Pennsylvania Dutch Dialect - Verb Tenses
Verb Tense Reference Sentences

If you're like me, you may have forgotten the names of all the tenses, but you occasionally want to look up the details within one of the grammar books.  Following is a list of sentences and the corresponding page in the Haag book that has details on usage. (I made up one sentence and then show it in different tenses).  Note, I have not shown commands, questions, or inverted sentences, only basic tenses.


I go into the room.
Present Tense (pg 14)

Ich geh in die Schtubb.
[I go into the room.]

I do go into the room.
Emphatic Tense (pg 29)

Ich duh in die Schtubb gehe.
[I do into the room go.]

I am going into the room.
Progessive-like Present Tense (pg 31)

Ich bin in die Schtubb am Gehe.
[I am into the room going.]

I {can, must, should} go into the room.
Present Tense of Modal Auxiliaries (pg 80)

Ich {kann, muss, soll} in die Schtubb geh.
[I can into the room go.]

I am going to go into the room.
Double Infinitives (pg 82)

Ich geh into die Schtubb geh.
[I go into the room go.]

I {am allowed to, may, want to} go into the room.
More Modal Auxiliaries (pg 106)

Ich {darreff, maag, will} in die Schtubb geh.
[I am allowed into the room go.]

I went into the room. (I have gone into the room.)
Present Perfect (instead of Simple Past) (pg 148)

Ich bin in die Schtubb gange.
[I am into the room gone.]
(note that with no direct object, and motion, geh uses sie instead of hawwe).

I had gone into the room.
Past Perfect (pg 162)

Ich bin in die Schtubb gange gwest.
[I am into the room gone be.]

I will go into the room.
Future Indicative (pg 233)

Ich wa in die Schtubb geh.
[I will into the room go.]

I will probably go into the room.
Future, continued (pg 234)
Ich wa woll in die Schtubb geh.
[I will probably into the room go.]

I will have gone into the room.
Future Perfect Indicative (pg 234)

Ich wa in die Schtubb gange sei.
[I will into the room gone be.]

I would go into the room.
Present Time Subjunctive(pg 261)

Ich gingt in die Schtubb.
[I would go into the room.]

I would have gone into the room.
Past Time Subjunctive (pg 262)

Ich waer in die Schtubb gange.
[I would be into the room gone.]