swiss german phrasebook
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PhrasebookTRANSCRIPT
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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