For example, the neuter noun “das E-mail” (the e-mail) becomes feminine in Swiss German “die E-mail.” Vocabulary There are instances in Swiss German, in which the gender of nouns changes from the Standard German genders. This case does not exist as in High German and instead of a phrase construction such as “the girl’s sister,” the Swiss will say “the sister of the girl” or similar constructions without the genitive. Here is how the Standard German verb “seid”-to be-conjugates in the first person singular vs in Swiss German:Īnother difference that you will spot when comparing the grammar between Standard German and Swiss German is the lack of a genitive case in Swiss German. For example, they would say “I have been at home” instead of “I was at home.” Standard German – Past simple If you want to talk about something you did the day before, in Swiss German you use the perfect tense. Instead, there are only two verb tenses in Swiss German: the past (perfect) and the present. Swiss German makes it a bit easier on us by not using the simple past tense. One of the things most people loathe about learning German is the complicated verb tenses. Instead of this German feature, the Swiss use ‘ss.’ You can notice this in words like “Strasse” (street) instead of the German “Straße.” GrammarĪpart from the different spelling of some words, once you get familiar with hearing sentences spoken in Swiss German, you can also notice that there are a few grammatical differences with Standard German. An interesting theory explains how manufacturers of Swiss typewriters omitted this orthographic letter since they had to include French and Italian orthographic letters. Standard GermanĪdditionally, the Standard German ‘ß’ is not used by the Swiss. For example, “fast,” meaning “almost,” becomes “fascht,” “ist,” the verb “to be,” becomes “ischt.” The High German word for “deadline,” ‘Frist’ becomes “Frischt,” and so on. This phenomenon occurs in many words like: “Koch” (chef), “kommen” (to come), “Kind” (kid), “kaufen” (to buy), which in Swiss German become “Choch,” “cho,” “Kind,” “chaufe.” Standard GermanĪ change in consonants also happens often when the Standard German sound /st/ becomes /scht/ in Swiss German. For example, the Standard German /k/ becomes the famous Swiss German /ch/. Orthographically speaking, they are longer, whereas their pronunciation is a bit harsher than their German counterparts. Swiss German consonants are a different case from vowels. In many cases, the /ei/ sound becomes /i:/ “Schweiz,” for Switzerland, becomes “Schwiz.” The /eu/ and /äu/ sounds become /ü/ in cases like the High German “heute,” meaning “today,” which in Swiss German is “hüt.” Standard German The /au/ of Standard German becomes /u/ in Swiss German for example, “laut” becomes “lut” (loud). The Swiss use shorter sounds for diphthongs (two vowels next to each other in the same syllable), and they are usually transformed into long vowels. Here are some common patterns that you can notice. In general, the Swiss tend to shorten words and sounds. There are several differences between Swiss German and Standard German when it comes to spelling and pronunciation. Even so, we can make some generalizations and compare it to Standard German in order to have a better grasp of it. However, since there is no official Standard Swiss German, there are no set rules for writing and speaking. Swiss German is also used in writing, for example, in personal letters or text messages. In fact, they represent a form of national pride and identity and are therefore widely used when speaking. But, that does not mean that the Swiss do not embrace their dialects. Each canton has its unique dialect and manner of speaking, which is why Standard German (Schriftdeutsch) is used in formal settings, official documents, schools and universities, news, films, literature, etc. Swiss German is not a language, but rather an umbrella term for the collection of Alemannic dialects that are spoken in Switzerland. Often, it is referred to as the ‘Swiss German language’. Where to begin?įirst, we need to tackle the “mysterious” status of Swiss German. Here are some of the key differences that will help you understand Swiss German better, or transition from High German to Swiss German. Through a foreigner’s eye (or even a native German’s!), Swiss German may seem intimidating at first, but this gets better over time, through exposure and constant practice. If you are planning to travel or live in one of the Swiss German-speaking cantons of Switzerland, after being exposed to the language, you will become increasingly aware of the differences between Swiss German and High German.
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