Kölsch
Indo-European (Germanic, West, High German, Central, Ripuarian)
Kölsch is the Ripuarian Franconian dialect of Cologne and immediate surroundings — a West Central German variety distinct from both Standard German (it has not undergone all the High German Consonant Shift stages: e.g., "Aug" not "Auge", "joot" not "gut") and from Low German further north. Strong urban identity tied to the city of Cologne, with Kölsch-language carnival songs (Karneval), Kölsche Bier culture, and the Akademie för uns kölsche Sproch promoting linguistic codification (1983). Recognized as a separate language by Ethnologue and Glottolog despite German government treating it as a dialect.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Kölsch
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Indo-European (Germanic, West, High German, Central, Ripuarian)
| Meaning | Kölsch | Luxembourgish German | German | Austrian German | Low German | Swiss Standard German | East Franconian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | Wasser /vasɐ/ | Wasser /vasɐ/ | Wasser /vasɐ/ | Wasser /vasɐ/ | Water /vɑːtɐ/ | Wasser /ˈvasər/ | Wasser /vasːə/ |
| Fire | Füer /fyːɐ/ | Feuer /fɔɪ̯ɐ/ | Feuer /fɔɪ̯ɐ/ | Feuer /fɔɪɐ/ | Füer /fyːɐ/ | Feuer /ˈfɔɪ̯ər/ | Feier /faɪɐ/ |
| Sun | Sonn /zɔn/ | Sonne /zɔnə/ | Sonne /zɔnə/ | Sonne /sɔnə/ | Sünn /zʏn/ | Sonne /ˈsɔnə/ | Sunn /sʊn/ |
| Moon | Mond /moːnt/ | Mond /moːnt/ | Mond /moːnt/ | Mond /moːnt/ | Maan /maːn/ | Mond /moːnt/ | Maa /maː/ |
| Star | Stään /ʃtɛːn/ | Stern /ʃtɛʁn/ | Stern /ʃtɛʁn/ | Stern /ʃtɛrn/ | Steern /steːrn/ | Stern /ʃtɛrn/ | Stern /ʃtɛrn/ |
| Night | Naach /naːx/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ |
| Rain | Räje /ˈʁɛːjə/ | Regen /ˈʁeːɡn̩/ | Regen /ˈʁeːɡn̩/ | Regen /ˈreːɡn̩/ | Regen /ˈreːɡn̩/ | Regen /ˈreːɡən/ | — |
| Snow | Schnei /ʃnaɪ/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Snee /sneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ |
| Wind | Wind /vɪnd/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnd/ |
| Earth | Ääd /ɛːt/ | Erde /eːɐdə/ | Erde /eːɐdə/ | Erde /eːɐdə/ | Eer /eːɐ/ | Erde /ˈeːrdə/ | Erd /ɛɐd/ |
| Stone | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ | Steen /steːn/ | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ | — |
| Mountain | Berch /bɛʁɕ/ | Berg /bɛʁk/ | Berg /bɛʁk/ | Berg /bɛɐk/ | Barg /barx/ | Berg /bɛrk/ | — |
| Sea | Meer /meːɐ/ | Meer /meːɐ̯/ | Meer /meːɐ̯/ | Meer /meːɐ̯/ | See /zeː/ | Meer /meːr/ | — |
| Mother | Moder /moːdɐ/ | Mutter /mʊtɐ/ | Mutter /mʊtɐ/ | Mutter /mʊtɐ/ | Moder /moːdɐ/ | Mutter /ˈmʊtər/ | Mudder /mʊdɐ/ |
