Plattdüütsch
Low German
Germanic
Low German (Plattdüütsch / Plattdeutsch) is a West Germanic language with ~5M speakers — northern Germany (Niedersachsen, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) and eastern Netherlands (Lower Saxon dialects). Sister to Dutch and English (West Germanic outside High German), descended from Old Saxon. Recognized as regional language under European Charter (Germany 1999). Mennonite-Plautdietsch diaspora globally.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Low German
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Germanic
| Meaning | Low German | Plautdietsch | Limburgish | Kölsch | Austrian German | Belgian Dutch | Luxembourgish German |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | Water /vɑːtɐ/ | Wota /vɔta/ | water /vatər/ | Wasser /vasɐ/ | Wasser /vasɐ/ | water /waːtər/ | Wasser /vasɐ/ |
| Fire | Füer /fyːɐ/ | Fia /fia/ | vuur /vyːr/ | Füer /fyːɐ/ | Feuer /fɔɪɐ/ | vuur /vyːr/ | Feuer /fɔɪ̯ɐ/ |
| Sun | Sünn /zʏn/ | Sonn /zɔn/ | zón /zɔn/ | Sonn /zɔn/ | Sonne /sɔnə/ | zon /zɔn/ | Sonne /zɔnə/ |
| Moon | Maan /maːn/ | Mon /moːn/ | maon /maːʊn/ | Mond /moːnt/ | Mond /moːnt/ | maan /maːn/ | Mond /moːnt/ |
| Star | Steern /steːrn/ | Stearn /stæːɾn/ | sjter /ʃtɛr/ | Stään /ʃtɛːn/ | Stern /ʃtɛrn/ | ster /stɛr/ | Stern /ʃtɛʁn/ |
| Night | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | nach /nax/ | Naach /naːx/ | Nacht /naxt/ | nacht /nɑxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ |
| Rain | Regen /ˈreːɡn̩/ | Rejen /ˈɾɛɪjən/ | Rään /rɛːn/ | Räje /ˈʁɛːjə/ | Regen /ˈreːɡn̩/ | regen /ˈreːɣən/ | Regen /ˈʁeːɡn̩/ |
| Snow | Snee /sneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | sjnee /ʃneː/ | Schnei /ʃnaɪ/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | sneeuw /sneːw/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ |
| Wind | Wind /vɪnt/ | Wint /vɪnt/ | wind /vɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnd/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | wind /wɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnt/ |
| Earth | Eer /eːɐ/ | Ieed /iːt/ | eerd /eːrt/ | Ääd /ɛːt/ | Erde /eːɐdə/ | aarde /ˈaːrdə/ | Erde /eːɐdə/ |
| Stone | Steen /steːn/ | Steen /stɔɪn/ | steen /steːn/ | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ | steen /steːn/ | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ |
| Mountain | Barg /barx/ | Boajch /boajç/ | berg /ˈbɛrəç/ | Berch /bɛʁɕ/ | Berg /bɛɐk/ | berg /bɛrx/ | Berg /bɛʁk/ |
| Sea | See /zeː/ | Mäa /mɛːa/ | zieë /ziə/ | Meer /meːɐ/ | Meer /meːɐ̯/ | zee /zeː/ | Meer /meːɐ̯/ |
| Mother | Moder /moːdɐ/ | Mutta /ˈmʊta/ | mam /mam/ | Moder /moːdɐ/ | Mutter /mʊtɐ/ | moeder /mudər/ | Mutter /mʊtɐ/ |
| Father | Vader /fɑːdɐ/ | Voda /ˈfoːda/ | pap /pap/ | Vatter /fatɐ/ | Vater /ˈfaːtɐ/ | vader /vaːdər/ | Vater /faːtɐ/ |
| Daughter | Dochter /dɔxtɐ/ | Dochta /ˈdoxta/ | dochter /dɔxtər/ | Dochter /dɔxtɐ/ | Tochter /ˈtɔxtɐ/ | dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ | Tochter /tɔxtɐ/ |
