From Wikitravel

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 Train Plane 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 Bern, Basel, Zürich (i.e. in the canton of Bern, etc.). 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 Bern is the Swiss capital). There is no standardized Swiss-German ("Schwyzerdüütsch"). 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, Guete Dag (Tag)* (Basel) ( )

Hello. (informal) 

Hoi, Sali, Hallo, Hey, Salü ( )

How are you? 

Wie geit's, wie goht's (*= used proximity Basel) ( ?)

Fine, thank you. 

Guet, merci,: Super, dangge!* ( )

Thanks 

Merci, dangge* ( )

What is your name? 

Wie heissisch ( ?

My name is ______ . 

I heisse ______ . ( _____ .) : Mi Name isch "----"*

Nice to meet you. 

Fröit mi, freut mi sehr* ( )

Please. 

Bitte ( )

Thank you. 

Merci, dangge vyylmols* (vyyl=pronounced like english "feel)" ( )

You're welcome. 

Gärn gscheh, s'macht nid*, bitte*, ( )

Yes. 

Ja, Yo* ( )

No. 

Nei ( )

Excuse me. (getting attention) 

Tschuldigung, Excüsie* (=like French "excusez-moi) ( )

Excuse me. (begging pardon) 

Tuet mer Leid; Entschuldigung : (see "Excüsie")( )

I'm sorry. 

Tuet mer Leid, s'tuet mir sehr Leid* ( )

Goodbye 

Adie; Uf wiederluege, ( )

Goodbye (informal) 

tschüss, tschau , Ciao* (=Italian)( )

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 . Gueten Obe*( )

Good night. 

Guet Nacht. ( )

Good night (to sleep) 

Guet Nacht.: Schloof guet* ( )

I don't understand. 

I has nöd verstandä. ( )

Where is the toilet? 

Wo isch s'WC ? ( ?)

Problems

ich (i) (y) ha mis Portmonnaie verlore!- I lost my wallet! (i,y=like english "e") y fühle mich schlächt- i feel sick/not well/upset wo isch d'Polizei Poschte?- where is the police station? i mües öppis määlde- i have to/must report something Krankehuus- Hospital Het's e Krankehuus in dr Nüürche- is there a hospital nearby? i bi velore/mir sind verlore- I/we am/are lost!! bitte sage si mir wo.....isch?- Can you please tell me where.....is? Bahnhof-train station Taxi Stand- taxi station Bank-Bank PTT- post office (prononced="pay-tay-tay") Hotel " "- the " " hotel

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

Wie lang gahts bis ... (How long does it take to...) Wie lang het ma bis....? (dito) Brüch's vyyl Zyt bis....ane ? (dito)

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, Döff

Vespa, Motorbike- Döffli

Bicycle - Velo, "Muskel-Porsche" (Porsche using leg/muscle power) *jokingly said!

Tram (Streetcar)- Tram, Drämmli

Bus Train Plane

Büssli, Car-bus Reisecar- travel bus Zug-train Flügi, Flügzüg- airplane,

Directions

gerad uus-straight ahead links-left rächts-right vore-ahead, in front hintere-back, in the back

Taxi

Hotel......bitte- to the.....hotel please was koschtet's eppe nach.......?- approximately how much to.....? Flughafe- airport Bahnhof- train station Hotel....-.....hotel i ha es pressant!- i'm in a hurry! mir han's pressant!-we are in a hurry!

Lodging

Money

Gäld, Bargäld- cash, isch Bargäld ok?, mit Bargäld bezähle?- can i pay with cash, pay with cash? Was koschtet das? - how much is this/that?, Zu Tüüer! (Zu Teuer)- Too expensive!, Het's no Billigeres?- Do you have something cheaper?, Kann i mit Kreditkarte bezähle?- Can i use my Credit Card?, Trinkgäld (gäh)- Tip, (Tipping), Ich (i) (y) nimm das- I'lll take/buy it (i,y= both pronounced like "e" in english), Y möcht öppis anders-I would like something else, Han si Mitbringseli?- Do you have souvenirs?

Eating

Enjoy your meal - En guete

Schoggi - Chocolate

Cheers - Proscht, Pröstli*

Potato(es) - Herdöpfel

Carrot(s) - Rüebli

A small glass of beer - stangä

Glass of wine- s'Glas Wyy rot=red, wyss=white

Bars

Glass of beer - Schtange

Shopping

Poschtä (Go shopping)

Driving

Authority

Learning more

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