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Some Common Amish Words

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The Amish speak a unique dialect that derives from Old High German. It is sometimes mistakenly called Dutch or Pennsylvania Dutch. More appropriately it is called Pennsylvania German and they themselves call it Deitsch or Deitsh.

Rated 73 points - posted 14 years ago by OfficeMaster in category People.
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1.

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Gut - "Good" Report Abuse
Wonderful word to know to use with young Amish children.
144 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster - 7 comments
Comments:
Actually the German the Amish and Mennonites speak is the palatine dialect in the Pfalz states to the south. My family comes from Thurigen and they can't understand the palatine dialect.
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If you want to learn Amish - it is very easy: learn German. There is (almost) mo difference
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GUT - That sounds so cute. I think I'm adapted into my own language. //smile// Thank you
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this is a cool website:)
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Love it
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Cool
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It's goot like hoot not gut as in beer gut
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2.

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Webishtew - "how are you?" Report Abuse
85 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster - 6 comments
Comments:
"Du" is for an equal or close friend. "Sie" is more proper and respectful. "Pal/Sir" ...kinda...ish.
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Like that
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Wie Bischt Du is correct spelling
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Wie bischt du
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Ok so is VOBISTDU, where are you?
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Look, it's VEBISHDEW
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3.

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Yah - "Yes" Report Abuse
This is a very common word in Amish. In fact, I use it frequently even though I am not Amish, but know enough Amish to start using it myself.
74 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster - 9 comments
Comments:
I grew up in southern Michigan, Kalamazoo, where half my family is Dutch from Holland,and there are many Amish and Mennonites around. It might be spelled Jah, but is spoken like Yah, or the homonym Ya.
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Like it
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That is supposed to be Jah
Added 9 years ago by guest, 2 points Vote + to improve this comment's ranking Vote - to decrease this comment's ranking
In all the books I've read, which are many...'jah' was the spelling. Books written by ex-Amish
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I've also seen it spelled like "ja."
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No it's spelled yah, Amish is broken German so It's not spelled the same.
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I am writing a book about the Amish, and I know alot about them. Yeah is not a word on their tounges. But yah is.
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I suspect that should be spelled "Ja" just like the standard German word for "yes"
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yeah but its not an amish word
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4.

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Gott - "God" Report Abuse
Faith is very important to the Amish and so God is too.
34 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster -

5.

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Neh - "No" Report Abuse
Also a common word that can be heard even if Amish are speaking English.
32 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster - 4 comments
Comments:
I like Amish
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Yes it is, its pronounced NAY. I'm ex amish so im telling you it's an Amish word
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Yes neh is an Amish word!!!
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yeah but its not an amish word!
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6.

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daat Report Abuse
dad
26 points - added 13 years ago by guest - 1 comment
Comments:
no, 'dad' is daed
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7.

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Yaahr - "Year" Report Abuse
25 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster -

8.

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Wie bist du heit Report Abuse
Dietsch for "It's nice to meet you."
23 points - added 11 years ago by guest - 1 comment
Comments:
It's more for "how are you" in a greeting way...
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9.

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esa Report Abuse
it means eat--everyone eats! i also grew up babysat by amish and this was one of the most common words used
23 points - added 13 years ago by guest -

10.

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Deitsch Report Abuse
This is south German dialect word for "Deutsch". Germans do not say: "German", they say "Deutsch". This is the reason why some anglo-saxons confuse "Deutsch" with "Dutch". The Dutch People call themselve not "dutch" but "Holland". Understood? Maybe too complicated for one-language-people. I am sorry for that!
21 points - added 8 years ago by guest - 1 comment
Comments:
No, the reason it is called "Dutch" in English is that "Dutch" in 18th century English meant both Dutch (in the current sense: Netherlandish) and German. The term "Pennsylvania Dutch" preserves this earlier meaning of the word "Dutch". Native speakers of Pennsylvania Dutch usually call the language just "Dutch" for short when speaking English.
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11.

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Dawdy - Grandpa Report Abuse
I read amish books frequently and in every book i have read it is always in there
18 points - added 12 years ago by guest - 1 comment
Comments:
This is why the smaller house built for the grandparents is called the "Dawdy House"
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12.

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Shlofa - "sleep" Report Abuse
I hear this often from young children or being said to young children.
15 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster - 3 comments
Comments:
Love you
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I love to learn Amish because I want to be Amish when I get older and because my aunt hauls Amish
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It means sleep good or sleep tight.
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13.

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denki - thank you Report Abuse
14 points - added 12 years ago by guest - 1 comment
Comments:
I've also seen it as "denke."
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14.

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Blaeckbier - "blackberry" Report Abuse
14 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster - 2 comments
Comments:
Nonsens! "Bier" is German for "beer". E glish black is in German "schwarz". Therefore Blackbeer is "Schwarzbier"
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Is this like the phone or the berry ? i guess the berry
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15.

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Dat - Dad Report Abuse
13 points - added 12 years ago by guest -

16.

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Couw - cow Report Abuse
12 points - added 14 years ago by guest - 1 comment
Comments:
Cow is kuh. Pronounced too The plural cows is kind, pronounced key
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17.

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Maemm - "Mom" Report Abuse
12 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster -

18.

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Ich bin die.... Report Abuse
My name is...
11 points - added 11 years ago by guest - 3 comments
Comments:
You can also say "Ich bin der ..." (plus a man or boy's name) or "Ich bin die ... " (plus a woman or girl's name). That's literally "I am the..." (of course we don't use the "the" in English!) It has of course virtually the same meaning as "Mei Naame iss..."
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That says "I am the...." not "My name is..."
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correct would be "Mei Noma Is....."
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19.

