| GREETINGS & PHRASES | ||
| ENGLISH | GERMAN | PRONUNCIATION |
| Yes. | Ja. | yar |
| No. | Nein. | nine |
| Please. | Bitte. | bitter |
| Thank you. | Danke. | danker |
| Good morning. | Guten Morgen. | gootern morgen |
| Good afternoon. | Guten Tag. | gootern taag |
| Good evening. | Guten Abend. | gootern aabent |
| Goodbye. | Auf Wiedersehen. | owf veederzayn |
| Excuse me! (getting attention) | Entschuldigen Sie bitte! | ent-shuldiggern zee bitter |
| Excuse me? | Wie bitte? | vee bitter |
| Sorry! | Entschuldigung! | ent-shuldiggung |
| Do you speak English? | Sprechen Sie Englisch? | sprecken zee Ennglish |
| I don't understand. | Ich verstehe nicht. | ikh fehrshtayer nihkt |
| I am called .... | Ich heisse .... | ihk hysser |
| I live in .... | Ich wohne in .... | ihk vorne in |
| NUMBERS | ||
| ENGLISH | GERMAN | PRONUNCIATION |
| 0 | null | nul |
| 1 | eins | eyns |
| 2 | zwei | tsvy |
| 3 | drei | dry |
| 4 | vier | fear |
| 5 | fünf | foonf |
| 6 | sechs | zeks |
| 7 | sieben | zeebern |
| 8 | acht | akht |
| 9 | neun | noyn |
| 10 | zehn | tsayn |
| 11 | elf | elf |
| 12 | zwölf | tsvolf |
| 13 | dreizehn | dry-tsayn |
| 14 | vierzehn | fear-tsayn |
| 15 | fünfzehn | foonf-tsayn |
| 16 | sechzehn | zek-tsayn |
| 17 | siebzehn | zeeb-tsayn |
| 18 | achtzehn | akht-tsayn |
| 19 | neunzehn | noyn-tsayn |
| 20 | zwanzig | tsvan-tsigh |
| 21 | einundzwanzig | eyn-oont-tsvan-tsigh |
| 22 | zweiundzwanzig | tsvy-oont-tsvan-tsigh |
| 23 | dreiundzwanzig | dry-oont-tsvan-tsigh |
| 24 | vierundzwanzig | fear-oont-tsvan-tsigh |
| 25 | fünfundzwanzig | foonf-oont-tsvan-tsigh |
| 26 | sechsundzwanzig | zeks-oont-tsvan-tsigh |
| 27 | siebenundzwanzig | zeebern-oont-tsvan-tsigh |
| 28 | achtundzwanzig | akht-oont-tsvan-tsigh |
| 29 | neunundzwanzig | noyn-oont-tsvan-tsigh |
| 30 | dreizig | dry-tsigh |
| 40 | vierzig | fear-tsigh |
| 50 | fünfzig | foonf-tsigh |
| 60 | sechszig | zekhs-tsigh |
| 70 | siebzig | zeeb-tsigh |
| 80 | achtzig | akht-sigh |
| 90 | neunzig | noyn-tsigh |
| 100 | (ein) hundert | hundert |
| 101 | hunderteins | hundert-eynss |
| 102 | hundertzwei | hundert-tsvy |
| 200 | zweihundert | tsvy-hundert |
| 500 | fünfhundert | foonf-hundert |
| 1,000 | (ein) tausend | tau-zent |
| DAYS & MONTHS | ||
| ENGLISH | GERMAN | PRONUNCIATION |
| Monday | Montag | monn-tag |
| Tuesday | Dienstag | deens-tag |
| Wednesday | Mittwoch | mitt-vokh |
| Thursday | Donnerstag | donners-tag |
| Friday | Freitag | fry-tag |
| Saturday | Samstag | zams-tag |
| Sunday | Sonntag | zon-tag |
| January | Januar | yan-yooaar |
| February | Februar | feb-rooaar |
| March | März | mehrts |
| April | April | appril |
| May | Mai | my |
| June | Juni | yooni |
| July | Juli | yooli |
| August | August | ow-gust |
| September | September | zep-tember |
| October | Oktober | oktowber |
| November | November | november |
| December | Dezember | detsember |
Languages - Switzerland
Site Admin.