| Father | Vatter /fatɐ/ | Vater /faːtɐ/ | Vater /faːtɐ/ | Vater /ˈfaːtɐ/ | Vader /fɑːdɐ/ | Vater /ˈfaːtər/ | Vadder /fadɐ/ |
| Daughter | Dochter /dɔxtɐ/ | Tochter /tɔxtɐ/ | Tochter /ˈtɔxtɐ/ | Tochter /ˈtɔxtɐ/ | Dochter /dɔxtɐ/ | Tochter /ˈtɔxtər/ | Dochder /dɔxdɐ/ |
| I | ich /ɪɕ/ | ich /ɪç/ | ich /ɪç/ | ich /ɪç/ | ik /ɪk/ | ich /ɪç/ | i /i/ |
| You | do /doː/ | du /duː/ | du /duː/ | du /duː/ | du /duː/ | du /duː/ | du /du/ |
| We | mir /miɐ/ | wir /viːɐ̯/ | wir /viːɐ̯/ | wir /viːɐ/ | wi /viː/ | wir /viːr/ | mir /miɐ/ |
| Name | Name /ˈnaːmə/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ | Naam /naːm/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ | Nama /ˈnamɐ/ |
| Person | Minsch /mɪnʃ/ | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | Minsch /mɪnʃ/ | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | — |
| Head | Kopp /kɔp/ | Kopf /kɔpf/ | Kopf /kɔpf/ | Kopf /kɔpf/ | Kopp /kɔp/ | Kopf /kɔpf/ | — |
| Eye | Auch /aʊx/ | Auge /aʊ̯ɡə/ | Auge /aʊ̯ɡə/ | Auge /ˈaʊ̯ɡə/ | Oog /oːx/ | Auge /ˈaʊɡə/ | Aach /aːx/ |
| Ear | Uhr /uːɐ/ | Ohr /oːɐ̯/ | Ohr /oːɐ̯/ | Ohr /oːɐ̯/ | Ohr /oːr/ | Ohr /oːr/ | Ohr /oːɐ/ |
| Nose | Nas /nas/ | Nase /ˈnaːzə/ | Nase /ˈnaːzə/ | Nase /ˈnaːsə/ | Nees /neːs/ | Nase /ˈnaːsə/ | — |
| Mouth | Muul /muːl/ | Mund /mʊnt/ | Mund /mʊnt/ | Mund /mʊnt/ | Muul /muːl/ | Mund /mʊnt/ | — |
| Tooth | Zang /tsaŋ/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ | Tähn /tɛːn/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ | Zah /tsaː/ |
| Tongue | Zung /tsʊŋ/ | Zunge /ˈtsʊŋə/ | Zunge /ˈtsʊŋə/ | Zunge /ˈtsʊŋə/ | Tung /tʊŋ/ | Zunge /ˈtsʊŋə/ | Zung /tsuŋ/ |
| Hand | Hand /hant/ | Hand /hant/ | Hand /hant/ | Hand /hɑnt/ | Hand /hant/ | Hand /hant/ | Hand /hand/ |
| Foot | Foß /foːs/ | Fuß /fuːs/ | Fuß /fuːs/ | Fuß /fuːs/ | Foot /fɔʊ̯t/ | Fuss /fuːs/ | Fuß /fuːs/ |
| Heart | Hätz /hɛts/ | Herz /hɛʁts/ | Herz /hɛʁts/ | Herz /hɛɐts/ | Hart /haɐt/ | Herz /hɛrts/ | Herz /hɛrts/ |
| Bone | Knoche /ˈknɔxə/ | Knochen /ˈknɔxən/ | Knochen /ˈknɔxən/ | Knochen /ˈknɔxən/ | Knaken /ˈknaːkən/ | Knochen /ˈknɔxən/ | Knocha /ˈknɔxɐ/ |
| Blood | Blot /bloːt/ | Blut /bluːt/ | Blut /bluːt/ | Blut /bluːt/ | Bloot /bloːt/ | Blut /bluːt/ | Blut /bluːd/ |
| Poop | Driss /dʁɪs/ | Kacke /ˈkakə/ | Kacke /ˈkakə/ | Kacke /ˈkakə/ | Schiet /ʃiːt/ | Kacke /ˈkakə/ | — |
| Love | Leev /leːf/ | Liebe /liːbə/ | Liebe /liːbə/ | Liebe /liːbə/ | Leev /leːf/ | Liebe /ˈliːbə/ | Liebe /liːbə/ |
| Tree | Boum /baʊm/ | Baum /baʊ̯m/ | Baum /baʊ̯m/ | Baum /baʊ̯m/ | Boom /boːm/ | Baum /baʊm/ | Bauma /baʊmaː/ |
