Skip to content
fluentbyear
🇩🇪 German · Fluency Level 1

PART 3 · LESSON 23 OF 30 · 30 MINUTES

Swiss German

Take a call from Zurich, hear that the Swiss speak one German and write another, and fail at Chuchichaeschtli like every German.

Audio instruction: English

Report a problem with this lesson

This lesson needs a subscription.

The first 2 lessons of each level are free. One subscription unlocks every other lesson, in the app and on the website.

See the plans

Already subscribed? Sign in. Or listen to lesson 1 for free.

THE STORY

The studio on a Friday evening, a caller from Zurich on line one who enjoys being hard to understand.

Flashcards

The words and phrases of this lesson, one card each. Best after you’ve listened.

Create your account.

Create a free account and confirm your email to keep the cards you like and the decks you make.

Already have an account? Sign in

Words and phrases

The lesson is for your ears. Open this afterwards, to see what you learned.
Grüezi, Herr Becker! Hier Zürich.GRUE-eh-tsee, hair BEK-er, heer TSUE-rikhGrueezi, Mister Becker! Zurich here.
Grüezi! War das Schweizerdeutsch?GRUE-eh-tsee, vahr dahs SHVY-tser-doytchGrueezi! Was that Swiss German?
Ja. Wir sprechen so, aber wir schreiben Hochdeutsch.yah, veer SHPREKH-en zoh, AH-ber veer SHRY-ben HOHKH-doytchYes. We speak like that, but we write standard German.
Sagen Sie mal ein schweres Wort.ZAH-gen zee mahl eyn SHVAIR-es vortSay a hard word. Politely.
Chuchichäschtli. Das ist der Küchenschrank.KHOO-khi-khehsh-tli, dahs ist dair KUE-khen-shrahnkChuchichaeschtli. That's the kitchen cupboard.
Wie bitte? Noch einmal, langsam.vee BIT-eh, nokh EYN-mahl, LAHNG-zahmPardon? Once more, slowly.
Keine Sorge. Das kann kein Deutscher.KY-neh ZOR-geh, dahs kahn kyn DOYT-cherNo worry. No German can do that.
Stimmt. Das verstehen wir auch nicht.shtimt, dahs fair-SHTAY-en veer owkh nikhtTrue. We don't understand that either.