Pennsylvania Dutch Language Lesson Guides
Brief language guides & articles for learning how to use similar words in Deitsh.
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Read the whole article: How to Use Contractions in Pennsylvania Dutch
English speakers use a lot of contractions when they talk. Some people more than others. When you use contractions in Pennsylvania Dutch you will sound more natural. What is a contraction? A contraction is a shorter way of squishing 2…
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Pennsylvania Dutch Word Game
Read the whole article: Pennsylvania Dutch Word GameGleichsht du games shpeela? (Do you like playing games?) Try the new Pennsylvania Dutch word game: Huddel. (💡pronounced: Hud’-ul) It’s inspired by Wordle. But in Huddel, the secret word is a 5-letter Deitsh word. The goal is to try to…
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gans vs goah
Read the whole article: gans vs goahWhen should you use the Pennsylvania Dutch words gans and goah in a sentences. Let’s look at the differences between the two.
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Memorial Words
Read the whole article: Memorial WordsArticle updated: March 6, 2026 Memorial of Jesus’ Death Words Here are a few common words that are used in Pennsylvania Dutch when talking about the Memorial of Christ’s Death (also known as ’s Ohdenkes Funn da Jesus sei Doht).…
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Pronouncing z’s in Deitsh
Read the whole article: Pronouncing z’s in DeitshHow do you pronounce the letter z in Pennsylvania Dutch words like: katz, zvay, zeit, butza, zung? Some call it a ts sound (/ts/‑like sound). It’s the same sound as the 2nd z in the English word pizza. It also…
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hohchi leit
Read the whole article: hohchi leitWhat does the Pennsylvania Dutch word hohchi leit mean? hohchi leit (noun) = people who are not of a Deitsh culture or background. Opposite of Deitshi leit. What does hohchi leit not mean? This is not a negative term. The…
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New Feature: Audio Pronunciation
Read the whole article: New Feature: Audio PronunciationPennsylvania Dutch follows a pretty consistent set of rules when it comes to pronunciation and spelling. But sometimes you just want to know how to actually say a word in Deitsh. Now you can listen to audio of how to…
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pure worship
Read the whole article: pure worshipPure Worship (phrase) = Used for Pure Worship (of God). Literally Serve God Correctly. Meaning: To serve God in a way that He accepts and that is free from things that would defile or contaminate our worship. Instead of a noun,…
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kocha and kucha
Read the whole article: kocha and kuchaCooking and cake—who doesn’t like both? But those words are easy to mix up; not just because they are spelled similarly, and are food-related, but they also sound similar. kocha = to cook Kocha is a verb meaning to cook.…
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Version 5, New Features
Read the whole article: Version 5, New FeaturesThe Words List has come a long way in the last 5 years. Skip to the features list » The Words List began around 2020. A small group in Daviess County, Indiana were learning Deitsh. The list was literally a…