How to speak the Amish Language

November 4, 2009 | Category: Amish language | Posted by: Sarah

Since I started working at the Visitors Bureau, many people have asked me how to speak the Amish language. I’ve recently picked up 2 books called “How to speak Dutchified English” by Gary Gates & “Quaint Idioms & Expressions of the PA Germans” by A. Monroe Aurand, Jr. I’d like to start sharing some of the word pronounciation & expressions that are in this book with you. These are great nuggets of the Amish culture for your enjoyment!

EXCITED: 1. eiferich 2. uffgschafft. Sie is all uffgschafft iwwer der Bsuch. She is all excited about the visit.
PANCAKE: 1. Flammkuche, 2. Pannekuche

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14 Comments

  1. Joanne
    on February 20th, 2010
    1

    When growining up, my mom used to say what we thought was a Pennsylvania Dutch saying when we would ask what’s for dinner she would answer what we thought was translated as a little of this and a little of that. It was something like wooner __nauser_____. Does any one know this and how to spell it?

  2. theresa
    on November 16th, 2010
    2

    I dont care about the culture i just want to learn how to speak dutch so i can have a long conversation with an amish person is there a website and watever help me plz!

  3. helena durian
    on January 14th, 2011
    3

    http://www.taalhuis.nl

    this is what my grandson is using .And is free and very good .

  4. Michael Werner
    on March 10th, 2011
    4

    Here is the link to the Pennsylvania German newspaper “Hiwwe wie Driwwe”. You will find Pennsylvania Dutch online lessons there …

  5. katrina
    on January 13th, 2012
    5

    you can learn amish pennsylvania dutch here

  6. gail baker van horn
    on May 9th, 2012
    6

    i would love to speak dutch. i have dutch in me.

  7. Karen
    on August 7th, 2012
    7

    My father who just passed away at age 94 used to say a phrase Maus goot which meant “be good” whenever I would leave him… does anyone know the correct spelling as I would like to put it in a memorial

  8. Tim
    on August 15th, 2012
    8

    I would say he was saying the German equivalent of “mach es gut” or “mach’s gut.”. I wouldn’t know how to spell it in Pennsylvania Dutch/German though.

  9. Zack
    on October 3rd, 2012
    9

    All my grandparents (ancestors) on my mother’s, mother side spoke/speaks Pennylvania Duetch. I am trying to learn it. Espically for when I go to college in the Amish Country, a little town called Lyons Station I want to go to Kutztown University and it would be helpful to know the languge my grandmother taught my sisters and me “Kanst du micha faung” (can you catch a fly?) and the response “ja once sie hucabliva (yes, once it is sitting still)

  10. Lizbeth
    on November 5th, 2012
    10

    My grandfather can speak the language, and h grandmother was Mennonite so I would love to learn PA Dutch!

  11. Learning
    on January 6th, 2013
    11

    Mach ‘s goot = Make it good

  12. Jack Speese
    on March 12th, 2013
    12

    I’m learning PA Dutch too, it’s fairly easy for me because I know “standard” German. Indeed the Hiwwe wie Driwwe site does has some good lessons, as others have suggested. My ancestors of my grandparent’s generation all spoke it too, which is why I’m interested in learning it, but unfortunately my dad wasn’t linguistically inclined or motivated and he just learned a few phrases. By way of analogy, I’d say it’s as different from standard German as Robert Burn’s poetry (in Scottish dialect) is from standard English, actually not as much so because I can read PA Dutch better than I can “Bobbie Burns”!

  13. Lillian Stoltzfus
    on March 13th, 2013
    13

    To have a chance at winning a free “Speaking Amish: A Beginner’s Introduction to Pennsylvania German” book, please like my “Speaking Amish” Facebook page and share this link on your wall.

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Speaking-Amish/593820013967818?fref=ts

    If I get 500 likes by April 1, 2013, I will give away one book. If I get 1,000 likes by April 1, 2013, I will give away two books.

  14. matt
    on March 21st, 2013
    14

    Hi. I was looking for some help. My grandmother was pa dutch. She used to have a saying. Im gonna spell this all wrong but it was like “octuleva lui” she used to say it meant oh my goodness or something along those lines. I want to put it in a memorial for her so i want the proper spelling. If anyone know please help me out. Thx

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