The Luxembourg language (Letzebuergesch) is classified as a west Mosel Frankish dialect. It has Germanic origins but has existed as a distinctly seperate language for nearly one thousand years.

Here is a list of some simple Letzebuergesch words and phrases with the English translations. I am not sure of the spelling, but I don't think it matters much. When I ask two Luxembourgers to spell the same word, I usually get at least three different spellings.

If you use a few of these phrases in Luxembourg, you will probably startle the natives. They seldom encounter any foreign visitors who understand even one word of their native tongue.

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Luxembourgish	Pronounciation	English
Moien	moy - yen	Good morning Good day
Novent	no - vent	Good evening
Noecht	nesh - t	Good night
Wei ass et?	veh - ahs - et	How are you?
Eddy	eddy	Goodbye (i.e. adieu)
Avuhr	av - oor	See you later.
Wann ech gelift.	vann - esh - ge - lift	Please - at your service.
Entschelecht	ent - shuel - esht	Excuse me.
freck	frec	darn
joh	yoh	yes
nee	nay	no
maio	may - yoh	for sure
Ech verstinn guer naecht.	Esh fur - shtin guhr nesht.	I don't understand a thing.
Ech schwaetzen bessen Letzebuergesch.	Esh shvetz - en bissen Letz - e - boor - zhish.	I speak a bit of Luxembourgish.

 

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