Schwäbisch
Swabian
Indo-European
Swabian (autonymously Schwäbisch) is an Upper German Alemannic variety, spoken by around 800,000 people in southwestern Germany — primarily in Baden-Württemberg around Stuttgart, the Black Forest, and the Swabian Jura, with smaller populations in Bavarian Swabia around Augsburg. Swabian is famously the dialect of the Stuttgart region — home to Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Bosch, and the historic Daimler/Benz origin of the German automotive industry. Linguistically, Swabian is part of the Alemannic family alongside Swiss German (gsw) and Alsatian, with distinctive features including the Swabian /a/ → /ɔ/ shift, the diminutive suffix -le replacing Standard German -lein, and characteristic phrases like "Grüß Gott" and "Danggschee". Despite vibrant numbers, UNESCO classifies Swabian as vulnerable due to relentless Standard German pressure in education, media, and urban areas.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Swabian
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Indo-European
| Meaning | Swabian | East Franconian | Pennsylvania German | Austrian German | Bavarian | Swiss Standard German | German |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | Wasser /vasə/ | Wasser /vasːə/ | Wasser /vasər/ | Wasser /vasɐ/ | Wåssa /vɔsɐ/ | Wasser /ˈvasər/ | Wasser /vasɐ/ |
| Fire | Feuer /foiɐ/ | Feier /faɪɐ/ | Feier /faɪər/ | Feuer /fɔɪɐ/ | Feia /fɔɪɐ/ | Feuer /ˈfɔɪ̯ər/ | Feuer /fɔɪ̯ɐ/ |
| Sun | Sonne /sonə/ | Sunn /sʊn/ | Sunn /sʊn/ | Sonne /sɔnə/ | Sun /sʊn/ | Sonne /ˈsɔnə/ | Sonne /zɔnə/ |
| Moon | Mond /moːnd/ | Maa /maː/ | Muun /muːn/ | Mond /moːnt/ | Moo /moː/ | Mond /moːnt/ | Mond /moːnt/ |
| Star | Schtern /ʃtɛrn/ | Stern /ʃtɛrn/ | Schteern /ʃteːrn/ | Stern /ʃtɛrn/ | Stern /ʃtɛɐn/ | Stern /ʃtɛrn/ | Stern /ʃtɛʁn/ |
| Night | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nocht /noxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ |
| Rain | Rega /ˈreːɡə/ | — | Regge /ˈrɛɡə/ | Regen /ˈreːɡn̩/ | Regn /ˈreːɡn̩/ | Regen /ˈreːɡən/ | Regen /ˈʁeːɡn̩/ |
| Snow | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ |
| Wind | Wind /vɪnd/ | Wind /vɪnd/ | Wind /vɪnd/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | Wind /vind/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnt/ |
| Earth | Erd /eːɐ̯d/ | Erd /ɛɐd/ | Erd /ɛrd/ | Erde /eːɐdə/ | Erdn /ˈɛrdn̩/ | Erde /ˈeːrdə/ | Erde /eːɐdə/ |
