New Spelling for English Loan Words in Pennsylvania Dutch
If you’re learning Pennsylvania Dutch, you’ve probably noticed something: Deitsh borrows a lot of English words. Words like happy, enjoy, and change show up in everyday conversation all the time.
Until now, those borrowed words were usually spelled the way they sound, so happy became haebbi and change became tshaynsha. That’s changing, and for English speakers, it’s good news.
Why the Change?
Most native Deitsh speakers never learn to read their own language in school. That’s why Pennsylvania Dutch is usually written the way it sounds.
But when an English word gets “Deitsh-ified” in spelling, it can actually be harder for a native speaker to read. Readers already know the English word. Seeing it spelled a strange new way slows them down. The goal of the new spelling is simple: make Pennsylvania Dutch easier to read.
What’s New?
Here’s the short version:
- Borrowed words now use their English spelling. Haebbi is now just happy.
- Deitsh endings are added with an apostrophe. Endings like -a or -ah still match the pronoun, like enjoy’a or safe’ah. Borrowed verbs keep their English spelling and the conjugated endings are added with an apostrophe.
- Deitsh beginnings are added for past tense. Sounds like k- and ge- go in front, like k’happened or ge’trust.
- If a word is already easy to read, it stays the same.
Old vs. New Spelling
| Old Spelling | New Spelling |
|---|---|
| haebbi | happy |
| tshaynsha | change’a |
| enjoya | enjoy’a |
| enjoyt | enjoy’t |
| kaebbend | k’happened |
| trosta | trust’a |
| getrost | ge’trust |
| deela | deal’a |
| sayfi | safe’i |
| sayfah | safe’ah |
| nambah | number |
| reeli | really |
What Stays the Same?
Pronunciation doesn’t change at all. Happy still sounds like haebbi. Only the spelling is different.
Tips for Learners
- You’ll see both spellings for a while. Books and materials printed before September 2026 use the old spelling. Newer materials will start useing the new one.
- Learn to recognize both. If a word looks odd, try sounding it out. It may be an English word in its old spelling.
- Use the Words List. The Learn Pennsylvania Dutch Words List now shows the new spelling first and the old spelling second, so you can find a word either way.
The Bottom Line
The new spelling makes Deitsh easier to read, especially if you already know English. If you’ve been stuck trying to figure out what tshaynsha means, now you’ll just see change’a.