Basic Crochet Terms: English, American, Polish, German, French

There are many free and premium crochet patterns on the internet. However, patterns are often available in a language, we do not know. Therefore, in this post, I decided to collect abbreviations in several languages to make it easier for you to read foreign-language instructions.

The tables below show crochet terminology in 5 languages: American, English, Polish, French and German.

Descriptions of basic terms in crocheting (US)

st - stitch - each individual knot in crochet ‘fabric’ is called a stitch

r - row/round - the row or a round of stitches

ch - chain - the series of loops created by yarning over (placing the yarn over the hook so it crosses from one side of the hook to the other) and pulling up one loop after another, each through the previous loop, to create a chain or string of loops.

Flat crochet pieces begin by creating a foundation chain which stitches are then worked into to create a fabric or piece.

Chains are also used to increase height at the start of a row of stitches (the taller the stitch, the more chains are required to start with), and to add new sections etc.

sp - space - the space underneath a chain, or in between a chain and the stitch next to it (usually at the start of a row), where you may need to insert your hook and/or work stitches into that space.

inc - increase - to increase the number of stitches by working 2 new stitches into the same base stitch instead of just 1. Sometimes described as 2sc, meaning work 2 single crochet into the next stitch (or 2dc in UK terms).

dec - decrease - insert the hook into both stitches (easier if you put the hook under only the front loop of the first stitch), before continuing on as you would a normal single/double crochet: yarn over and pull the loop through both stitches so there are now two loops on the hook, yarn over and pull through the remaining two loops on the hook.

sk - skip - sometimes called ‘miss’ in UK crochet, to skip or miss a stitch means you don’t work any new stitches into it.

sl st - slip stitch - insert the hook, yarn over and pull it through all loops on the hook. (ie. pull it through so there are two loops now on the hook, then without yarning over again pull the new second loop through the first loop on the hook).

sc - single crochet - insert the hook into a chain or under both loops of stitch, yarn over and pull through so there are 2 loops on the hook, yarn over again and pull through both loops on the hook.

hdc - half double crochet - yarn over once before inserting hook, insert hook, yarn over and pull through so there are 3 loops on the hook, yarn over and pull through all 3 loops on hook.

dc - double crochet - yarn over once before inserting hook, insert hook, yarn over and pull through so there are 3 loops on the hook, yarn over and pull through first two loops on hook, yarn over again and pull through remaining two loops on hook.

tr - treble crochet - yarn over twice before inserting hook, insert hook, yarn over and pull through, yarn over and pull through first two loops on hook, yarn over again and pull through next two loops on hook, yarn over a final time and pull through last two loops on hook.

dtr - double treble - yarn over three times before inserting the hook. Continue to complete the stitch as for treble/double treble crochet (ie. pulling through two loops at a time).

trtr - triple treble - yarn over four times before inserting the hook. Continue to complete the stitch as for treble/double treble crochet (ie. pulling through two loops at a time).

quad tr - quadruple treble - yarn over five times before inserting the hook. Continue to complete the stitch as for treble/double treble crochet (ie. pulling through two loops at a time)

quintr - quintuple treble - yarn over six times before inserting the hook. Continue to complete the stitch as for treble/double treble crochet (ie. pulling through two loops at a time).

There are many more crochet stitches you can learn, but these are the most commonly used terms I’ve come across in the patterns I’ve used, and many of the more complicated and decorative stitches are created by using a combination of these basics anyway. So I hope it’s helpful.

If you’ve found it helpful I’d love to hear from you! Let me know by leaving a comment below.