Ah, Swiss German. For all us Swiss-ophiles, there’s just something so sexy about speaking the language of the Alps. Some of us like to think it’s a special dialect that only those “in the know” can understand. But how different is Swiss German from German? Let’s take a deeper look into the differences between the two.
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So, What’s the Difference?
At a glance, they might seem quite similar, right? Believe it or not, for most German speakers from other countries, Swiss German is almost completely incomprehensible! That being said, a native German would recognize some words and could usually put together the general gist of a conversation in Swiss German.
The Facet Of Language
Swiss German is known to be a lot more complex than other forms of German, including Swiss German having more accentuations and various additional soundings. You could say that it’s almost like two languages in one! It also includes a lot of idiomatic terms, dialect-specific words, and grammatical variations when compared to traditional German. It’s also much closer to the German spoken in the 1700s, which has been lost in other parts of the world.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary-wise Swiss German is the same by and large as High German. The only difference you’ll find is that some words are more commonly used in Swiss German than they are in Standard German. Plus, of course, the dialect-specific words.
Grammar Tips
When it comes to grammar there are also many variations that often surprise and amuse people. A few examples are the use of du for both singular and plural: “Du häsch gschtiert” in standard German would be ”Ihr habt geschrieben”. Another example is seen in the additional plural -s which is often dropped in Swiss German, “Mir händ gschtiert” instead of the Standard German “Wir haben geschrieben”.
Lastly, the use of the ‘i-ending,’ is one of these amusing and unique differences. This is where the ‘i’ is added on to the end of the word to make the perfect tense: “müeß” instead of “müss” and “händ” instead of “haben”.
Swiss German is a unique, fun dialect to learn, and for those of us who have a bit of a soft spot for schweizerisch, it does make for a very special language reminder of the joys of Switzerland. Once you become familiar with it, you may find it hard to go back to the spoken German of other parts of the world! For all of you Hans and Fräuleins out there, leck mau uf (!), and learn Swiss German today!
Conclusion
So, now you know the difference between Swiss German and Standard German – dialect-specific words, accentuations, grammatical variations, vocabulary and the charming i-ending. If you’re looking to turn some heads in Switzerland, it’s definitely worth brushing up on your Swiss German. Enjoy the challenge and good luck!
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