Foundation
Officially, there are four national languages for Switzerland - German, French, Italian and Rhaeto-Rumantsch (Rumantsch). However, in recent times their proficiency of use is decreasing in favour of English, an indication perhaps of a growing acceptance in the English language as the predominant form of communication amongst business and political communities. No clearer indication of this was provided when in 2002, Zürich's education minister provoked a national debate by announcing an intention to make English the first foreign language, in precedence to French.
| SHOPPING | ||
| ENGLISH | GERMAN | PRONUNCIATION |
| I would like .... | Ich möchte .... | ihk murkhter |
| I am looking for .... | Ich suche .... | ihk zoohker |
| I am just browsing. | Ich sehe mich nur um. | ihk zayer mihk noor oom |
| Do you have ....? | Haben Sie ....? | haaben zee |
| How much is this / that? | Was kostet dies / das? | vass kostet deess/dass |
| The bill please. | Die Rechnung bitte. | dee rehknung bitter |
| I want to pay. | Ich mochte zahlen. | ikh murhkter zaalen |
| Do you accept .... ? | Nehem Sie .... ? | naymen zee |
| The cash desk | Kasse | kasser |
| Self-service | Selbstbedienung | zelbst-bedeenung |
| Bakery | Bäckerei | becker-eye |
| Bank | Bank | bank |
| Butcher | Fleischerei / Metzgerei | fliescher-eye / metsger-eye |
| Department store | Kaufhaus | kowf-howss |
| Drugstore | Apotheke | apotayker |
| Market | Markt | markt |
| Shoe store | Schuhgeschäft | shoo-gesheft |
| Sporting goods store | Sportgeschäft | shport-gesheft |
| Supermarket | Supermarkt | zooper-markt |
| Toy store | Spielwarengeschäft | shpeel-vaaren-gesheft |
| Dry-cleaners | Reinigung | rynigung |
| Post Office | Postamt | posst-amt |
| (Shopping) bag | Tüte | toota |
| EATING & DRINKING | ||
| ENGLISH | GERMAN | PRONUNCIATION |
| Meat | Fleisch | flysh |
| Beef | Rindfleisch | rint-flysh |
| Pork | Schweinefleisch | shvyne-flysh |
| Chicken | Hächchen | henshen |
| Ham | Schinken | shinken |
| Lamb | Lammfleisch | lamm-flysh |
| Sausage | Würste | voorsta |
| Turkey | Truthahn | troot-haan |
| Veal | Kalbfleisch | kalp-flysh |
| Cutlet | Schnitzel | shnitsel |
| Chop | Kotelett | kotlett |
| Fish | Fisch | fish |
| Egg | Ei | eye |
| Vegetables | Gemüse | gemoozer |
| Potatoes | Kartoffeln | kartoffeln |
| French fries | Pommes frites | pommers fritters |
| Fried potatoes | Bratkartoffeln | brat-kartoffeln |
| Boiled potatoes | Salzkartoffeln | zalts-kartoffeln |
| Cauliflower | Blumenkohl | bloomenkoal |
| Beans | Bohnen | bornen |
| Peas | Erbsen | ehrpsen |
| Carrots | Mohrrüben | more-rewben |
| Salad | Salat | zalaat |
| Cucumber | Gurke | goorker |
| Onions | Zwiebeln | tsveebeln |
| Fruit | Obst | ohbst |
| Orange | Apfelsine | apfel-zeener |
| Pear | Birne | beerner |
| Cherries | Kirschen | kirshen |
| Lemon | Zitrone | tsit-rorner |
| Raspberries | Himbeeren | him-beeren |
| Strawberries | Erdbeeren | erd-beeren |
| Plums | Pflaumen | pflowmen |
| Pineapple | Ananas | ananaas |
| Bread | Brot | brort |
| Cheese | Käse | kayzer |
| Red wine / White wine | Rotwein / Weisswein | roat-vine / viess-vine |
| Bottle / Glass | Flasche / Glas | flasher / glas |
