4. - a "dark" a like in the English words "far"
and "start“
- an e that you pronounce with a rather
open mouth,
- like in German "wählen" or English "pen“
- like in English "act" or "lap". Is not used
in standard German, but quite often in
Swiss German
[o] - like in German "rot", quite much the
same as English "more“, ö-sound, like in
"Rösti“
5. [u] - like in German "gut" or Norwegian "sol“
[y] - like the German ü in "für"
[ae] - often written "ei" in German. The
diphthong similar to the one in "cry" or
"mind“
[ao] - Mostly written "au" in German, like in
"Haus“
[x] - like ch in "ach", "Nacht“
6. [kx] - a harder version of the one above. Try starting
with a k that slides
[x] - "ng" like in "sing“
[r] - what I would call a "rolling" r in Norwegian,
similar to the East [:] - a colon after a vowel
means that the vowel is long. Vowels without
a colon are short
['] - the first syllable after ' should be stressed
- a consonant with a stroke like this under it, is a
syllable of its own, like the b in A
7. There is no preterite indicative.
There is no genitive case.
All relative clauses are introduced by the relative
particle “wo”(where).
8. Never uses the past tense of the verb. (if they
want to talk about something happened yesterday,
they use the perfect tense).
Some nouns have other grammatical genders.
You can use “wo” all the time, or “won” when the
next word starts with a vowel
13. drink trinkche
walk laufe
run ranne
work schaffe
Work hard chrampfe
look luege
call aalute
move zugle
eat asse
Go shopping poschte
14. Your house looks very
nice
dis huus gseht sehr
schön us
My rainbow is on fire min rägäbogä isch am
brännä
My house is on fire mis huus isch am
brännä
15. Would you like to dance
with me?
Mochtesch Du mit mir
danze?
Do you speak Swiss
German?
Konne Sie
schwitzerdutsch reede?
Shall we leave? Gommer?
16. ENGLISH FORMAL INFORMAL
Welcome Wilkomme
Hello Grüezi Sali
How are you Wie goots Ihne? Wie goots?
Fine, thanks. And
you?
Dangge, guet, und
Ihne?
Dangge, guet, und
dir?
Long time no see! Mr hänn is schon
lang nümme
g'seh.
What’s your
name?
Wie isch Ihre
name?
Wie isch Ihre
name?
17. Where are you
from?
Wohär sind Sie ? Wohär bisch Du?
I’m from… Ich bi vo ...
Good morning Guete Morge
Good afternoon Gueten Abig
Good evening Guete Daag
Good night Guet Nacht
Goodbye Uf Widerluege
Goodl uck Viel Glück Alles Gueti
18. Have a nice day Ich wünsch Ihne e
schöne Daag
Ich wünsch Dir e
schöne Daag
Thank you merci Merci vielmal
response Nut z’dangge Gaarn gscheh
I love you Ich liib dich I ha Di garn
Leave me alone Löhn Si mi in Ruh Loh mi in Ruh
Happy birthday Härzliche
Glückwunsch zum
Geburtstag
Merry christmas Schöni Fäschttäg Schöni Wienachte
und e guets neus Jahr
Happy New Year en guete Rutsch is
neue Johr
Schöni Wienachte
und e guets neus Joor
19. Ch is pronounced like in the German
word ach (whereas sch is like the normal sh-sound,
like in "sheep"). You may have to practice a lot to
make it, but don't practice so much that you get a sore
throat!
1) CHUCHICHÄSCHTLI
(kitchen cupboard)
2) CHÄS-CHÜECHLI
(cheese pie)