| Stone | Stoi /ʃtoi/ | — | Schtee /ʃteː/ | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ | Stoa /ʃtoɐ/ | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ |
| Mountain | Berg /bɛrɡ/ | — | Barig /ˈbarɪç/ | Berg /bɛɐk/ | Beag /bɛɐɡ/ | Berg /bɛrk/ | Berg /bɛʁk/ |
| Sea | Meer /meːr/ | — | See /seː/ | Meer /meːɐ̯/ | Meea /meːɐ/ | Meer /meːr/ | Meer /meːɐ̯/ |
| Mother | Mädder /mɛdɐ/ | Mudder /mʊdɐ/ | Mudder /mʊdər/ | Mutter /mʊtɐ/ | Muada /muɐdɐ/ | Mutter /ˈmʊtər/ | Mutter /mʊtɐ/ |
| Father | Vadder /fadɐ/ | Vadder /fadɐ/ | Daadi /daːdi/ | Vater /ˈfaːtɐ/ | Voda /ˈfɔːdɐ/ | Vater /ˈfaːtər/ | Vater /faːtɐ/ |
| Daughter | Dochder /ˈdɔxdɐ/ | Dochder /dɔxdɐ/ | Dochder /dɔxdər/ | Tochter /ˈtɔxtɐ/ | Dochta /ˈdɔxtɐ/ | Tochter /ˈtɔxtər/ | Tochter /ˈtɔxtɐ/ |
| I | i /i/ | i /i/ | ich /ɪç/ | ich /ɪç/ | i /i/ | ich /ɪç/ | ich /ɪç/ |
| You | du /du/ | du /du/ | du /du/ | du /duː/ | du /du/ | du /duː/ | du /duː/ |
| We | mir /miɐ/ | mir /miɐ/ | mir /miːɐ̯/ | wir /viːɐ/ | mia /miɐ/ | wir /viːr/ | wir /viːɐ̯/ |
| Name | Nama /ˈnamə/ | Nama /ˈnamɐ/ | Naame /ˈnɔːmə/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ | Nam /nãː/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ |
| Person | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | — | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ |
| Head | Kopf /kɔpf/ | — | Kopp /kɔp/ | Kopf /kɔpf/ | Kobf /kʰoːbf/ | Kopf /kɔpf/ | Kopf /kɔpf/ |
| Eye | Aug /aʊɡ/ | Aach /aːx/ | Aag /ɔːk/ | Auge /ˈaʊ̯ɡə/ | Aug /aʊɡ/ | Auge /ˈaʊɡə/ | Auge /aʊ̯ɡə/ |
| Ear | Ohr /oːr/ | Ohr /oːɐ/ | Ohr /oːr/ | Ohr /oːɐ̯/ | Ohr /oːɐ/ | Ohr /oːr/ | Ohr /oːɐ̯/ |
| Nose | Nas /nas/ | — | Naas /nɔːs/ | Nase /ˈnaːsə/ | Nosn /ˈnosn̩/ | Nase /ˈnaːsə/ | Nase /ˈnaːzə/ |
| Mouth | Gosch /ɡɔʃ/ | — | Maul /maʊl/ | Mund /mʊnt/ | Mai /maɪ/ | Mund /mʊnt/ | Mund /mʊnt/ |
| Tooth | Zah /tsaː/ | Zah /tsaː/ | Zaah /tsɔː/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ | Zand /tsɔnt/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ |
| Tongue | Zong /tsoŋ/ | Zung /tsuŋ/ | Zung /tsuŋ/ | Zunge /ˈtsʊŋə/ | Zunga /tsuŋɐ/ | Zunge /ˈtsʊŋə/ | Zunge /ˈtsʊŋə/ |
| Hand | Hand /hand/ | Hand /hand/ | Hand /hant/ | Hand /hɑnt/ | Hand /hɔnd/ | Hand /hant/ | Hand /hant/ |
| Foot | Fuaß /fuas/ | Fuß /fuːs/ | Fuuss /fuːs/ | Fuß /fuːs/ | Fuaß /fuɐs/ | Fuss /fuːs/ | Fuß /fuːs/ |
| Heart | Herz /hɛɐts/ | Herz /hɛrts/ | Hatz /hats/ | Herz /hɛɐts/ | Heaz /hɛɐts/ | Herz /hɛrts/ | Herz /hɛʁts/ |