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Deitsh - "Pennsylvania German" Report Abuse
10 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster - 1 comment
Comments:
that is not a word they say--I should know
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20.

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bensel= silly child Report Abuse
9 points - added 9 years ago by guest -

21.

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Feddy- Fat Report Abuse
8 points - added 13 years ago by guest -

22.

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thank you Report Abuse
8 points - added 14 years ago by guest - 1 comment
Comments:
I believe "denke" is thank you! But I could be wrong! Please look it up.. I don't accidentally want to insult somebody or something.
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23.

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Mammi Report Abuse
it is a name for grandma
6 points - added 12 years ago by guest -

24.

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Naett - "not" Report Abuse
6 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster -

25.

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absatz = stop Report Abuse
5 points - added 9 years ago by guest -

26.

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strumpig means small Report Abuse
Leant from the movie named Witness.
5 points - added 13 years ago by guest -

27.

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Amen - "Amen" Report Abuse
5 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster -

28.

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ee hopp/ ee hopps niet- i have/ I don't have Report Abuse
4 points - added 13 years ago by guest -

29.

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Guten Nacht mean Good Night Report Abuse
4 points - added 14 years ago by guest - 1 comment
Comments:
Gutti Nacht
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30.

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Aenti - "aunt" Report Abuse
4 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster -

31.

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Daett - "Dad" Report Abuse
4 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster - 1 comment
Comments:
i have also seen it as dat
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32.

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Die koo Report Abuse
Dietsch for cow.
3 points - added 11 years ago by guest -

33.

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Duvach Report Abuse
Dietsch for tobacco.
3 points - added 11 years ago by guest -

34.

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Ve - "We" Report Abuse
"They drink milk for an achey belly (stomach ache)." "Spread me all over with apple busser (apple butter) a piece of bread." "When he was punished, our boy brutzed (pouted) for ares (hours)." "Their car cunked awt (conked out) on them." "He has a big crotch (garage) for his small truck." "He is so doppick (dumb, not too bright)." "Erector" (as in to destroy or demolish something) "Remember his old buggy? Erector!" "Fernhoodle" (to confuse, perplex or puzzle) "He speaks fernhoodled English that one does." The expression, "Gookamoedoe!" means "Look at that!" "Gruntbecky!" is an expression of difficulty. "Gruntbecky! This vell (well) is difficult to dick (dig)." "hurrieder" (to do something faster or more quickly) "Tell them to work hurrieder. A storm’s coming." "Make yourself up boy wunst (one time, once). You’re all strubly (generally meaning disheveled, disordered, unkempt." "Eat yourself full" and "Drink your mouth empty" are also very commonly heard. Even my late Grandmother used to sometimes say, "It’s gonna make down wet" when rain was imminent. sounds of "w" are pronounced as "v" as in "ve" for "we," "b" is replaced by "p" as in "sop" for "sob," hard "g" is replaced by "k" as in "dick" for "dig," and "f" often substitutes for the sound of "v" in words like "liff" for "live." But, wait, there’s more: "g" is substituted by "ch" as with "cheneration" for "generation," "ch" can also substitute for the "j" sound, as a short "o" disappears so the "u" can replace it such as saying "cummin" for "common" as in "cummin sense," "grudge" is more commonly pronounced as "crutch," and "mouth" actually sounds a whole lot more like "mawth."
2 points - added 11 years ago by guest - 2 comments
Comments:
Ch for j. My brother Jimmy was always called Chimmy.
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If someone could correct these for me, that would be great.
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35.

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Licht-shtaend - "lightstand" Report Abuse
2 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster -

36.

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Raessle - "wrestle" Report Abuse
2 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster -

37.

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Wasser Report Abuse
Dietsch for water.
1 point - added 11 years ago by guest -

38.

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Satch Report Abuse
Rather than hearing "touche'", you take the initiative and say, "Satch!"
1 point - added 13 years ago by guest -

39.

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Haendla - "handle" Report Abuse
1 point - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster -

40.

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baby Report Abuse
0 points - added 5 years ago by guest - 2 comments
Comments:
boppli is the word for baby
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In the talking book I am listening to, they calla bay a word that begins with a b but I can't understand the work! What is it?
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41.

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Daanzeh Report Abuse
Dancer
0 points - added 6 years ago by guest -

42.

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Lumbuh Shtayguh Report Abuse
Lumber Stacker
0 points - added 6 years ago by guest -

43.

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firsht Report Abuse
well, my honors algebra II teacher was amish for a while, and she frequently says the word 'first' as 'firsht"
0 points - added 13 years ago by guest - 1 comment
Comments:
omg i know! its so annoying!
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44.

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Aensere - "answer" Report Abuse
0 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster -

45.

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dieck= dick Report Abuse
because my dick is bigger
-1 point - added 9 years ago by guest -

46.

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Du bishte- you are Report Abuse
-1 point - added 13 years ago by guest -

47.

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Grossie- big Report Abuse
-2 points - added 13 years ago by guest -

48.

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Laerning - "learning" Report Abuse
-2 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster - 1 comment
Comments:
Better spelled as pronounced: "Lanning"
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49.

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Wonderful Report Abuse
I would like to know the PA Dutch word used for Wonderful
-4 points - added 9 years ago by guest - 3 comments
Comments:
Or "wunnerbaar"
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It is "wunderbar". You should learn that there is not such a Thing like "dutch" in PA, because there are no duch People there! Understood? It is PA Deutsch and deutsch means "German" in English. Understood?
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vundabah
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guido Report Abuse
-4 points - added 13 years ago by guest -

51.

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Baenk - "bank" Report Abuse
-4 points - added 14 years ago by OfficeMaster -
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