Schwiizerdütsch
Swiss German
Indo-European (Germanic, West, High German, Alemannic)
Swiss German (Schwiizerdütsch / Schweizerdeutsch) is the Alemannic dialect cluster spoken across German-speaking Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It diverges substantially from Standard German in phonology, lexicon, and morphology — including the absence of the preterite tense and distinct High German Consonant Shift outcomes (e.g., k → x, as in chind "child"). Diglossia is the norm: Standard German for writing and formal speech, Swiss German for everyday spoken use including media.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Swiss German
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Indo-European (Germanic, West, High German, Alemannic)
| Meaning | Swiss German | Walliser German | Walser | Alsatian | Swiss Standard German | East Franconian | Luther-era German |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | Wasser /vasːər/ | Wasser /ʋasːər/ | Wasser /vasːər/ | Wàsser /vɒsər/ | Wasser /ˈvasər/ | Wasser /vasːə/ | Wasser /ˈvasːər/ |
| Fire | Füür /fyːr/ | Fyyr /fyːr/ | Für /fyːr/ | Fir /fiːr/ | Feuer /ˈfɔɪ̯ər/ | Feier /faɪɐ/ | Fewr /ˈfɔɪ̯ər/ |
| Sun | Sunne /sʊnə/ | Sunna /ˈsʊnːa/ | Sunna /sʊnːa/ | Sùnn /sʊn/ | Sonne /ˈsɔnə/ | Sunn /sʊn/ | Sonne /ˈzɔnə/ |
| Moon | Mond /moːnd/ | Mánu /ˈmaːnʊ/ | Maa /maː/ | Mon /moːn/ | Mond /moːnt/ | Maa /maː/ | Mond /moːnt/ |
| Star | Stärn /ʃtærn/ | Stäru /ˈʃtæru/ | Stärn /ʃtærn/ | Stërn /ʃtærn/ | Stern /ʃtɛrn/ | Stern /ʃtɛrn/ | Stern /ʃtɛrn/ |
| Night | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nàcht /nɒxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ |
| Rain | Rägä /ˈrɛːɡə/ | Räge /rɛɡə/ | Räge /rɛɡə/ | Räje /rɛjə/ | Regen /ˈreːɡən/ | — | Regen /ˈreːɡən/ |
| Snow | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ |
| Wind | Wind /vɪnd/ | Wind /ʋind/ | Wind /vind/ | Wìnd /vɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnd/ | Wind /vɪnt/ |
| Earth | Ärde /ɛrdə/ | Ärde /ɛrdə/ | Ärd /ærd/ | Erd /ert/ | Erde /ˈeːrdə/ | Erd /ɛɐd/ | Erde /ˈeːrdə/ |
| Stone | Stei /ʃtɛi/ | Stei /ʃtɛi/ | Stei /ʃtai/ | Stein /ʃtein/ | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ | — | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ |
| Mountain | Bärg /bærɡ/ | Bäärg /bæːrɡ/ | — | Bärri /bɛri/ | Berg /bɛrk/ | — | Berg /bɛrk/ |
| Sea | Meer /meːr/ | Meer /meːr/ | — | Meer /meːr/ | Meer /meːr/ | — | Meer /meːr/ |
| Mother | Mueter /muə̯tər/ | Mu̜eter /ˈmuə̯tər/ | Müeter /myə̯tər/ | Müeter /myətər/ | Mutter /ˈmʊtər/ | Mudder /mʊdɐ/ | Mutter /ˈmʊtər/ |
