Swiss-German phrasebook

From MaxTravelz

Swiss-German is is considerably different from German, especially as it happens in regards to those very phrases which a traveler needs: nicities, greetings, asking for stuff, getting directions, etc. One of the key differences to getting by with Swiss German. For example, "Fine, thank you" is Guet, merci; with guet being the German word for good/fine, while merci is from the French "thank you". In addition, there are many pronunciation differences which separate Swiss-German from either language. For example, the long-vowel sound in Swiss-German "guet" versus the short-vowel sound in High-German "gut".

Contents 1 Pronunciation guide 1.1 Vowels 1.2 Consonants 1.3 Common diphthongs 2 Phrase list 2.1 Basics 2.2 Problems 2.3 Numbers 2.4 Time 2.4.1 Clock time 2.4.2 Duration 2.4.3 Days 2.4.4 Months 2.4.5 Writing time and date 2.5 Colors 2.6 Transportation 2.6.1 Bus and train 2.6.2 Directions 2.6.3 Taxi 2.7 Lodging 2.8 Money 2.9 Eating 2.10 Bars 2.11 Shopping 2.12 Driving 2.13 Authority 3 Learning more

Pronunciation guide

Note that most of the following Swiss-German phrases and words are written as they would be pronounced by people living in the area around Berne (i.e. in the canton of Berne). Whilst bernese dialect is widely understood in the Swiss-German part of Switzerland, it's by no means "official" Swiss-German (despite of the fact that Berne is the Swiss capital). There is no standardized Swiss-German. Remarkably, the native dialects spoken in the many Swiss-German cantons are clearly distinguishable by locals (i.e. they can tell apart from the dialect in which canton somebody grew up). Speaking Swiss-German is common for all people living in the Swiss-German part of Switzerland, independent of age or education. For writing, standard German is mostly used, though Swiss-German dialect is particularly popular among the youths (e.g. in e-mail messages, SMS messages etc.). With the ongoing globalization and immigration, mixing Swiss-German dialects with English (quite often even with pseudo English) or speaking so called "Jugo-Deutsch" (German pronounced as immigrants coming from the former Yugoslavia region tend to pronounce it) has also become trendy for youngsters.

For official documents, standard German is used (which is the official language of the northern part of Switzerland).

Vowels

Consonants

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

Basics

Hello (formal) 

Grüezi, Grüässech ( )

Hello. (informal) 

Hoi, Sali, Hallo, Hey ( )

How are you? 

Wie geit's ( ?)

Fine, thank you. 

Guet, merci ( )

Thanks 

Merci ( )

What is your name? 

Wie heissisch ( ?)

My name is ______ . 

I heisse ______ . ( _____ .)

Nice to meet you. 

Fröit mi ( )

Please. 

Bitte ( )

Thank you. 

Merci ( )

You're welcome. 

Gärn gscheh ( )

Yes. 

Ja ( )

No. 

Nei ( )

Excuse me. (getting attention) 

Tschuldigung ( )

Excuse me. (begging pardon) 

Tuet mer Leid; Entschuldigung ( )

I'm sorry. 

Tuet mer Leid ( )

Goodbye 

Adie; Uf wiederluege ( )

Goodbye (informal) 

tschüss, tschau ( )

I can't speak name of language [well]. 

I cha nöd guet Schwitzertütsch [ ]. ( [ ])

Do you speak English? 

Redsch Änglisch? ( ?)

Is there someone here who speaks English? 

Isch do öppert, wo Änglisch redet? ( ?)

Help! 

Hilfe! ( !)

Look out! 

Pass uuf! ( !)

Good morning. 

Guete Morge. ( )

Good evening. 

Guete Obed . ( )

Good night. 

Guet Nacht. ( )

Good night (to sleep) 

Guet Nacht. ( )

I don't understand. 

I has nöd verstandä. ( )

Where is the toilet? 

Wo isch s'WC ? ( ?)

Problems

Numbers

1 äis, ais
2 zwöi, zwai
3 drü
4 vier
5 föif, füüf
6 sächs
7 sebe, sibä
8 acht
9 nün
10 zäh

20 zwänzg, zwanzg
30 drissg
40 vierzg
50 füfzg
60 sächzg
70 sebezg, sibezg
80 achtzg
90 nünzg
100 hundert

11 elf
12 zwölf
13 drizäh
14 vierzäh
15 füfzäh
16 sächzäh
17 sebzäh, sibzäh
18 achzäh
19 nünzäh

21 einezwänzg
22 zwöiezwänzg
23 drüezwänzg
24 vierezwänzg
25 föifezwänzg
26 sächsezwänzg
27 sebenezwänzg
28 achtezwänzg
29 nünezwänzg

101 eihundertundäis
102 eihundertzwöi

Time

Clock time

Duration

Days

Mäntig, Mentig
Tsischtig
Mittwuch
Donnschtig
Fritig
Samschtig
Sunntig

Months

Januar
Februar
Merz
April
Mai
Juni
Juli
Auguscht
Septämber
Oktober
Novämber
Dezämber

Writing time and date

Colors

Transportation

Motorcycle - Töff

Bicycle - Velo

Tram (Streetcar)- Tram

Bus and train

Directions

Taxi

Lodging

Money

Gäld

Eating

Enjoy your meal - En guete

Bars

Glass of beer - Schtange

Shopping

Driving

Authority

Learning more

This article is still a stub and needs your attention. It does not have a template and contains minimal information. Please plunge forward and help it grow!

This article is still a stub and needs your attention. It does not have a template and contains minimal information. Please plunge forward and help it grow!