| Bone | Knoche /ˈknoxə/ | Knocha /ˈknɔxɐ/ | Gnoche /ˈɡnoxə/ | Knochen /ˈknɔxən/ | Boan /boɐn/ | Knochen /ˈknɔxən/ | Knochen /ˈknɔxən/ |
| Blood | Bluat /bluat/ | Blut /bluːd/ | Blut /blut/ | Blut /bluːt/ | Bluat /bluat/ | Blut /bluːt/ | Blut /bluːt/ |
| Poop | Schdingr /ˈʃdɪŋɐ/ | — | — /—/ | Kacke /ˈkakə/ | Gacki /ˈɡaɡi/ | Kacke /ˈkakə/ | Kacke /ˈkakə/ |
| Love | Liab /liə̯b/ | Liebe /liːbə/ | liewe /liːvə/ | Liebe /liːbə/ | Liab /liɐb/ | Liebe /ˈliːbə/ | Liebe /liːbə/ |
| Tree | Baum /baum/ | Bauma /baʊmaː/ | Baam /ˈbɔːm/ | Baum /baʊ̯m/ | Bam /bãm/ | Baum /baʊm/ | Baum /baʊ̯m/ |
| Dog | Hond /hond/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnd/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ |
| Cat | Katz /kats/ | Katz /kats/ | Katz /kats/ | Katze /kɑtsə/ | Katz /kʰats/ | Katze /ˈkatsə/ | Katze /katsə/ |
| Fish | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | Vogel /foːɡl̩/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ | Voggel /fɔɡəl/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ | Vogl /foːɡl̩/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ |
| Butterfly | Schmeddrleng /ˈʃmɛdɐlɛŋ/ | Schmetterling /ʃmɛdɐliŋ/ | Fleddermaus /ˈflɛdərmaʊs/ | Schmetterling /ˈʃmɛtɐlɪŋ/ | Waifåita /vaifɔitɐ/ | Schmetterling /ˈʃmɛtərlɪŋ/ | Schmetterling /ˈʃmɛtɐlɪŋ/ |
| Egg | Oi /ɔɪ/ | — | Oi /ɔɪ/ | Ei /aɪ/ | Oa /oɐ/ | Ei /aɪ/ | Ei /aɪ/ |
| Bear | Bèèar /bɛːɐ/ | — | Baer /bɛːr/ | Bär /bɛːɐ̯/ | Bär /bɛɐ/ | Bär /bɛːr/ | Bär /bɛːɐ̯/ |
| Horse | Gaul /ɡaul/ | — | Gaul /ɡaʊ̯l/ | Pferd /pfeːɐ̯t/ | Roß /rɔs/ | Pferd /pfeːrt/ | Pferd /pfeːɐ̯t/ |
| House | Hous /haus/ | Haus /haʊs/ | Haus /haʊs/ | Haus /haʊs/ | Haus /haʊs/ | Haus /haʊs/ | Haus /haʊ̯s/ |
| Milk | Millich /ˈmɪlɪç/ | — | Millich /ˈmɪlɪç/ | Milch /mɪlç/ | Muich /muɪx/ | Milch /mɪlç/ | Milch /mɪlç/ |
| Honey | Honig /ˈhoːnɪɡ/ | — | Hunnich /ˈhʊnɪç/ | Honig /ˈhoːnɪk/ | Heng /hɛŋ/ | Honig /ˈhoːnɪk/ | Honig /ˈhoːnɪç/ |
| Salt | Salz /salts/ | — | Salz /salts/ | Salz /salts/ | Soiz /sɔɪts/ | Salz /salts/ | Salz /zalts/ |
| Wine | Woi /voɪ̯/ | — | Wei /vaɪ/ | Wein /vaɪ̯n/ | Wei /vaɪ/ | Wein /vaɪ̯n/ | Wein /vaɪ̯n/ |
| Chocolate | Schoklad /ʃoˈklaːd/ | — | — | Schokolade /ʃokoˈlaːdə/ | Schoklad /ʃoɡˈlɑːd/ | Schokolade /ʃokoˈlaːdə/ | Schokolade /ʃokoˈlaːdə/ |
| Iron | Eisa /ˈaɪsa/ | Eisn /ˈaɪsn̩/ | Eise /ˈaɪsə/ | Eisen /ˈaɪsn̩/ | Eisn /ˈaisn̩/ | Eisen /ˈaɪsən/ | Eisen /ˈaɪ̯zn̩/ |
| Wheel | Rad /rad/ | — | Raad /rɔːt/ | Rad /raːt/ | Rod /rod/ | Rad /raːt/ | Rad /ʁaːt/ |