| I | ik /ɪk/ | ekj /ɛc/ | ich /ɪç/ | ich /ɪɕ/ | ich /ɪç/ | ik /ɪk/ | ich /ɪç/ |
| You | du /duː/ | du /du/ | doe /du/ | do /doː/ | du /duː/ | gij /ɣɛi/ | du /duː/ |
| We | wi /viː/ | wie /viː/ | veer /veːr/ | mir /miɐ/ | wir /viːɐ/ | wij /wɛi/ | wir /viːɐ̯/ |
| Name | Naam /naːm/ | Nome /ˈnoːmə/ | naam /naːm/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ | naam /naːm/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ |
| Person | Minsch /mɪnʃ/ | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | Minsch /minʃ/ | Minsch /mɪnʃ/ | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | mens /mɛns/ | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ |
| Head | Kopp /kɔp/ | Kopp /kɔp/ | kop /kɔp/ | Kopp /kɔp/ | Kopf /kɔpf/ | hoofd /ɦoːft/ | Kopf /kɔpf/ |
| Eye | Oog /oːx/ | Uag /uak/ | oug /ɔux/ | Auch /aʊx/ | Auge /ˈaʊ̯ɡə/ | oog /oːx/ | Auge /aʊ̯ɡə/ |
| Ear | Ohr /oːr/ | Oa /oːa/ | oear /uər/ | Uhr /uːɐ/ | Ohr /oːɐ̯/ | oor /oːr/ | Ohr /oːɐ̯/ |
| Nose | Nees /neːs/ | Näs /nɛːs/ | naas /naːs/ | Nas /nas/ | Nase /ˈnaːsə/ | neus /nøːs/ | Nase /ˈnaːzə/ |
| Mouth | Muul /muːl/ | Mul /muːl/ | móndj /mʊɲɟ/ | Muul /muːl/ | Mund /mʊnt/ | mond /mɔnt/ | Mund /mʊnt/ |
| Tooth | Tähn /tɛːn/ | Tän /tɛn/ | tandj /tantʃ/ | Zang /tsaŋ/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ | tand /tɑnt/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ |
| Tongue | Tung /tʊŋ/ | Tung /tʊŋ/ | tóng /tɔŋ/ | Zung /tsʊŋ/ | Zunge /ˈtsʊŋə/ | tong /tɔŋ/ | Zunge /ˈtsʊŋə/ |
| Hand | Hand /hant/ | Haunt /haʊnt/ | handj /hanʲ/ | Hand /hant/ | Hand /hɑnt/ | hand /ɦɑnt/ | Hand /hant/ |
| Foot | Foot /fɔʊ̯t/ | Foot /foːt/ | voot /voːt/ | Foß /foːs/ | Fuß /fuːs/ | voet /vut/ | Fuß /fuːs/ |
| Heart | Hart /haɐt/ | Hoat /hoat/ | hart /hart/ | Hätz /hɛts/ | Herz /hɛɐts/ | hart /ɦɑrt/ | Herz /hɛʁts/ |
| Bone | Knaken /ˈknaːkən/ | Knoaken /ˈknoakən/ | knaok /knɔːk/ | Knoche /ˈknɔxə/ | Knochen /ˈknɔxən/ | bot /bɔt/ | Knochen /ˈknɔxən/ |
| Blood | Bloot /bloːt/ | Bloot /bloːt/ | blood /bloːt/ | Blot /bloːt/ | Blut /bluːt/ | bloed /blut/ | Blut /bluːt/ |
| Poop | Schiet /ʃiːt/ | Kak /kak/ | poep /pup/ | Driss /dʁɪs/ | Kacke /ˈkakə/ | poep /pup/ | Kacke /ˈkakə/ |
| Love | Leev /leːf/ | Leew /leːf/ | leefde /leːfdə/ | Leev /leːf/ | Liebe /liːbə/ | liefde /lifdə/ | Liebe /liːbə/ |
| Tree | Boom /boːm/ | Boom /boːm/ | boum /bʌʊm/ | Boum /baʊm/ | Baum /baʊ̯m/ | boom /boːm/ | Baum /baʊ̯m/ |
| Dog | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | hóndj /hɔnʲ/ | Hongk /hoŋk/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | hond /ɦɔnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ |
| Cat | Katt /kat/ | Kaut /kaʊt/ | kat /kat/ | Katz /kats/ | Katze /kɑtsə/ | kat /kɑt/ | Katze /katsə/ |
| Fish | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fesch /fɛʃ/ | vis /vɪs/ | Fesch /fɛʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | vis /vɪs/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | Vagel /ˈfaːɣəl/ | Voagel /foəɡəl/ | veugel /ˈvøːɣəl/ | Vugel /fʊɡəl/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ | vogel /ˈvoːɣəl/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ |
