Pennsylvania Dutch is a dialect. It is often written as it sounds, which is why you will see the same word written several different ways. The word ‘Dutch’ has nothing to do with Holland, but rather is likely a corruption of the German word ‘Deitsch’ or ‘Deutsch’.
Glossary
ab im kopp - addled in the head
Ach! (also, Ack!) - Oh!
aenti - aunt
appeditlich - delicious
Ausbund - Amish hymn book
bedauerlich - sad
bloobier - blueberry
boppli - baby
bopplin - babies
bro - bread
bruder(s) - brother(s)
bu - boy
Budget, The - weekly newspaper for Amish and Mennonite communities. Based on Sugarcreek, Ohio, and has 2 versions, Local and National.
buwe - boys
daag - day
Daed, Datt, Dat (vocative) - Dad
Diary, The - Lancaster County based Amish newspaper. Focus is on Old Order Amish.
Dawdi (also, Daadi) (vocative) - Grandfather
dawdi haus (also, daadi haus, grossdawdi haus) - grandfather’s or grandparents’ house (often a small house behind the main house)
de Bo - boyfriend
Die Botschaft - Amish weekly newspaper. Based in PA but its focus is nation-wide.
demut - humility
denki (or danki) - thank you
Der Herr - The Lord
dochder - daughter
dokter - doctor
doplich - clumsy
dumm - dumb
dummkopf - idiot, dummy
Dutch Blitz - Amish card game
English (or Englisch) (adjective) - A non-Amish person
Englischer (noun) - A non-Amish person
familye - family
ferhoodled - foolish, crazy
fraa - wife, woman
froh - happy
freind - friend
freinden - friends
gegisch - silly
geh - go
gern gheschen (also, gern gschehne) - you’re welcome
Gott (also, Gotte) - God
grank - sick, ill
grossboppli - grandbaby
grossdawdi (also, dawdi, daadi haus, gross dawdi) - grandfather, or, in some communities, great grandfather
grosskinskind - great-grandchild
grosskinskinner - great-grandchildren
grossmammi (or grossmudder) - grandmother
gross-sohn - grandson
grossvadder - grandfather (see also grossdawdi)
gude mariye - good morning
guten nacht (also, gut nacht) - good night
gude nochmiddaag - good afternoon
gut - good
haus - house
Herr - Mr.
Hiya - Hi
hochmut - pride
Hullo (also, Hallo) - Hello
hungerich - hungry
Ich liebe dich - I love you
jah (also ya) - yes
kaffi (also, kaffee) - coffee
kapp - prayer covering worn by women
kichli - cookie
kichlin - cookies
kinn (also, kind) - child
kinner - children
kinskinner - Grandchildren
Kumme (or Kumm) - Come
lieb - love, sweetheart
liewe - a term of endearment, dear, love
liede - song
maid (also, maed) - girls
maidel (also, maedel) - girl
Mamm (also, Mammi) - Mother, Mom
Mammi - Grandmother
mann - man
mariye-esse - breakfast
mei - my
meidung - shunning
mei lieb - my love
mein liewe - my dear, my love
menner - men
mudder - mother
naerfich - nervous
naut (also, nacht) - night
nee (also nein) - no
nix - nothing
nohma - name
onkel - uncle
Ordnung - “Order”, the unwritten Amish set of rules, different in each community
piffle (also, piddle) - to waste time or kill time
Plain - referring to the Amish way of life
rett (also, redd) - to put (items) away or to clean up.
rootsh (also, ruch) - not being able to sit still.
rumspringa (also, rumschpringe) - Running around years - when Amish youth (usually around the age of sixteen) leave the community for time and can be English, and decide whether to commit to the Amish way of life and be baptized.
schatzi - honey
schee - pretty, handsome
schecklich - scary
schmaert - smart
schtupp - family room
schweschder - sister
schweschdern - sisters
schwoger - brother-in-law
seltsam - strange, unnatural
sohn - son
vadder - father
verboten - forbidden
Vorsinger - Song leader
was its let - what is the matter?
wie gehts - how are you?
wilkum (also, wilkom) - welcome
wunderbar (also, wunderbaar) - wonderful
yer - you
yourself - yourself
youngie (also, young) - the youth
yung - young