| Father | Vatter /fatər/ | Vattär /ˈfatːær/ | Atti /atːi/ | Vàtter /fɒtər/ | Vater /ˈfaːtər/ | Vadder /fadɐ/ | Vater /ˈfaːtər/ |
| Daughter | Tochter /ˈtɔxtər/ | Techter /ˈtɛxtər/ | Techter /ˈtɛxtər/ | — | Tochter /ˈtɔxtər/ | Dochder /dɔxdɐ/ | Tochter /ˈtɔxtər/ |
| I | ich /ɪx/ | ich /ɪç/ | ich /ix/ | ich /ɪx/ | ich /ɪç/ | i /i/ | ich /ɪç/ |
| You | du /duː/ | du /du/ | du /du/ | dü /dy/ | du /duː/ | du /du/ | du /duː/ |
| We | mir /mir/ | wier /ʋiər/ | wir /vir/ | mir /mir/ | wir /viːr/ | mir /miɐ/ | wir /viːr/ |
| Name | Name /ˈnaːmə/ | Namu /ˈnamu/ | Name /ˈnamə/ | Nàme /nɒːmə/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ | Nama /ˈnamɐ/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ |
| Person | Mänsch /mænʃ/ | Mänsch /mænʃ/ | — | — | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | — | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ |
| Head | Chopf /xɔpf/ | Chopf /xopf/ | — | Kopf /kʰɔpf/ | Kopf /kɔpf/ | — | Heubt /hɔɪ̯pt/ |
| Eye | Aug /aʊ̯ɡ/ | Oig /ɔɪ̯ɡ/ | Oug /oʊɡ/ | Aug /ɒik/ | Auge /ˈaʊɡə/ | Aach /aːx/ | Aug /aʊk/ |
| Ear | Oor /oːr/ | Oor /oːr/ | Oor /oːr/ | Ohr /oːr/ | Ohr /oːr/ | Ohr /oːɐ/ | Ohr /oːr/ |
| Nose | Nase /ˈnaːsə/ | Nase /ˈnaːsə/ | Nasu /ˈnaːsu/ | Nàs /nɒːs/ | Nase /ˈnaːsə/ | — | Nase /ˈnaːzə/ |
| Mouth | Muul /muːl/ | Muul /muːl/ | — | Mül /myːl/ | Mund /mʊnt/ | — | Mund /mʊnt/ |
| Tooth | Zahn /tsaːn/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ | Zan /tsan/ | Zohn /tsoːn/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ | Zah /tsaː/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ |
| Tongue | Zunge /ˈtsuŋə/ | Zunga /ˈtsuŋa/ | Zungu /tsuŋːu/ | Zùng /tsʊŋ/ | Zunge /ˈtsʊŋə/ | Zung /tsuŋ/ | Zunge /ˈtsʊŋə/ |
| Hand | Hand /hand/ | Hand /hand/ | Hand /hant/ | Hànd /hɒnt/ | Hand /hant/ | Hand /hand/ | Handt /hant/ |
| Foot | Fuess /fuəs/ | Füess /fyəs/ | Fuess /fuəs/ | — | Fuss /fuːs/ | Fuß /fuːs/ | Fus /fuːs/ |
| Heart | Härz /hærts/ | Härz /hærts/ | Hërz /hɛrts/ | Hërz /hærts/ | Herz /hɛrts/ | Herz /hɛrts/ | Hertz /hɛrts/ |
| Bone | Chnoche /ˈxnɔxə/ | Chnoche /ˈxnɔxə/ | Bei /bei/ | Knoche /knɔxə/ | Knochen /ˈknɔxən/ | Knocha /ˈknɔxɐ/ | Bein /baɪn/ |
| Blood | Bluet /bluət/ | Bluet /bluət/ | Bluet /bluət/ | Blüet /blyət/ | Blut /bluːt/ | Blut /bluːd/ | Blut /bluːt/ |
| Poop | Gaggi /ˈɡakːi/ | — | — | — | Kacke /ˈkakə/ | — | Dreck /drɛk/ |
| Love | Liebi /liə̯bi/ | Liebi /ˈliə̯bi/ | Liebi /liə̯bi/ | Lieb /liəp/ | Liebe /ˈliːbə/ | Liebe /liːbə/ | Liebe /ˈliːbə/ |
| Tree | Baum /baʊ̯m/ | Boum /bɔʊ̯m/ | Boum /boʊm/ | Baum /baʊm/ | Baum /baʊm/ | Bauma /baʊmaː/ | Bawm /baʊm/ |
