A Guide to Pronunciation of PA-Dutch Words
Vowels
Happy times in the garden
| Vowel | Pennsylvania Dutch | English Approximation | ||
| a (short) | sache (things) | a | as in | what |
| aa (long) | aag (eye) | aw | as in | saw |
| ae (long) | baer (bear) | ea | as in | bear |
| gaes (gas) | a | as in | gas | |
| ae (short) | paesching (peach) | a | as in | match |
| a (r) (long) | darf (may) | a | as in | father |
| e (long) | geht (goes) | a | as in | gate |
| e (short) | fett (fat) | e | as in | get |
| i (long) | ihn (him) | ee | as in | see |
| i (short) | bin (am) | i | as in | pin |
| o (long) | rot (red) | oa | as in | boat |
| u (long) | blut (blood) | oo | as in | moon |
| u (short) | dumm (stupid) | oo | as in | cook |
Out for a ride in a pony cart
Dipthongs
| Dipthong | Pennsylvania Dutch | English Approximation | ||
| au | laut (loud) | ow | as in | cow |
| ei | leicht (light) | i | as in | pine |
| oi | roi (row) | oy | as in | boy |
Consonants
Most of the consonants of Pennsylvania Dutch are pronounced much like they are in American English (b, p, d, t, k, ck, f, h, l, m, n, s, and w). Some of them are associated with letters that occur in English but with different sounds.
| Consonant | Pennsylvania Dutch | English Approximation |
 Amish coat room |
||
| b | bank (bench) | b | as in | bank | |
| ab (off, away) | p | as in | bump | ||
| ch (always follows a vowel | ich (I) | (Sound not in English) | |||
| mache (to make) | (Sound not in English) | ||||
| ck | packe (to pack) | ck | as in | picky | |
| pack (pack) | ck | as in | pack | ||
| d | daal (valley) | d | as in | dog | |
| dodder (egg yolk) | dd | as in | buddy | ||
| dog (death) | d | as in | dot | ||
| f | finne (to find) | f | as in | find | |
| hoffe (to hope) | f | as in | huffy | ||
| schof (sheep) | f | as in | hoof | ||
| g | geld (money) | g | as in | gold | |
| Grischt (Christian) | g | as in | ground | ||
| regischder (register) | g | as in | regulate | ||
| g (between
vowels only) |
aage (eyes) | (Sound not in English) | |||
| g (in final position) | aag (eye) | k | as in | kick | |
| h | hut (hat) | h | as in | hat | |
| h (silent) | uhr (clock) | ||||
| k | keenich (king) | k | as in | king | |
| l | leicht (funeral) | l | as in | light | |
| millich (milk) | ll | as in | silly | ||
| schlingel (rogue) | l | as in | single | ||
| m | mann (man) | m | as in | man | |
| besem (broom) | m | as in | broom | ||
| n | not (need) | n | as in | not | |
| menner (men) | nn | as in | banner | ||
| in (in) | n | as in | in | ||
| ng | ring (ring) | ng | as in | ring | |
| nk | gennuk (enough) | nk | as in | sink | |
| p | parre (pastor) | p | as in | pastor | |
| lumbe (rag) | b | as in | number | ||
| pp | kopp (head) | p | as in | hep | |
| roppe (to pick, pluck) | bb | as in | robber | ||
| s, ss | sadde (sort of) | s | as in | sort | |
| kissi (cushion) | ss | as in | sissy | ||
| boss (kiss) | ss | as in | boss | ||
| sch | schul (school) | sh | as in | shop | |
| t | tee (tea) | t | as in | tea | |
| text (text) | t | as in | next | ||
| dot (dead) | t | as in | debt | ||
| v | verrickt (crazy) | f | as in | for | |
| w | wasser (water) | w | as in | water | |
| x | hex (witch) | x | as in | ax | |
| x (sometimes ch) | waxe, wachse (to grow) | x | as in | ax | |
| y | yung (young) | y | as in | yard | |
| z | zucker (sugar) | ts | as in | hats | |
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