| Butterfly | Sommervagel /ˈzɔmɐfaːɣəl/ | Sommavoagel /ˈzɔmafoəɡəl/ | kapel /kaˈpɛl/ | — | Schmetterling /ˈʃmɛtɐlɪŋ/ | vlinder /ˈvlɪndər/ | Schmetterling /ˈʃmɛtɐlɪŋ/ |
| Egg | Ei /ai/ | Ei /aɪ/ | ei /ɛi/ | Ei /ai/ | Ei /aɪ/ | ei /ɛi/ | Ei /aɪ/ |
| Bear | Boor /boːr/ | Boa /boːa/ | beer /beːr/ | Bär /bɛːɐ/ | Bär /bɛːɐ̯/ | beer /beːr/ | Bär /bɛːɐ̯/ |
| Horse | Peerd /peːrt/ | Pieet /piːt/ | Péërt /peə̯rt/ | Pääd /pɛːt/ | Pferd /pfeːɐ̯t/ | paard /paːrt/ | Pferd /pfeːɐ̯t/ |
| House | Huus /huːs/ | Hus /huːs/ | hoes /huːs/ | Huus /huːs/ | Haus /haʊs/ | huis /ɦœys/ | Haus /haʊ̯s/ |
| Milk | Melk /mɛlk/ | Malkj /malc/ | melk /mɛlk/ | Milesch /ˈmɪləʃ/ | Milch /mɪlç/ | melk /mɛlk/ | Milch /mɪlç/ |
| Honey | Honnig /ˈhɔnɪç/ | Honnich /ˈhɔnɪç/ | honing /ˈhoːnɪŋ/ | Honnich /ˈhɔnɪɕ/ | Honig /ˈhoːnɪk/ | honing /ˈɦoːnɪŋ/ | Honig /ˈhoːnɪç/ |
| Salt | Solt /zɔlt/ | Solt /zolt/ | zout /zɔut/ | Salz /zalts/ | Salz /salts/ | zout /zɔut/ | Salz /zalts/ |
| Wine | Wien /viːn/ | Wien /viːn/ | wien /ʋiːn/ | Wing /vɪŋ/ | Wein /vaɪ̯n/ | wijn /wɛin/ | Wein /vaɪ̯n/ |
| Rice | Ries /riːs/ | Riess /ɾiːs/ | ries /riːs/ | — | Reis /raɪ̯s/ | rijst /rɛist/ | Reis /ʁaɪs/ |
| Chocolate | Schokolaad /ʃokoˈlaːt/ | Schaklitz /ˈʃaklɪts/ | sjoekelaat /ʃukəˈlaːt/ | Schokolad /ʃokoˈlaːt/ | Schokolade /ʃokoˈlaːdə/ | chocolade /ʃoːkoːˈlaːdə/ | Schokolade /ʃokoˈlaːdə/ |
| Iron | Iesen /ˈiːzn̩/ | Iesa /ˈiːza/ | iezer /ˈiːzər/ | Ieser /ˈiːzɐ/ | Eisen /ˈaɪsn̩/ | ijzer /ˈɛizər/ | Eisen /ˈaɪ̯zn̩/ |
| Wheel | Rad /raːt/ | Raut /ɾaʊt/ | wiel /ʋiːl/ | Rad /ʁaːt/ | Rad /raːt/ | wiel /wiːl/ | Rad /ʁaːt/ |
| Silk | Sied /ziː/ | Sied /ziːt/ | ziej /ziː/ | — | Seide /ˈsaɪ̯də/ | zijde /ˈzɛidə/ | Seide /ˈzaɪdə/ |
| Book | Book /boːk/ | Buak /buak/ | book /boːk/ | Booch /boːx/ | Buch /buːx/ | boek /buk/ | Buch /buːx/ |
| Eat | eten /eːtn̩/ | äten /ɛːtən/ | ete /eːtə/ | esse /ɛsə/ | essen /ɛsn̩/ | eten /eːtən/ | essen /ɛsn̩/ |
| Drink | drinken /drɪŋkn̩/ | drinken /dɾɪŋkən/ | drinke /drɪŋkə/ | drinke /dʁɪŋkə/ | trinken /ˈtrɪŋkn̩/ | drinken /drɪŋkən/ | trinken /tʁɪŋkn̩/ |
| Sleep | slapen /ˈslaːpn̩/ | schlopen /ˈʃlɔːpm̩/ | slaope /ˈslɔːpə/ | schlofe /ˈʃlɔfə/ | schlafen /ˈʃlaːfn̩/ | slapen /ˈslaːpən/ | schlafen /ˈʃlaːfn̩/ |
| One | een /eːn/ | eent /eːnt/ | eine /ɛɪnə/ | ein /aɪn/ | eins /aɪ̯ns/ | een /eːn/ | eins /aɪ̯ns/ |
| Two | twee /tveː/ | twee /tveː/ | twee /tweː/ | zwei /tsvai/ | zwei /tsvai/ | twee /tweː/ | zwei /tsvaɪ/ |
| Three | dree /dreː/ | dree /dɾeː/ | drie /driː/ | dree /dʁeː/ | drei /draɪ̯/ | drie /driː/ | drei /dʁaɪ̯/ |
| Four | veer /feːɐ̯/ | vea /fɘɪɐ/ | veer /veːr/ | veer /feːʁ/ | vier /fiːɐ̯/ | vier /viːr/ | vier /fiːɐ̯/ |
| Five | fief /fiːf/ | fief /fiːf/ | vief /viːf/ | fönnef /ˈfœnəf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ | vijf /vɛif/ | fünf /fʏnf/ |