| Dog | Hund /hʊnd/ | Hung /hʊŋk/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hùnd /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ |
| Cat | Chatz /xats/ | Chatza /ˈxatsa/ | Chatz /xats/ | Kàtz /kʰɒts/ | Katze /ˈkatsə/ | Katz /kats/ | Katze /ˈkatsə/ |
| Fish | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fìsch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ | Vogol /ˈfoɡol/ | — | Vogel /foːɡəl/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡəl/ |
| Butterfly | Summervogel /ˈsʊmərfoːɡl̩/ | — | Pfiifoltra /ˈpfiːfoltra/ | — | Schmetterling /ˈʃmɛtərlɪŋ/ | Schmetterling /ʃmɛdɐliŋ/ | — |
| Egg | Ei /ei/ | — | — | Ei /ei/ | Ei /aɪ/ | — | Ey /aɪ̯/ |
| Bear | Bärr /bær/ | Bärr /bær/ | Bèèr /bɛːr/ | Bär /bær/ | Bär /bɛːr/ | — | — |
| Horse | Ross /rɔs/ | — | — | Ross /rɔs/ | Pferd /pfeːrt/ | — | Pferd /pfeːrt/ |
| House | Huus /huːs/ | Hus /huːs/ | Hus /huːs/ | Hüs /hyːs/ | Haus /haʊs/ | Haus /haʊs/ | Hauß /haʊs/ |
| Milk | Milch /milx/ | — | — | — | Milch /mɪlç/ | — | Milch /mɪlç/ |
| Honey | Hung /hʊŋ/ | — | — | — | Honig /ˈhoːnɪk/ | — | Honig /ˈhoːnɪk/ |
| Salt | Salz /salts/ | Salz /salts/ | Salz /salts/ | Sàlz /sɒlts/ | Salz /salts/ | — | Saltz /zalts/ |
| Wine | Wii /ʋiː/ | Wii /ʋiː/ | Wii /viː/ | Win /viːn/ | Wein /vaɪ̯n/ | — | Wein /vaɪ̯n/ |
| Rice | Riis /riːs/ | — | — | — | Reis /raɪs/ | — | — |
| Chocolate | Schoggi /ˈʃɔkːi/ | — | — | — | Schokolade /ʃokoˈlaːdə/ | — | — |
| Iron | Ise /ˈiːsə/ | Ise /ˈiːsə/ | Ise /ˈiːsə/ | — | Eisen /ˈaɪsən/ | Eisn /ˈaɪsn̩/ | Eisen /ˈaɪzən/ |
| Wheel | Rad /raːd/ | — | — | — | Rad /raːt/ | — | Rad /raːt/ |
| Silk | Siide /ˈsiːdə/ | — | — | — | Seide /ˈsaɪdə/ | — | Seide /ˈzaɪdə/ |
| Book | Buech /buəx/ | — | — | Buech /buəx/ | Buch /buːx/ | — | Buch /buːx/ |
| Eat | ässe /æsə/ | ässu /ˈæsːʊ/ | ässe /æsə/ | ësse /æsə/ | essen /ˈɛsn̩/ | esse /ɛsə/ | essen /ˈɛsːən/ |
| Drink | trinke /trɪŋkə/ | trichu /ˈtrɪxʊ/ | trinke /trɪŋkə/ | trìnke /trɪŋkə/ | trinken /ˈtrɪŋkn̩/ | trinke /trɪŋkə/ | trincken /ˈtrɪŋkən/ |
| Sleep | schlofe /ˈʃlɔːfə/ | schlaaffu /ˈʃlaːfʊ/ | schlaafe /ʃlaːfə/ | schlofe /ʃloːfə/ | schlafen /ˈʃlaːfn̩/ | schlafe /ʃlaːfə/ | schlaffen /ˈʃlafən/ |
| One | eis /æɪ̯s/ | eis /æɪ̯s/ | eins /æɪ̯ns/ | eins /eins/ | eins /aɪ̯ns/ | ans /ans/ | eyn /aɪ̯n/ |
| Two | zwöi /tsʋøi/ | zwei /tsvɛi/ | zwei /tsʋei/ | zwei /tsvei/ | zwei /tsvaɪ̯/ | zwaa /tsvaː/ | zwey /tsvaɪ/ |
| Three | drü /dryː/ | drii /driː/ | drii /driː/ | drei /drei/ | drei /draɪ̯/ | drei /draɪ/ | drei /draɪ/ |
| Four | vier /fiər/ | vier /fiər/ | vieri /ˈfiːri/ | — | vier /fiːr/ | vier /fiɐ/ | vier /fiːr/ |