| Book | Buach /buax/ | — | Buch /bux/ | Buch /buːx/ | Buach /buɐx/ | Buch /buːx/ | Buch /buːx/ |
| Eat | essa /ɛsə/ | esse /ɛsə/ | esse /ɛsə/ | essen /ɛsn̩/ | essn /ɛsn̩/ | essen /ˈɛsn̩/ | essen /ɛsn̩/ |
| Drink | drengga /drɛŋɡə/ | trinke /trɪŋkə/ | drinke /drɪŋkə/ | trinken /ˈtrɪŋkn̩/ | dringa /drɪŋɡɐ/ | trinken /ˈtrɪŋkn̩/ | trinken /tʁɪŋkn̩/ |
| Sleep | schlofa /ˈʃlofa/ | schlafe /ʃlaːfə/ | schlofe /ˈʃlɔfə/ | schlafen /ˈʃlaːfn̩/ | schlofa /ˈʃlofɐ/ | schlafen /ˈʃlaːfn̩/ | schlafen /ˈʃlaːfn̩/ |
| One | oine /ɔinə/ | ans /ans/ | eens /eːns/ | eins /aɪ̯ns/ | oans /oɐns/ | eins /aɪ̯ns/ | eins /aɪ̯ns/ |
| Two | zwoi /tsvoɪ̯/ | zwaa /tsvaː/ | zwee /tsveː/ | zwei /tsvai/ | zwoa /tsvoɐ/ | zwei /tsvaɪ̯/ | zwei /tsvaɪ/ |
| Three | drei /draɪ/ | drei /draɪ/ | drei /draɪ/ | drei /draɪ̯/ | drei /draɪ/ | drei /draɪ̯/ | drei /dʁaɪ̯/ |
| Four | viar /fiɐ̯/ | vier /fiɐ/ | vier /fiːɐ̯/ | vier /fiːɐ̯/ | fia /fiɐ/ | vier /fiːr/ | vier /fiːɐ̯/ |
| Five | femf /fɛmf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ | fimf /fɪmf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ | fümf /fʏmf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ |
| Hundred | hondrd /ˈhondɐd/ | — | hunnert /ˈhʊnərt/ | hundert /ˈhʊndɐt/ | hundad /ˈhʊndɐd/ | hundert /ˈhʊndərt/ | hundert /ˈhʊndɐt/ |
| Hello | Grüß Gott /ɡryːs ɡɔt/ | Grüß Gott /ɡrʏs ɡɔt/ | Hallo /haloː/ | Servus /zɛɐvʊs/ | Servus /sɛɐvʊs/ | Hallo /haˈloː/ | Hallo /haloː/ |
| Thank you | Danggschee /daŋkʃeː/ | Vergelt's Gott /fɛɐɡɛlts ɡɔt/ | Denki /dɛŋki/ | danke /daŋkə/ | Vagelts Gott /fɐɡɛlts ɡɔt/ | danke /ˈdaŋkə/ | danke /daŋkə/ |
| Good | guad /ɡuə̯d/ | guad /ɡuə̯d/ | gut /ɡuːt/ | gut /ɡuːt/ | guad /ɡuɐd/ | gut /ɡuːt/ | gut /ɡuːt/ |
| New | nei /naɪ/ | — | nei /naɪ/ | neu /nɔɪ̯/ | nei /naɪ/ | neu /nɔɪ̯/ | neu /nɔɪ̯/ |
| Red | rot /rod/ | rood /roːd/ | rot /rot/ | rot /roːt/ | rot /rod/ | rot /roːt/ | rot /ʁoːt/ |
| White | weiß /vaɪs/ | weiß /vaɪs/ | weiss /vaɪs/ | weiß /vaɪs/ | weiß /vais/ | weiss /vaɪs/ | weiß /vaɪs/ |
| Black | schwarz /ʃvarts/ | — | schwatz /ʃvats/ | schwarz /ʃvarts/ | schwoarz /ʃvoɐts/ | schwarz /ʃvarts/ | schwarz /ʃvaʁts/ |
| Green | grea /ɡreə̯/ | — | grie /ɡriː/ | grün /ɡryːn/ | grea /ɡreɐ/ | grün /ɡryːn/ | grün /ɡʁyːn/ |
| Cuckoo | Guckguck /ˈɡʊkɡʊk/ | Gutzgauch /ˈɡʊtsɡaʊx/ | — | Kuckuck /ˈkʊkʊk/ | Kuckuck /ˈkʊkʊk/ | Kuckuck /ˈkʊkʊk/ | Kuckuck /ˈkʊkʊk/ |
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