SWISS GERMAN LANGUAGE

(Schwyzerdutsch)

                                                                                                                    

 

- a "dark" a like in the English words "far" and "start“

- an e that you pronounce with a rather open mouth,

- like in German "wählen" or English "pen“

- like in English "act" or "lap". Is not used in standard German, but quite often in Swiss German

[o] - like in German "rot", quite much the same as English "more“, ö-sound, like in "Rösti“

[u] - like in German "gut" or Norwegian "sol“

[y] - like the German ü in "für"

[ae] - often written "ei" in German. The diphthong similar to the one in "cry" or "mind“

[ao] - Mostly written "au" in German, like in "Haus“

[x] - like ch in "ach", "Nacht“

[kx] - a harder version of the one above. Try starting with a k that slides

[x]  - "ng" like in "sing“

[r] - what I would call a "rolling" r in Norwegian, similar to the East [:] - a colon after a vowel means that the vowel is long. Vowels without

a colon are short

['] - the first syllable after ' should be stressed  - a consonant with a stroke like this under it, is a

syllable of its own, like the b in  A

There is no preterite indicative.

There is no genitive case.

All relative clauses are introduced by the relative particle “wo”(where).

GRAMMAR

Never uses the past tense of the verb. (if they want to talk about something happened yesterday, they use the perfect tense).

Some nouns have other grammatical genders.

You can use “wo” all the time, or “won” when the next word starts with a vowel

NOUNSPotato herdopfelCarrots ruebli

Chocolate schoggiButter ankchecoffee kaficow chue

motorbike toffbike velo

church chileCellular phone natel

VERBSdrink trinkchewalk lauferun ranne

work schaffeWork hard chrampfe

look luegecall aalute

move zugleeat asse

Go shopping poschte

Your house looks very nice

dis huus gseht sehr schön us

My rainbow is on fire

min rägäbogä isch am brännä

My house is on fire mis huus isch am brännä

SENTENCES WITH VERB

Would you like to dance with me?

Mochtesch Du mit mir danze?

Do you speak Swiss German?

Konne Sie schwitzerdutsch

reede?

Shall we leave? Gommer?

YES/NO QUESTIONS

ENGLISH FORMAL INFORMAL

Welcome Wilkomme

Hello Grüezi Sali

How are you Wie goots Ihne?

Wie goots?

Fine, thanks. And you?

Dangge, guet, und Ihne?

Dangge, guet, und dir?

Long time no see!

Mr hänn is schon lang

nümme g'seh.What’s your

name?Wie isch Ihre

name? Wie isch Ihre

name? My name is… I heisse ... Mi name

isch ...

MEET SWISS GERMAN WORDS

Where are you from?

Wohär sind Sie ?

Wohär bisch Du?

I’m from… Ich bi vo ...

Good morning Guete Morge

Good afternoon Gueten Abig

Good evening Guete Daag

Good night Guet Nacht

Goodbye Uf Widerluege

Goodl uck Viel Glück Alles Gueti

Have a nice day Ich wünsch Ihne e schöne Daag

Ich wünsch Dir e schöne Daag

Thank you merci Merci vielmal

response Nut z’dangge Gaarn gscheh

I love you Ich liib dich I ha Di garn

Leave me alone Löhn Si mi in Ruh Loh mi in Ruh

Happy birthday Härzliche Glückwunsch zum

Geburtstag

Merry christmas Schöni Fäschttäg Schöni Wienachteund e guets neus

Jahr

Happy New Year en guete Rutsch is neue Johr

Schöni Wienachte und e guets neus

Joor

 Ch is pronounced like in the German word ach (whereas sch is like the normal sh-sound, like in "sheep"). You may have to practice a lot to make it, but don't practice so much that you get a sore throat!

1) CHUCHICHÄSCHTLI (kitchen

cupboard)

2) CHÄS-CHÜECHLI(cheese pie)

HOW TO IMPRESS A SWISS

Merci!

Ich wunsch Ihne e schone Daag!