Swiss-German phrasebook 1

Swiss-German phrasebookSwiss-German is considerably different from German, especially as it happens in regard to those very phrases whicha traveler needs: niceties, greetings, asking for stuff, getting directions, etc. One of the key differences to getting bywith 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 separateSwiss-German from either language. For example, the diphthong in Swiss-German "guet" versus the monophthongin High-German "gut".You are unlikely to have to learn Swiss-German, as all German-speaking Swiss educated in modern day schools arealso able to speak standard German. Nevertheless, saying a few words in Swiss-German will undoubtedly impressthe locals.

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

VowelsThe vowels in swiss german are unlike the english vowels closer to the german and latin pronunciations.Pronunciation Guide:a - ah (as in saw) e - eh (as in end) i - e (as in eel) o -oh (as in on) u - oo (as in moose)

Phrase list

BasicsHello/Hi (informal)

Hoi!Hi, everyone! (informal)

Hoi zäme!Hi (very informal)

Saluti! [salooti!] / Saletti!Hello (formal)

Grüezi! [Grea-atsie]Hello, Ms./Mr. ... (formal)

Swiss-German phrasebook 2

Grüezi Frau/Herr ...Hello, everyone (formal)

Grüezi mitenand! [Grea-tsi metta-nònd]

Problemsich ha(n) mi(s) Portmonnaie verlore!

I lost my wallet! (n, s = variants, depending on the dialect)ich fühl mi(ch) schlächt

I feel sick/not well/upset (ch = variant)wo isch de Polizei Poschte?

where is the police station?ich mues öppis mälde

I have to/must report somethingSpital

HospitalHät's da es Spital i de Nöchi?

is there a hospital nearby?ich bi(n) velore/mer sind verlore

I/we am/are lost!! (n = variant)bitte säged sie mir wo.....isch?

Can you please tell me where.....is?Bahnhof

train stationTaxi Stand

taxi stationBank

BankPost

post office (prononced="pay-tay-tay")Hotel " "

the " " hotelChile

churchich bi(n) verliebt!

I'm in loveich liib dich!

I love you!

Swiss-German phrasebook 3

Numbers

1eis, äis, ais, eins

2zwei, zwöi, zwai

3drü, drai, drei

4vier

5foif, fföif, füüf, fünf

6sächs, säggs

7sibe, sebe, siebe

8acht

9nün

10zäh, zehn

11elf

12zwölf

13drizäh

14vierzäh

15füfzäh

16sächzäh

17sibzäh

18achzäh

19nünzäh

Swiss-German phrasebook 4

20zwänzg, zwanzig

21einezwänzg, einezwanzig

22zweiezwänzg, zweiezwanzig

23drüezwänzg, dreiezwanzig

24vierezwänzg, vierezwanzig

25foifezwänzg, fünfezwanzig

26sächsezwänzg, säggsezwanzig

27sibenezwänzg, siebenezwanzig

28achtezwänzg, achtezwanzig

29nünezwänzg, nünezwanzig

30driss(i)g

40vierz(i)g

50füfzg, fuffzig

60sächz(i)g

70sibezg, siebzig

80achtz(i)g

90nünz(i)g

100hundert

101hundertundäis

102

Swiss-German phrasebook 5

hundertzwöi

Clock time

timeZit

What time is it?Was isch för zit?

It is...Es esch ...

one o'clockeis

half past twelvehalbi eis

quarter to oneviertel vor eis

ten to onezäh vor eis

quarter past onevirtel ab eis

ten past onezäh ab eis

half past onehalbi zwoi

Duration

Wie lang gohts bis ... (How long does it take to...) Wie lang het me bis....? (dito) Duretslang bes of? (dito)

Days

MäntagDienstag, DenstagMittwochDonnerstagFrietagSamstagSunntag

Swiss-German phrasebook 6

Months

JanuaryJanuar

FebruaryFebruar

MarchMärz, Merz

AprilApril

MayMai

JuneJuni

JulyJuli

AugustAuguscht

SeptemberSeptämber

OctoberOktober

NovemberNovämber

DecemberDezämber

Writing time and date

dateDatom

tenth of January, 2009zähte erste zwoitusignün

ColorsRed

RotBlue

blauBlack

schwarzGreen

Swiss-German phrasebook 7

grüenWhite

WiissYellow

gäl(b)Purple

violetOrange

orange (oransh)Pink

rosa/pinkGray

grau

TransportationMotorcycle - Töff, DöffVespa, Motorbike - Töffli, Döffli, MofaBicycle - VeloTram (Streetcar) - Tram, Drämmli

Bus Train Plane

Bus, Car - BusReisecar - travel busZug - trainFlugzüg, Flüüger - airplane

Directions

graad uus - straight aheadlinks - lefträchts - rightvore, vorne - in frontvüre, vürschi, vorwärts - forwardshinde - in the backhindere, rückwärts, zrugg - backwards, back

Swiss-German phrasebook 8

Taxi

Zum Hotel ...... bitte! - to the ..... hotel please!was koschtet's öppe nach .......? - How much does it cost to ....., approximately?Flughafe - airportBahnhof - train stationHotel .... - ..... hotelich ha(n)'s pressant! - I'm in a hurry!mir händ's pressant! - We are in a hurry!Bitte pressiere! - Hurry, please!