| Hundred | hunnert /ˈhʊnɐt/ | hundat /ˈhʊndat/ | hóndert /ˈhɔndərt/ | hundert /ˈhʊndɐt/ | hundert /ˈhʊndɐt/ | honderd /ˈɦɔndərt/ | hundert /ˈhʊndɐt/ |
| Hello | Moin /mɔɪn/ | Goondach /ɡoːndax/ | hallo /halo/ | Tach /tax/ | Servus /zɛɐvʊs/ | hallo /ɦɑloː/ | Hallo /haloː/ |
| Thank you | Dankschöön /daŋkʃøːn/ | Donk /dɔŋk/ | merci /mɛrsi/ | Dankeschön /daŋkəʃøːn/ | danke /daŋkə/ | dank je /dɑŋk jə/ | danke /daŋkə/ |
| Good | goot /ɡoːt/ | goot /ɡoːt/ | good /ɡoːt/ | joot /joːt/ | gut /ɡuːt/ | goed /ɣut/ | gut /ɡuːt/ |
| New | nee /neː/ | nie /niː/ | nuuj /nyːj/ | neu /nøʏ/ | neu /nɔɪ̯/ | nieuw /niːw/ | neu /nɔɪ̯/ |
| Red | root /roːt/ | root /ɾoːt/ | road /roːt/ | rud /ʁuːt/ | rot /roːt/ | rood /roːt/ | rot /ʁoːt/ |
| White | witt /vɪt/ | witt /vɪt/ | wit /ʋɪt/ | wieß /viːs/ | weiß /vaɪs/ | wit /wɪt/ | weiß /vaɪs/ |
| Black | swart /svart/ | schwoat /ʃvɔɐ̯t/ | zwart /zʋart/ | schwatz /ʃvats/ | schwarz /ʃvarts/ | zwart /zwɑrt/ | schwarz /ʃvaʁts/ |
| Green | gröön /ɡrøːn/ | jreen /jɾeːn/ | greun /ɡrøːn/ | jröön /jʁøːn/ | grün /ɡryːn/ | groen /ɣrun/ | grün /ɡʁyːn/ |
| Blue | blau /blaʊ/ | bleiw /blɛɪ̯f/ | blauw /blɑu/ | blau /blɔu/ | blau /blaʊ/ | blauw /blɑu/ | blau /blaʊ̯/ |
| Cuckoo | Kukuk /ˈkuːkuk/ | Kuckuck /ˈkʊkʊk/ | kókkók /ˈkoːkoːk/ | — | Kuckuck /ˈkʊkʊk/ | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ | Kuckuck /ˈkʊkʊk/ |
| Computer | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtɐ/ | Komputa /ˈkɔmpyta/ | computer /kɔmˈpjuːtər/ | Computer /komˈpjuːtɐ/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtɐ/ | computer /kɔmˈpjutər/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtɐ/ |
| Sushi | Sushi /ˈzuʃi/ | — | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | Sushi /ˈzuʃi/ | Sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | Sushi /ˈzuːʃi/ |
| Tea | Tee /teː/ | Tee /teː/ | tei /tɛi/ | Tee /teː/ | Tee /teː/ | thee /teː/ | Tee /teː/ |
| Coffee | Koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | Koffe /ˈkɔfə/ | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | Kaffe /ˈkafə/ | Kaffee /kaˈfeː/ | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | Kaffee /ˈkafe/ |
| Sugar | Sucker /ˈzʊkɐ/ | Zocka /ˈtsɔka/ | sókker /ˈsɔkər/ | Zucker /ˈtsʊkɐ/ | Zucker /ˈtsʊkɐ/ | suiker /ˈsœykər/ | Zucker /ˈtsʊkɐ/ |
| Orange | Apelsien /apəlˈziːn/ | Aupelsien /ˈaʊpəlzin/ | sinaasappel /ˈsinaːsapəl/ | Appelsin /apəlˈsiːn/ | Orange /oˈraːnʒə/ | sinaasappel /ˈsinɑsɑpəl/ | Orange /oˈʁãːʒə/ |
| Ninety-nine | negenunnegentig /ˈneːɡn̩ʊnˌneːɡn̩tɪç/ | näajen-un-näajentich /ˈnɛːajənʊnˌnɛːajəntɪç/ | — | — | neunundneunzig /ˈnɔʏ̯nʊntˌnɔʏ̯ntsɪk/ | negenennegentig /ˈneːɣənənˌneːɣəntəx/ | neunundneunzig /ˈnɔʏnʊntˌnɔʏntsɪç/ |
| Dopamine | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | — | dopamine /doːpaˈminə/ | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | dopamine /doːpaˈminə/ | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ |
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