Hello everyone! At CIIB, we are in daily contact with our Swiss clients and strive to meet all linguistic standards. You’re probably wondering what makes Swiss German so special, and how its dialect, grammar and spelling differ from High German. You can find out in the following lines. Enjoy reading!

Dialect and grammar

Swiss German is a special variety of German used in Switzerland. It differs in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. Swiss German, or Schwiizerdütsch, has numerous dialects spoken in different regions of the country. Some of these dialects can be so different that people from various parts of Switzerland have difficulty understanding each other. Although they are complex in sound formation, they have a distinct melody and are considered to be “singing”. Emphasis is often placed on the second syllable of a word, which often makes it difficult for German-speaking foreigners to understand each other. There are several sounds that standard German does not recognize. The Bernese are proud of their Berndeutsch, while the people of Zurich are proud of their Züridütsch. 

Swiss German has many grammatical differences from standard German. Some of the most noticeable differences concern verbs. For example, there is no perfect tense in Swiss German; the past tense is used instead. The use of “sein” (to be) and “haben” (to have) as auxiliary verbs also differs from High German. The verb “haben” appears in a reduced form – “ich ha, sie het, mir hei…”. Or to describe a place or direction, the preposition “uf” is often used instead of “auf” (on top) in Swiss German. Another example is the use of “muess” instead of “muss” (must / have to). There are also several words and expressions that are unique to this language – “Grüezi” is a greeting and is the equivalent of the High German “Grüss Gott”, or “Chuchichäschtli”, which means “Küchenschrank” (kitchen cupboard).

How is Swiss German spelled?

Although there is no official, standardized spelling for Swiss German, there are guidelines that formulate rules. With the advent of new media, Swiss German is increasingly being written – everyday, informal messages, for example via WhatsApp or email, are mainly written by young people. Writers are automatically guided by two principles – High German or phonetic spelling. “Bärndütschi Schrybwys” (Bernese German way of spelling) – write according to the German standard or “Schwyzertütschi Dialäktschrift” (Swiss German dialect spelling) – write as you speak.

The “ß” is a ligature, a fusion of two letters, and the original spelling was “sz”. The letter “ß” denotes a sharp, voiceless sibilant sound after a long vowel. The letter “ss” denotes the same sound after a short, emphasized vowel. Many Swiss words come from French, and some are of Latin origin. The reason for this is the fact that the language is spoken in four parts, especially due to the proximity to France.

But we would also like to know how the Swiss write the difference between alcohol in moderation and in masses (Standard German: in Maßen = in moderation, in Massen = a lot / masses of)!

We can only conclude that there is an orthographic alterity and that the context of the sentence changes depending on whether “ss” or “ß” is used.

All in all, Swiss German is a fascinating language with a harmonious tonality and impressive idiosyncrasies. Although it is often difficult for foreigners to learn, it is an integral part of Swiss culture, and the Swiss are proud to speak it.  

After this useful crash course, we have already become real pros – töönt guet – sounds good!