| Five | füüf /fyːf/ | füüf /fyːf/ | füüf /fyːf/ | fìmf /fɪmf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ | fünff /fʏnf/ |
| Hundred | hundert /ˈhʊndərt/ | — | — | — | hundert /ˈhʊndərt/ | — | hundert /ˈhʊndərt/ |
| Hello | Grüezi /ɡryə̯tsi/ | Tagwol /ˈtaɡʋol/ | Grüössi /ɡryə̯sːi/ | Salü /saly/ | Hallo /haˈloː/ | Grüß Gott /ɡrʏs ɡɔt/ | Gott zum Gruß /ɡɔt tsʊm ɡruːs/ |
| Thank you | Merci /mɛrsi/ | Vergälts Gott /fɛrɡælts ɡot/ | Vergelts Gott /fɛrɡɛlts ɡot/ | Mersi /mɛrsi/ | danke /ˈdaŋkə/ | Vergelt's Gott /fɛɐɡɛlts ɡɔt/ | Danck /daŋk/ |
| Good | guet /ɡuə̯t/ | güet /ɡyə̯t/ | guet /ɡuə̯t/ | güet /ɡyət/ | gut /ɡuːt/ | guad /ɡuə̯d/ | gut /ɡuːt/ |
| New | nöi /nøi/ | niww /niw/ | — | nei /nei/ | neu /nɔɪ̯/ | — | new /nɔɪ̯/ |
| Red | rot /rɔt/ | rot /rot/ | rot /rot/ | rot /roːt/ | rot /roːt/ | rood /roːd/ | rot /roːt/ |
| White | wyss /ʋiːs/ | wiiss /viːs/ | wiiss /viːs/ | wiss /vis/ | weiss /vaɪs/ | weiß /vaɪs/ | weis /vaɪ̯s/ |
| Black | schwarz /ʃvarts/ | schwarz /ʃvarts/ | — | schwàrz /ʃvɒrts/ | schwarz /ʃvarts/ | — | schwartz /ʃvarts/ |
| Green | grüen /ɡryən/ | grie /ɡriə/ | grüe /ɡryə̯/ | grìen /ɡriən/ | grün /ɡryːn/ | — | grün /ɡryːn/ |
| Blue | blau /blɑu/ | — | — | blau /blɑu/ | blau /blaʊ/ | — | — |
| Cuckoo | Gugger /ˈɡʊɡər/ | Gugger /ˈɡʊɡər/ | Gugger /ˈɡʊɡər/ | — | Kuckuck /ˈkʊkʊk/ | Gutzgauch /ˈɡʊtsɡaʊx/ | gukuk /ˈɡʊkʊk/ |
| Computer | Computer /komˈpjuːtər/ | Computer /komˈpjuːtər/ | Computer /komˈpjuːtər/ | — | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtər/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːdɐ/ | Rechenmeister /ˈrɛçənˌmaɪstər/ |
| Sushi | Sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | Sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | Sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | — | Sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | Sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | Stockfisch /ˈʃtɔkfɪʃ/ |
| Tea | Tee /teː/ | — | — | Tee /teː/ | Tee /teː/ | — | — |
| Coffee | Kafi /ˈkafi/ | — | — | Kàffee /kɒfeː/ | Kaffee /ˈkafe/ | — | — |
| Sugar | Zucker /ˈtsʊkːər/ | — | — | — | Zucker /ˈtsʊkər/ | — | — |
| Orange | Orange /oˈraŋʒə/ | Orange /oˈraŋʒə/ | — | — | Orange /oˈraŋʒə/ | — | — |
| Ninety-nine | nüünenüünzg /ˈnynəˌnyːntsɡ/ | — | — | — | neunundneunzig /ˈnɔɪ̯nʊntˌnɔɪ̯ntsɪk/ | — | — |
| Dopamine | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | — | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | — | — |
| At sign | Affenschwanz /ˈafənʃvants/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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