# Swiss-German phrasebook

Swiss-German (Schweizerdeutsch in Standard German; some endonyms are Schwyzerdütsch, Schwiizertüütsch or Schwizertitsch) is a broad category of Germanic dialects spoken in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
These dialects are considerably different from German, especially as it happens in regard to those very phrases which a traveler needs: niceties, 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 diphthong in Swiss-German "guet" versus the monophthong in High-German "gut".
You are unlikely to have to learn Swiss-German, as all German-speaking Swiss educated in modern-day schools are also able to speak standard German. Nevertheless, saying a few words in Swiss-German will undoubtedly impress the locals.
Swiss German is different from Swiss Standard German (Schweizer Hochdeutsch), which is a variant of standard German for formal speech and writing in Switzerland, with some vocabulary differences, such as das Tram ("streetcar", Straßenbahn or die Tram in standard German) and Billett ("ticket", Fahrkarte, Fahrschein or Ticket in standard German).
Neither Swiss German nor Swiss Standard German use the Eszett (ß), and typically use a double s (ss) instead in its place.

## 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 the Bernese dialect is widely understood in the Swiss-German part of Switzerland, it's by no means "official" Swiss-German (despite the fact that Bern is the Swiss capital). There is no standardized Swiss-German ("Schwyzerdüütsch"), and it is standard German that is an official language in Switzerland. 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 the Swiss-German dialect is particularly popular in informal writing (e.g. in e-mail messages, SMS messages etc.). With 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 signs and documents, standard German is used.

### Vowels

The vowels in Swiss German are unlike the English vowels. They are 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)

### Common diphthongs
## Phrase list
### Basics
#### Hello/Hi (informal)

    Hoi!

#### Hi, everyone! (informal)

    Hoi zäme!

#### Hi (very informal)

    Saluti! [salooti!] / Saletti!

#### Hello (formal)

    Grüezi! [Grea-atsie] / Grüessech! [Grea-sec]

#### Hello, Ms./Mr. ... (formal)

    Grüezi/Grüessech Frau/Herr ...

#### Hello, everyone (formal)

    Grüezi mitenand! [Grea-tsi metta-nònd] / Grüessech mitenang!: Hoi: Hi (informal)

#### Grüezi/Grüessech Frau/Herr

    Hello (formal)

#### Guete Morge

    Good morning (informal and formal)

#### Guete Abig/Abe

    Good evening (informal and formal)

#### Schöne Hinicht/Abig

    Have a pleasant evening (informal and formal)

### Problems
#### i(ch) ha(n) mi(s) Portmonnaie verlore!

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

#### i(ch) fühl mi(ch) schlächt

    I feel sick/not well/upset (ch = variant)

#### wo isch de Polizei Poschte?

    where is the police station?

#### i(ch) mues öppis mälde

    I have to/must report something (ch = variant)

#### Spital

    Hospital

#### Hät's da es Spital i de Nöchi?

    is there a hospital nearby?

#### i(ch) ha(n) mi(ch) velaufe/mer händ eus verlaufe

    I/we am/are lost!! (ch, n = variant)

#### bitte säged sie mir wo.....isch?

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

#### Bahnhof

    train station

#### Taxi Stand

    taxi station

#### Bank

    Bank

#### Poscht

    post office

#### Hotel " "

    the " " hotel

#### Chile

    church

#### i(ch) bi(n) verliebt!

    I'm in love

#### i(ch) liib di(ch)!

    I love you!

#### Numbers
##### 1

    eis, äis, ais, eins

##### 2

    zwei, zwöi, zwai

##### 3

    drü, drai, drei

##### 4

    vier

##### 5

    foif, fföif, füüf, fünf

##### 6

    sächs, säggs

##### 7

    sibe, sebe, siebe

##### 8

    acht

##### 9

    nün

##### 10

    zäh, zehn

##### 11

    elf, euf

##### 12

    zwölf, zwöuf

##### 13

    drizäh

##### 14

    vierzäh

##### 15

    füfzäh

##### 16

    sächzäh

##### 17

    sibzäh

##### 18

    achzäh

##### 19

    nünzäh

##### 20

    zwänzg, zwanzig

##### 21

    einezwänzg, einezwanzig

##### 22

    zweiezwänzg, zweiezwanzig, zwöiezwänzg

##### 23

    drüezwänzg, dreiezwanzig

##### 24

    vierezwänzg, vierezwanzig

##### 25

    foifezwänzg, fünfezwanzig, füüfezwänzg

##### 26

    sächsezwänzg, säggsezwanzig

##### 27

    sibenezwänzg, siebenezwanzig

##### 28

    achtezwänzg, achtezwanzig

##### 29

    nünezwänzg, nünezwanzig

##### 30

    driss(i)g

##### 40

    vierz(i)g

##### 50

    füfzg, fuffzig

##### 60

    sächz(i)g

##### 70

    sibezg, siebzig

##### 80

    achtz(i)g

##### 90

    nünz(i)g

##### 100

    hundert

##### 101

    hundertundäis, hundertundeis

##### 102

    hundertzwöi

#### Clock time
##### time

    Zit

##### What time is it?

    Was isch für zit?

