Blogbuster
Swiss German dialect
It’s no secret that German is a very difficult language. So far, so good. But Swiss German is probably even harder. There’s no such thing as just one Swiss German – every canton, and often even the tiniest village, has its own dialect. So if you learn Swiss German in Zurich (“Züri-Dütsch”), you’ll probably struggle to understand someone who grew up in Grindelwald. We’ve picked out a few common – and some rather funny – words for you.
Anyone who has visited Switzerland knows that even saying “hello” is the first hurdle. From “Grüezi” and “Grüessech” to “Sali” and “Tschou” – none of them are wrong, depending on where in Switzerland you happen to be. If you’re visiting the Jungfrau Region or anywhere else in the canton of Bern, you can’t go wrong with “Grüessech”.
Switzerland is a very clean country, so everywhere you go, you’ll be asked to take your rubbish home with you or throw it in the “Gischter” – the bin. Not to be confused with “geschter”, which means “yesterday”.
During a bit of small talk, someone might ask you what your plans are for “hine”. It usually means “tonight”, but occasionally it can also refer to last night.
If you’re making a fondue, whatever you do, don’t forget a pinch of “Mutschgetnuss” (nutmeg).
“Aaber”. Anyone who speaks German knows the word “aber”, meaning “but”. However, that second “a” makes quite a big difference. “Aaber” isn’t an objection – it’s the Swiss German word for “free of snow”.
When you go on a picnic, make sure you don’t forget your “Hegel” – probably the best-known Swiss invention of all: the pocket knife.
These are just a few of the words that might crop up in a conversation. Luckily, you don’t have to learn them all by heart: most Swiss people speak standard German and English – and if you ask nicely, they’ll be happy to help you out with a translation.
Here are a few fun expressions:
- “rüssen” = to snore
- “Riitigampfi” = swing
- “Gluggsi” = hiccups
- “Z’mondrischt” = the next day
- “Pfiffoltera” = butterfly
Dear Swiss readers: we know that with so many dialects, it’s impossible to list only words that everyone uses the same way. Even within the Jungfrau Region, some things have different names. So please don’t be cross with us if we’ve used a word differently from the way you would.