| Dog | Hongk /hoŋk/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ |
| Cat | Katz /kats/ | Katze /katsə/ | Katze /katsə/ | Katze /kɑtsə/ | Katt /kat/ | Katze /ˈkatsə/ | Katz /kats/ |
| Fish | Fesch /fɛʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | Vugel /fʊɡəl/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ | Vagel /ˈfaːɣəl/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ |
| Egg | Ei /ai/ | Ei /aɪ/ | Ei /aɪ/ | Ei /aɪ/ | Ei /ai/ | Ei /aɪ/ | — |
| Bear | Bär /bɛːɐ/ | Bär /bɛːɐ̯/ | Bär /bɛːɐ̯/ | Bär /bɛːɐ̯/ | Boor /boːr/ | Bär /bɛːr/ | — |
| Horse | Pääd /pɛːt/ | Pferd /pfeːɐ̯t/ | Pferd /pfeːɐ̯t/ | Pferd /pfeːɐ̯t/ | Peerd /peːrt/ | Pferd /pfeːrt/ | — |
| House | Huus /huːs/ | Haus /haʊ̯s/ | Haus /haʊ̯s/ | Haus /haʊs/ | Huus /huːs/ | Haus /haʊs/ | Haus /haʊs/ |
| Milk | Milesch /ˈmɪləʃ/ | Milch /mɪlç/ | Milch /mɪlç/ | Milch /mɪlç/ | Melk /mɛlk/ | Milch /mɪlç/ | — |
| Honey | Honnich /ˈhɔnɪɕ/ | Honig /ˈhoːnɪç/ | Honig /ˈhoːnɪç/ | Honig /ˈhoːnɪk/ | Honnig /ˈhɔnɪç/ | Honig /ˈhoːnɪk/ | — |
| Salt | Salz /zalts/ | Salz /zalts/ | Salz /zalts/ | Salz /salts/ | Solt /zɔlt/ | Salz /salts/ | — |
| Wine | Wing /vɪŋ/ | Wein /vaɪ̯n/ | Wein /vaɪ̯n/ | Wein /vaɪ̯n/ | Wien /viːn/ | Wein /vaɪ̯n/ | — |
| Chocolate | Schokolad /ʃokoˈlaːt/ | Schokolade /ʃokoˈlaːdə/ | Schokolade /ʃokoˈlaːdə/ | Schokolade /ʃokoˈlaːdə/ | Schokolaad /ʃokoˈlaːt/ | Schokolade /ʃokoˈlaːdə/ | — |
| Iron | Ieser /ˈiːzɐ/ | Eisen /ˈaɪ̯zn̩/ | Eisen /ˈaɪ̯zn̩/ | Eisen /ˈaɪsn̩/ | Iesen /ˈiːzn̩/ | Eisen /ˈaɪsən/ | Eisn /ˈaɪsn̩/ |
| Wheel | Rad /ʁaːt/ | Rad /ʁaːt/ | Rad /ʁaːt/ | Rad /raːt/ | Rad /raːt/ | Rad /raːt/ | — |
| Book | Booch /boːx/ | Buch /buːx/ | Buch /buːx/ | Buch /buːx/ | Book /boːk/ | Buch /buːx/ | — |
| Eat | esse /ɛsə/ | essen /ɛsn̩/ | essen /ɛsn̩/ | essen /ɛsn̩/ | eten /eːtn̩/ | essen /ˈɛsn̩/ | esse /ɛsə/ |
| Drink | drinke /dʁɪŋkə/ | trinken /tʁɪŋkn̩/ | trinken /tʁɪŋkn̩/ | trinken /ˈtrɪŋkn̩/ | drinken /drɪŋkn̩/ | trinken /ˈtrɪŋkn̩/ | trinke /trɪŋkə/ |
| Sleep | schlofe /ˈʃlɔfə/ | schlafen /ˈʃlaːfn̩/ | schlafen /ˈʃlaːfn̩/ | schlafen /ˈʃlaːfn̩/ | slapen /ˈslaːpn̩/ | schlafen /ˈʃlaːfn̩/ | schlafe /ʃlaːfə/ |
| One | ein /aɪn/ | eins /aɪ̯ns/ | eins /aɪ̯ns/ | eins /aɪ̯ns/ | een /eːn/ | eins /aɪ̯ns/ | ans /ans/ |
| Two | zwei /tsvai/ | zwei /tsvaɪ/ | zwei /tsvaɪ/ | zwei /tsvai/ | twee /tveː/ | zwei /tsvaɪ̯/ | zwaa /tsvaː/ |
| Three | dree /dʁeː/ | drei /dʁaɪ̯/ | drei /dʁaɪ̯/ | drei /draɪ̯/ | dree /dreː/ | drei /draɪ̯/ | drei /draɪ/ |
| Four | veer /feːʁ/ | vier /fiːɐ̯/ | vier /fiːɐ̯/ | vier /fiːɐ̯/ | veer /feːɐ̯/ | vier /fiːr/ | vier /fiɐ/ |