| Water | Wasser | vasser |
| Lemonade | Limonade | limonaada |
| Orange juice | Orangensaft | oranjen-saft |
| Apple juice | Apfelsaft | apfel-saft |
| Mineral water | Mineralwasser | minneraal-vasser |
| Beer | Bier | beer |
| Coffee | Kaffee | kafay |
| Tea | Tee | tay |
| Milk | Milch | milsh |
| Sugar | Zucker | tsookker |
| Cake | Kuchen | koohken |
| Gateau | Torte | torta |
| A piece | Stück | shtook |
| Child's portion | Kinderportion | kinder-port-sion |
| Small portion | kleine Portion | klyner port-sioan |
| Large portion | große Portion | groasser port-sioan |
| Cup | Tasse | taaser |
| Small pot | Kännchen | kennshen |
| Knife | Messer | messer |
| Fork | Gabel | garbel |
| Spoon | Löffel | lurfel |
| TRAVEL | ||
| ENGLISH | GERMAN | PRONUNCIATION |
| Car | Auto | owto |
| Bicycle | Fahrrad | faaraat |
| Train | Zug | tsoog |
| Bus | Bus | booss |
| Aeroplane | Flugzeug | floog-zoig |
| Tram | Straßenbahn | shtraassen-baan |
| Right | rechts | rekhts |
| Left | links | links |
| Straight on | geradeaus | gerader-aus |
| Over | uber | oober |
| Under | unter | oonter |
| Next to | neben | nayben |
| After | nach | nahk |
| Way in (on foot) | Eingang | eyn-gang |
| Way out (on foot) | Ausgang | ows-gang |
| Way in (drive) | Einfahrt | eyn-fart |
| Way out (drive) | Ausfahrt | ows-fart |
| Police | Polizei | pollits-eye |
| Traffic jam | Stau | shtau |
| Accident | Unfall | oonfal |
| Motorway (e.g. A2) | Autobahn | owto-barn |
| Main road | Bundersstraße | bunder-strarsser |
| Secondary road | Landstraße | lant-shtrarsser |
| Petrol | Benzin | ben-tseen |
| Lead free petrol | Bleifrei Benzin | bly-fry ben-tseen |
| Diesel | Diesel | deezel |
| Petrol station | Tankstelle | tank-shteller |
| LANGUAGES OF SWITZERLAND | |
| German | 63.7% |
| French | 20.4% |
| Italian | 6.5% |
| Rumantsch | 0.5% |
| Other | 9.0% |
| NOT IN POLITE SOCIETY | |
| ENGLISH | GERMAN |
| Blow me | Blas' mir einen |
| Dam it | Zum Teufel |
| Dumb-ass | Dumpfbacke |
| F…... off | Verpiss dich |
| Fine friend you are! (ironic) | Du bist mir ein feiner freund! |
| Get lost | Abhanden kommen |
| Idiot | Dummkopf |
| Monkey-dick | Affenschwanz |
| Tell your mom she may clean our house again, we found the five euros. | Sag' deiner Mama, dass sie wieder bei uns putzen darf, wir haben die fünf Euro wiedergefunden |
| Tell your mother I'll pay her later | Sag' deiner Mama ich bezahle sie später |
| What the f….. are you doing? | Was machst Du da für Scheiße? |
| Will you kindly shut up | Willst du wohl gefälligst den Mund halten?! |
| You fish-faced excuse of a mishap by evolution. | Du fischgesichtige Entschuldigung einer Verfehlung der Evolution. |
Whilst any effort to communicate in the national tongue will be greatly appreciated, none more so than in the French speaking regions, in reality English will suffice as a suitable means of communication and is readily understood in all major cities and tourist destinations.
Indeed, even for those maintaining a good foundation of German, it is often advised to opt for English due to the unusual rural dialects with which German is spoken in Switzerland, differing further amongst individual Cantons.