Learn Pennsylvania Dutch

In English, most inanimate objects are talked about with the pronoun it. But some things — cars, boats and ships, and tools — can be referred to as if they are a he or a she. These are called metaphorical genders.

“I just saw a classic Corvette. She‘s a beaut!”

“I got the mower ready. I just had to clean him out.”

In the same way, most nouns in Pennsylvania Dutch are referred to with the neuter pronoun it (es). But a small number of nouns can be talked about as if they were a he (eah/een) or a she (see). This is based on the gender of the noun.

Since not every noun can be talked about like this, below is a small (and very incomplete) list of some of them.

EN	PG	Examples
Bible	di Bivvel	Di Bivvel hott goot advice. See helft millions leit ensahs finna.
Earth	di eaht	Es hott een kolfa sayna es Gott di eaht gmacht hott, un zayld see aw sayva.
song	da song	Ma gleicha da song. Eah is fann fa singa! Vella song 15 singa. Eah’s hayst…
video	da video	Dess is’n importandah video. So ich vett een veisa.

Using Metaphorical Genders

It makes perfect sense to refer to people with the pronouns he/him (Dad, son, farmer) or she/her (Mom, daughter *, wife). That’s the same with Pennsylvania Dutch. Keep using those pronouns.

But you can view these metaphorical genders as a bonus that can season your Deitsh conversations.

So, when in doubt about a certain noun, use the it pronoun (es) for inanimate objects. While it may sound a little off to a native speaker, they’ll still understand what you’re saying.

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* Footnote 1: In many areas and communities, an unmarried girl or daughter is referred to with the neuter pronoun (es maydel / ’s Esther) until they are married.

In conversation, you’ll eventually need to give commands or instructions in Pennsylvania Dutch. What should you remember about verbs when giving commands?

Giving commands to one person in Pennsylvania Dutch

When you give commands in Pennsylvania Dutch to one person, the first verb is conjugated to ich (I) — even though ich is not used in the sentence.

Since the word ich doesn’t appear in the sentence, you could imagine yourself saying, “I am telling you…”

Examples

Kawl mich shpaydah. (Call me later.)

Mach shuah di deah zu gmacht is. (Make sure the door is closed.)

Kumm rei. (Come in.)

Gebb uns en kawl. (Give us a call.)

Vann du vitt, shreib en note un shikk ’s zu uns. (If you want, write a note and send it to us.)

In each of the examples above, notice how the first verb is conjugated to ich (I).

You’ll notice in the last example, shreib (write) and shikk (send) are not at the start of the sentence. But they are at the start of a new thought.

Giving commands to more than one person in Pennsylvania Dutch

When you give commands to more than one person in Pennsylvania Dutch, things are slightly different. Instead of conjugating the first verb for ich (I), you conjugate the first verb to diah (you plural) when giving commands to a group.

Just as with giving commands to one person, diah does not appear in the sentence, but it’s implied since the verb starts the sentence.

Examples

Shtobbet sell! ((you all) Stop that!)

Veiset leevi un respekt zu anri. ((you all) Show love and respect to others.)

Gukket an’s piktah. ((you all) Look at the picture.)

Gevvet nett uf! ((you all) Don’t give up!)

Shpaydah, gevvet uns en kawl. (Later, (you all) give us a call.)

Again, in each of the examples above, notice how the first verb is conjugated to diah (you plural).

And once again (see last example), the command is usually at the start of a sentence, but not always. Just make sure it’s at the start of the new thought.

Bonus Tip: Compound Words Get Split

You may also notice that some compound words get split apart when used in commands or instruction in Pennsylvania Dutch.

For example:

• oh’halda (continue) becomes Hald oh / Haldet oh
• abheicha (listen) becomes Heich ab / Heichet ab

This isn’t a full list, but just something to be on the lookout for.

When talking about location in Pennsylvania Dutch, you need at least one of 2 words in your sentence: do (here) and datt (there). These are from the speaker’s point of view.

Location in Simple Sentences

In simple sentences, you may only need to use here and there.

EN: I am here. PDC: Ich binn do.	EN: You are there. PDC: Du bisht datt.
EN: The cats are here. PDC: Di katza sinn do.	EN: The cats are there. PDC: Di katza sinn datt.

Location in Complex Sentences

But many times, you’ll need to explain more about where something is. In those cases, you need a preposition. Prepositions go with do (here) and datt (there) and give more details.

Here are some prepositions that work along with do and datt:

EN: I am in here. PDC: Ich binn do hinn.	EN: You are out there. PDC: Du bisht datt draus.
EN: The cats are down here. PDC: Di katza sinn do hunna.	EN: The cats are up there. PDC: Di katza sinn datt drovva.

You’ll notice the prepositions listed above become different words. When used with a location word like here and there, they get a prefix added to the front.

For example:

• Prepositions that go with do (here) get an h added to the front
  • h + in = hinn
  • h + unna = hunna
• Prepositions that go with datt (there) get dr added to the front
  • dr + aus = draus
  • dr + ovva = drovva

Do More With What You’ve Just Learned

For more examples of location and direction words in action, see the Location and Direction (PDF) on deitshbooks.com.

In English, when something is happening, -ing goes on the end of the verb.

For example, we might say, “We walk.” when talking about something you do in general. But if you were in the middle of a walk, you would say, “We are walking.”

It’s the same in Pennsylvania Dutch. When talking about actions that are happening right now, or ongoing, those verbs need an -ing to go along with it. But instead of adding something to the end of the verb, in Pennsylvania Dutch, you use the separate word am in front of the verb.

But you do not add am in front of just any -ing verb. How do you know when?

The quick answer is, use am:

1. When the action is happening right now, or it’s an ongoing action.
2. When imaging yourself in a past situation or and discussing an action that was currently happening at that time.

You only need to add am with talking about an action that is happening right now or continuing.

Talking about the present in Pennsylvania Dutch

Let’s look at a couple of examples when talking about the present.

Let’s look at another similar sentence using the same verb.

Let’s see another common sentence.

Let’s look at one more example. This one is interesting because it has two verbs that would have -ing on the end of them in English.

Talking about the past

When talking about the past, you normally don’t need am since it’s likely not currently happening. You would normally use past tense verbs in those situations anyway.

But here’s the exception: When imagining yourself in the past.

Imagine you’re talking about something that happened in the past. If you’re talking about something that was happening (ongoing action) at that time…your verb needs am.

It’s as if you jump back in time and you’re there; imagining what is currently going on in the situation.

Let’s look at another example that common.

Summary

You only need to use am in front of verbs when:

1. The action is happening right now, or it’s an ongoing action
2. Imaging yourself in a past situation and discussing an action that was currently happening at that time.