkes or ’s Nachtmohl).

  • pass (around) verb = rumm passa
    Miah zayla’s broht rumm passa.
  • the Passover = da Passover
  • lost verb = faloahra past tense

These articles may also be helpful to find phrases involving the Memorial and Jesus’ death:

Categories
Words of the Week

Meeting Parts Names

The format of the midweek meetings were updated in January 2024, and with that, some of the names of the sections and parts have been adjusted. This means that some of the translated Deitsh names have been updated as well.

Midweek Meeting (Deichdivoch Fasamling)

Our Christian Life and Ministry = Unsah Ministry un Vi Miah Layva

Treasures From God’s Word = Treasures Funn di Bivvel
  • The Treasures Talk = Da Treasures Talk
  • Spiritual Gems = Spiritual Gems (no longer Keshtlichi Sacha)
    • Vass vellet diah sherra funn ʼs Bivvel layses dee voch?

Apply Yourself to the Field Ministry = Fa Bessah Vadda in di Ministry
  • Bible Reading = ʼS Bivvel Layses (fa dee voch)
    • 💡 Saying “This week’s Bible reading” is unnatural in Deitsh. Instead, “The Bible reading this week” or “Our Bible reading this week” sound more natural.
  • Starting a Conversation = En Conversation Shteahra
  • Following Up = Viddah Zrikk Gay
  • Making Disciples = Yingah Macha
  • Explaining Your Beliefs = Dei Glawva Ekshplayna
Living as Christians = Fa Layva vi Christians
  • Congregation Bible Study = Di Congregation Bivvel Shtoddi

Weekend Meeting
(End Funn di Voch Fasamling)

  • Public Talk = Bivvel Talk
  • Watchtower Study = Da Vatshtavvah Shtoddi
Categories
Language Tips

Time Words and Verb Order

Pennsylvania Dutch follows grammar rules as to where verbs are put in a sentence. *

But when a sentence starts with time words, the verb order changes. How?

⌚ What are time words?

First, what are time words?

A time word is any word or phrase that is something time-related. Here are some common time words.

S’eahsht (First)

Fa shteahra mitt (To start with)

Heit (Today)

Nau (Now)

An selli zeit (At that time)

Noch sell (After that)

Awl ufamoll (All at once)

Neksht (Next)

Daylmohls / Alsamohl (Sometimes)

Dimeiya (This morning)

No (Then)

S’letsht yoah (Last year)

Meiya (Tomorrow)

Nuff biss nau (Up until now)

S’letsht moll (Last time)

Funn da shteaht (From the start)

Geshtah (Yesterday)

Glei (Soon)

Neksht voch (Next week)

Biss no (Until then)

Vann … (When …)

There are others, but this gives you a good idea of what a time word/phrase is.

How do time words affect sentences?

In a simple statement, the subject (noun) usually goes first. Then the first verb follows in the sentence. But when a sentence starts with a time word or phrase, the verb jumps in front of the subject.

In the next examples, notice where the verb (italics) is in each sentence. Then, look how the noun and verb change order when the same sentence starts with a time word (bold).

EnglishPennsylvania Dutch
We can sing a song.Miah kenna en song singa.
Now, we can sing a song.Nau kenna miah en song singa.
It will be winter.Es zayld vindah sei.
Soon, it will be winter.Glei zayld’s vindah sei.
We can go.Miah kenna gay.
Then we can go.No kenna miah gay.
Everything changed.Alles hott getshaynsht.
All of a sudden, everything changed.Awl ufamoll hott alles getshaynsht.
I had a dog back then.Ich habb en hund katt zrikk no.
Back then, I had a dog.Zrikk no, havvich en hund katt.
Examples with and without time words at the start of sentences.
  • Do you see how time words change where the first verb goes?

Now, look at the last 2 sentences in the examples above.

  • See how time words only affect the verb order when they are at the start of the sentence?
  • When time words are at the end of a sentence, the rest of the sentence is normal.

Bonus Words

There are some other words that are not time words, but also follow the same rules.

  • Fleicht (Maybe)
    Ich kann zrikk kumma.
    Fleicht kann ich zrikk kumma.
  • Location words (In Japan, …)
    Es sinn feel traditions es leit doon in iahra layva.
    In Japan, sinn es feel traditions es leit doon in iahra layva.

Remember

When you start a sentence with a time word, expect your next word to be a verb.

* You can read more about those rules in the book, Vella Bessah Deitsh Shvetza (PDF). (pages 27 through 31)

Categories
Confusing Words Language Tips

missa nett and daufa nett

The word missa means must in English. But how do you say something must not be done (as in, it’s not allowed) in Pennsylvania Dutch? Missa nett…, right?

Using missa with nett

The word missa is often mistakenly used along with nett to say “must not” — as in, it’s not allowed; it’s something we cannot do.

Let’s look at an example.