MoneyGäld / Bargäld, Stutz (coll.), Stütz (coll.)

cash, money.isch Bargäld ok? mit Bargäld bezahle?

can I pay with cash? pay with cash?Was koschtet das?

how much is this/that?Z'tüür! (Zu teuer)

Too expensive! (might be very offensive!)Das isch mir e chli z'tüür

That seems to be rather expensive (more polite phrasing)Hät's no billigeres?

Do you have something cheaper?Chann ich mit Kreditkarte zahle?

Can I use my Credit Card?Trinkgäld (gäh)

Tip (Tipping)Ich (i) nimm das

I'll take/buy it (i pronounced like "e" in english)I/Ich möcht öppis anders

I would like something else.Händ si Souvenirs?

Do you have souvenirs?Wo chan ich Gäld wächsle?

Where can I change money?Wo isch de nächscht Bankomat?

Where is the closest ATM?

Swiss-German phrasebook 9

EatingEn guete!

Enjoy your meal!Schoggi

Chocolate (gg is often pronounced as 'ck,' thus 'schocki')Proscht, Pröschtli, Prosit!

CheersHerdöpfel / Erdöpfel

Potato(es) (pronounced hadopfel / erdoplfel)(Erdöpfel would roughly translate to "earth apple" similar to theFrench Pom De Terre.)

RüebliCarrot(s)

Ä Stangä, es ChliisesA small glass of beer

En Chübel, es GrossesA big glass of beer

Es Glas WiiA glass of wine

Es Glas Rote (Wii)A glass of red wine

Es Glas Wysse (Wii)A glass of white wine

Oktoberteewine (slang/coll.)

Chriesicherry/cherries

Chuechepie

Gipfelicroissant(s)

Milchkafi, Schalecafe au lait

Kafi crèmecoffee

Bierbeer

Suufeto drink beer/alcohol...

Schwiizer ChääsSwiss cheese

Swiss-German phrasebook 10

Röschtimashed, fried potatoes (a Swiss speciality)

FondueFondue (melted Swiss cheese in a bowl, a Swiss speciality, usually eaten during winter-time only)

Raclettemelted, roasted Swiss cheese (a Swiss speciality, usually eaten during winter-time only)

Züri-GschnätzletsCut veal, often served with Röschti, speciality of Zurich

Ich würdi gern e Schwiizer Spezialität probiereI'd like to taste a Swiss speciality

Was chönd Sie mir empfehle?Can you recommend something?

Barse Schtange, es Chliises

A small glass of beeren Chübel, es Grosses

A large glass of beeren Aperitiv

a starterPröschtli!, zum Wohlsii!

Cheers!Chueche, Cake, Flade

Cake

ShoppingPoschtä, iichaufe

Going shoppingWieviel choschtet ...?

How much does ... cost?Gits en Rabatt? Gits en Ermässigung?

Can you give me a discount?Wo häts ...?

Where can I find ...?

Swiss-German phrasebook 11

DrivingAuto fahre

driving a carWo ane fahrt dä bus?

Where is this bus going to?Fahruswiis

driving licenseVerkehrsregle

traffic rulesUnfall

accidentPolizischt

police officerRechtsverkehr

right-hand traffic/driving (that's the way to drive in Switzerland)

OtherHänd ihr de ... kaputt gmacht?

Did you destroy the ...?Hoi

Hi (informal)Grüezi Frau/Herr

Hello (formal)Guete Morge

Good morning (informal and formal)Guete Abig

Good evening (informal and formal)Schöne Hinicht

Have a pleasant evening (informal and formal)

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Article Sources and Contributors 12

Article Sources and ContributorsSwiss-German phrasebook  Source: http://en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=2159002  Contributors: (WT-en) Dguillaime, (WT-en) Fastestdogever, (WT-en) Huttite, (WT-en) Jnich99,(WT-en) Jonathan Cross, (WT-en) Speakuplanguages, (WT-en) Zinee12, ChubbyWimbus, Cjensen, Gorilla Jones, Inas, Jpatokal, Lo Ximiendo, Peterfitzgerald, Wrh2, 137 anonymous edits

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