| Five | fönnef /ˈfœnəf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ | fief /fiːf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ |
| Hundred | hundert /ˈhʊndɐt/ | hundert /ˈhʊndɐt/ | hundert /ˈhʊndɐt/ | hundert /ˈhʊndɐt/ | hunnert /ˈhʊnɐt/ | hundert /ˈhʊndərt/ | — |
| Hello | Tach /tax/ | Hallo /haloː/ | Hallo /haloː/ | Servus /zɛɐvʊs/ | Moin /mɔɪn/ | Hallo /haˈloː/ | Grüß Gott /ɡrʏs ɡɔt/ |
| Thank you | Dankeschön /daŋkəʃøːn/ | danke /daŋkə/ | danke /daŋkə/ | danke /daŋkə/ | Dankschöön /daŋkʃøːn/ | danke /ˈdaŋkə/ | Vergelt's Gott /fɛɐɡɛlts ɡɔt/ |
| Good | joot /joːt/ | gut /ɡuːt/ | gut /ɡuːt/ | gut /ɡuːt/ | goot /ɡoːt/ | gut /ɡuːt/ | guad /ɡuə̯d/ |
| New | neu /nøʏ/ | neu /nɔɪ̯/ | neu /nɔɪ̯/ | neu /nɔɪ̯/ | nee /neː/ | neu /nɔɪ̯/ | — |
| Red | rud /ʁuːt/ | rot /ʁoːt/ | rot /ʁoːt/ | rot /roːt/ | root /roːt/ | rot /roːt/ | rood /roːd/ |
| White | wieß /viːs/ | weiß /vaɪs/ | weiß /vaɪs/ | weiß /vaɪs/ | witt /vɪt/ | weiss /vaɪs/ | weiß /vaɪs/ |
| Black | schwatz /ʃvats/ | schwarz /ʃvaʁts/ | schwarz /ʃvaʁts/ | schwarz /ʃvarts/ | swart /svart/ | schwarz /ʃvarts/ | — |
| Green | jröön /jʁøːn/ | grün /ɡʁyːn/ | grün /ɡʁyːn/ | grün /ɡryːn/ | gröön /ɡrøːn/ | grün /ɡryːn/ | — |
| Blue | blau /blɔu/ | blau /blaʊ̯/ | blau /blaʊ̯/ | blau /blaʊ/ | blau /blaʊ/ | blau /blaʊ/ | — |
| Computer | Computer /komˈpjuːtɐ/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtɐ/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtɐ/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtɐ/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtɐ/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtər/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːdɐ/ |
| Sushi | Sushi /ˈzuʃi/ | Sushi /ˈzuːʃi/ | Sushi /ˈzuːʃi/ | Sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | Sushi /ˈzuʃi/ | Sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | Sushi /ˈsuʃi/ |
| Tea | Tee /teː/ | Tee /teː/ | Tee /teː/ | Tee /teː/ | Tee /teː/ | Tee /teː/ | — |
| Coffee | Kaffe /ˈkafə/ | Kaffee /ˈkafe/ | Kaffee /ˈkafeː/ | Kaffee /kaˈfeː/ | Koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | Kaffee /ˈkafe/ | — |
| Sugar | Zucker /ˈtsʊkɐ/ | Zucker /ˈtsʊkɐ/ | Zucker /ˈtsʊkɐ/ | Zucker /ˈtsʊkɐ/ | Sucker /ˈzʊkɐ/ | Zucker /ˈtsʊkər/ | — |
| Orange | Appelsin /apəlˈsiːn/ | Orange /oˈʁãːʒə/ | Orange /oˈʁãːʒə/ | Orange /oˈraːnʒə/ | Apelsien /apəlˈziːn/ | Orange /oˈraŋʒə/ | — |
| Dopamine | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | — |
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