##### It is...

    Es isch ...

##### one o'clock

    eis

##### half past twelve

    halbi eis

##### quarter to one

    viertel vor eis

##### ten to one

    zäh vor eis

##### quarter past one

    virtel ab eis

##### ten past one

    zäh ab eis

##### half past one

    halbi zwoi

#### Duration

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

#### Days

Mänti(g) Zyschti(g) Mittwuch Dunnschti(g) Fryti(g) Samschti(g) Sunnti(g)

#### Months
##### January

    Januar

##### February

    Februar

##### March

    März, Merz

##### April

    April

##### May

    Mai

##### June

    Juni

##### July

    Juli

##### August

    Auguscht

##### September

    Septämber

##### October

    Oktober

##### November

    Novämber

##### December

    Dezämber

#### Writing time and date
##### date

    Datum

##### tenth of January, 2009

    zähte erste zwoitusignün

### Colors
#### Red

    rot

#### Blue

    blau

#### Black

    schwarz

#### Green

    grüen

#### White

    wiiss

#### Yellow

    gäl(b)

#### Purple

    violet

#### Orange

    orange (orah-nsh)

#### Pink

    rosa/pink

#### Gray

    grau

### Transportation

    Motorcycle - Töff, Döff
    Vespa, Motorbike - Töffli, Döffli, Mofa
    Bicycle - Velo
    Tram (Streetcar) - Tram, Drämmli

#### Bus, train, plane

    Bus, car - bus
    Reisecar - travel bus
    Zug - train
    Flugzüg, Flüüger - airplane

#### Directions

    graad uus - straight ahead
    links - left
    rächts - right
    vore, vorne - in front
    vüre, vürschi, vorwärts - forwards
    hinde, hinge - in the back
    hindere, rückwärts, zrugg - backwards, back

#### Taxi

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

### Money
#### Gäld / 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 i(ch) mit Kreditkarte zahle?

    Can I use my Credit Card?

#### Trinkgäld (gäh)

    Tip (Tipping)

#### I(ch) nimm das

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

#### I(ch) möcht öppis anders

    I would like something else.

#### Händ si Souvenirs?

    Do you have souvenirs?

#### Wo chan i(ch) Gäld wächsle?

    Where can I change money?

#### Wo isch de nächscht Bankomat?

    Where is the closest ATM?

### Eating
#### En guete!

    Enjoy your meal!

#### Schoggi

    Chocolate

#### Proscht, Pröschtli, Prosit!

    Cheers

#### Herdöpfel / Erdöpfel

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

#### Rüebli

    Carrot(s)

#### Ä Stangä, es Chliises

    A small glass of beer

#### En Chübel, es Grosses

    A big glass of beer

#### Es Glas Wii

    A glass of wine

#### Es Glas Rote (Wii)

    A glass of red wine

#### Es Glas Wysse (Wii)

    A glass of white wine

#### Oktobertee

    wine (slang/coll.)

#### Chriesi

    cherry/cherries

#### Chueche

    pie

#### Gipfeli

    croissant(s)

#### Milchkafi, Schale

    cafe au lait

#### Kafi crème

    coffee

#### Bier

    beer

#### Suufe

    to drink beer/alcohol...

#### Schwiizer Chääs

    Swiss cheese

#### Röschti

    mashed, fried potatoes (a Swiss speciality)

#### Fondue

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

#### Raclette

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

#### Züri-Gschnätzlets

    Cut veal, often served with Röschti, speciality of Zurich

#### I(ch) würd(i) gern e Schwiizer Spezialität probiere

    I'd like to taste a Swiss speciality

#### Was chönd Sie mir empfehle?

    Can you recommend something?

### Bars
#### e Schtange, es Chliises

    A small glass of beer

#### en Chübel, es Grosses

    A large glass of beer

#### en/es Aperitiv

    a starter

#### Pröschtli!, zum Wohlsii!

    Cheers!

#### Chueche, Cake, Flade

    Cake

### Shopping
#### Poschtä, iichaufe

    Going shopping

#### Wieviel choschtet ...?

    How much does ... cost?

#### Gits en Rabatt? Gits en Ermässigung?

    Can you give me a discount?

#### Wo häts ...?

    Where can I find ...?

### Driving
#### Auto fahre

    driving a car

#### Wo ane fahrt dä bus?

    Where is this bus going to?

#### Fahruswiis

    driving license

#### Verkehrsregle

    traffic rules

#### Unfall

    accident

#### Polizischt

    police officer

#### Rechtsverkehr

    right-hand traffic/driving (The driving style used in most of Europe, including Switzerland): Linksverkehr: Left-hand traffic/driving (The driving style used in the UK; avoid in Switzerland)

### Other
#### Händ ihr de ... kaputt gmacht?

    Did you destroy the ...?