by Lea Hauke
Updated on October 15, 2024
4 differences between Swiss German and Standard German
Would you be able to understand Swiss German as a German speaker? In most cases, the answer is no. But while most German speakers struggle to communicate with natives of the Swiss German part of Switzerland, most Swiss German speakers can easily understand Standard German.
How is this possible? It has to do with some unique aspects of Swiss German dialects and pronunciation, for starters, but the differences between Swiss German and Standard German run deeper than that. In the following guide, we’ll explore the differences between official languages and dialects, and take a closer look at the differences in pronunciation and writing.
Standard German refers to the formal, standardized variations of the German language. When somebody says “Standard German” (or Standarddeutsch), they’re talking about the official language of German that’s readily spoken and understood throughout the Germanic world. Swiss German, on the other hand, isn’t quite an official language. Rather, it’s an umbrella term for the dialects that are spoken in the 17 cantons of Switzerland that have Standard German as their official language.
Of course, the way people speak can differ significantly from region to region. People in Bern sound very different from people who speak the dialect common to Zürich. In most cases, though, Swiss Germans can still understand each other despite these differences.
However, the differences between Swiss German dialects and Standard German are big enough for many people in Germany to need subtitles to Swiss German TV shows. Swiss Germans, for their part, tend not to have much trouble understanding Standard German when it’s spoken to them.
Spoken Swiss German has its own characteristics, some of which can sound odd to people more familiar with Standard German pronunciation. The most noticeable is Swiss German’s frequent use of the guttural “ch” sound instead of “k.” One Swiss German word that amazes many other Germans with its excessive use of “ch-” sounds is chuchichäschtli (cupboard or closet).
Swiss German also doesn’t make use of diphthongs or combined vowel sounds. While Standard German pronounces the combination “ie” as if it were a prolonged “i,” Swiss German treats these two vowels like individual sounds. This means that Grüezi (Hello) is not pronounced Grü-tzi, but the e is pronounced, too.
Here is a video that explains the pronunciation of vowels in Swiss German:
So, if the term “Swiss German” refers to a number of different dialects, is there a written version of Swiss German? It’s an understandable question, as dialects are typically spoken languages without a standardized form of writing.
There is in fact a Swiss version of standardized written German, which is called Hochdeutsch (High German). Hochdeutsch is taught in schools in the German-speaking parts of Switzerland and used for official documents, as well as for any type of literature.
Even though Swiss Standard German is almost identical to Standard German, there are minor differences. One prominent difference is the lack of –ß (sharp “s”) in Swiss Standard German.
Where you would spell the color white “weiß” in Standard German, Swiss Standard German spells it “weiss,” for example.
A common difference between dialects and written versions of languages is that dialects tend to be a bit more practical in everyday use. As such, features which are not deemed entirely necessary will sometimes not be used.
For example, Swiss German speakers often use the present perfect tense instead of the simple past. When Standard German is spoken, people tend to do the same, even though the written form would make use of the simple past.
So, instead of saying Ich ging nach Hause. (I went home.) they use Ich bi nach hausei gange (I have gone home.).
Comparing Swiss German and Standard German is difficult, as the former describes the many dialects spoken in the German cantons of Switzerland and the latter is an official language. There is no standardized, written version of Swiss German; therefore, Switzerland has its own version of Standard German for official documents or literature.
The many Swiss German dialects have their own peculiarities, which can differ from canton to canton. So, if you’re interested in a Swiss German course because you’re considering moving to or visiting Switzerland, it’s best to learn from a native speaker from the specific area.