You want to say (EN)If you sayHow it sounds to a Deitsh speaker
We must not steal.Miah missa nett shtayla.It’s not required that we steal. It would probably be okay, but we don’t have to.
⛔ Wrong way
You want to say (EN)If you sayHow it sounds to a Deitsh speaker
We must not steal.Miah daufa nett shtayla.We must not steal. Stealing is not allowed.
✅ Correct way

Use daufa nett instead

To a native speaker, missa nett is like saying it probably would be ok, but we don’t have to. In other words, it’s not something that’s required.

Instead, you should use: daufa nett

👍🏻 Miah daufa nett shtayla. (PG meaning: We must not steal.)

In this case, daufa means allowed. So daufa nett means “not allowed”.

How to correctly use missa nett

There are some correct ways of using missa nett:

Miah missa nett peiyneera, avvah miah kenna vann miah vella. (We don’t have to; it’s not required.)

Miah missa nimmi unsah placements counta. (We’re no longer required.)

In the above examples, you would be saying: we’re not required to…

Using missa by itself

Good news: When used by itself, missa does mean “we must”; as in something we are required or that we have to do.

Examples:

Miah missa du vass Jehova havva vill.

Miah missa ice cream havva.

Miah missa anri leit lanna veyyich Jehova.

Miah missa bayda.

Review

  1. Must = missa (as in has to be done)
  2. Must not = daufa nett (as in not allowed)
  3. Not required = missa nett (as in doesn’t have to be done)
Categories
Confusing Words Words of the Week

patient and geduldich

Most native Pennsylvania Dutch speakers will understand both the words patient and geduldich. But when would it be best to each?

Patience noun (the quality)

  1. patience (more common)
    Du musht may patience havva.
  2. geduld (less common outside of the Bible, but understood by most. Most commonly used if at end of sentence along with mitt)
    Gott sei geduld is’n kshenk.
    Miah missa’s ohnemma mitt geduld.

Patient adj (what someone is or can become)

  1. patient
    See is immah patient mitt iahra kinnah.
    Sei patient mitt si.
  2. geduldich
    Gott is geduldich mitt uns.

Patiently adv = patiently (how someone does something)
Ich binn am patiently voahra biss ich healthy binn.

💡 Patience, patient, patiently can also give idea of endurance (continuing on with something hard to deal with).

Summary

  • When talking about about something from the Bible, or a Bible subject, geduld and geduldich are very common.
  • But if having a casual conversation, it would be more common to use patience and patient instead.
  • And if talking about someone patiently doing something or patiently waiting, then you’re safer to use the English word patiently.
Categories
Confusing Words Language Tips

Figures of Speech: Walking and Running

Many Pennyslvania Dutch figures of speech are similar to ones in English; but often slightly different. This is true when it comes to talking about things that are said to “run” in English.

In English, some things are said to run—even though they don’t have legs.

  • A river or stream runs
  • Tears can run down your face
  • Liquids can run over (as in overflow)

But in Pennsylvania Dutch, those inanimate objects (things without real legs) are usually said to ‘walk’ (lawfa).

Examples

  • A river walks
    Da revvah lawft.
    Di revvahra lawfa deich di valley.
    Da revvah is gloffa biss’s ufgedrikkeld vadda is.
  • Tears walk down someone’s face
    ’S awwa-vassah lawft ivvah iahra bakka nunnah.
  • When water or liquids overflow in Deitsh, they “walk over”
    ’S vassah is am ivvah-lawfa!
    Da revvah zayld ivvah-lawfa noch da shtoahm.

Exceptions

There are a couple of exceptions.

  1. Motors and equipment do “run” (shpringa) in Pennsylvania Dutch (generators, refrigerators, washing machines, motors, and cars and trucks)
  2. Of course, animals and people who can literally “run” and “walk” (they have legs) still shpringa and lawfa in Pennsylvania Dutch.

These differences in figures of speech are a reminder of the unique culture and thinking of native Pennsylvania Dutch speakers.

Categories
Confusing Words Words of the Week

shpringa and shprenga

What’s the difference between the Deitsh words shpringa and shprenga?

Both of the words shpringa and shprenga are verbs (action words) that mean to run.

Shpringa verb = to run (as in movement, or to work and function)

Shprenga verb = to run (as in to operate something else)

shpringa

Jon Heder Running GIF by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment - Find & Share on GIPHY

Use shpringa when you’re talking about running (movement).

Ich shtay uf free meiyets so’s ich shpringa kann.

’S hutshli shpringd.

You can also use shpringa when you’re talking about something that is operating (working/running).

Gears GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

’Sis gans laut koss di generator am shpringa is.

shprenga

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Use shprenga when you’re talking about operating something else—usually a piece of equipment or a machine.

Da Colton is di generator am shprenga.

See shprengd’s vesha machine Moondawks.

Du bisht dei maul am shprenga!

…