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Swiss German Dictionary Learn Swiss German Useful Links More… A bit about Me

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Irene Wyrsch
My name is Irene and I'm from

Swiss German Dictionary Switzerland. I moved to Peru about

five years ago and enjoy the different
life here. Among other things, I write
about life and culture in Switzerland,
life and traveling in the North of
Peru, and everything else Swiss or
Peruvian that strikes my fancy. You…

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johnny · June 18, 2019 at 8:07 AM
w do you say kiss kiss in swiss slang
c johnny
Archive of Posts

Irene Wyrsch · June 18, 2019 at 11:20 PM

What I write about
Depending on your dialect it would be 'küssli küssli' or 'kössli kössli'. In Bernese Swiss German they might
say 'müntschi müntschi' but I'm not entirely sure sind that is not my native dialect. Hope this helps!
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nerivanzyl@yahoo.com · December 6, 2019 at 7:49 AM
anks to @swiss_german
w do you pronounce 'briegge'?who provided me with a good basic Swiss

vocabulary to start
Irene Wyrsch this 6,dictionary!
· December Sadly enough, her twitter account
2019 at 4:42 PM
Something
deleted now.like "bree-eh-ggah"
I hope that thiswith a strong
Swiss G sound.
German dictionary will be useful to

pats in Switzerland and other people interested in the Swiss German

PLY
!
erio · August 1, 2020 at 2:00 PM
azing dictionary you have created. :-) As a person from Solothurn (near Bern region) we use the word "äuä" the
me way Bernese people do and it's a very common expression in sentences. It's used it in different ways which is
ated a list with online resources for learners of Swiss German, you can
ficult to describe. Depending on the context it could also mean "probably" ("Es chunt ÄUÄ no cho rägne. = "It
AYre:rain later." / "It is PROBABLY going to rain later.") or as a negative form ("Dr Michi chunnt jetzt ÄUÄ chum no a
arty." = "AS IF Michael will still come to the party at this time.").
es for Learners of Swiss German.
Irene Wyrsch · August 1, 2020 at 7:49 PM
Thanks for your input. It's definitely an interesting word!

ve additions or comments on this Swiss German Dictionary or if you

PLY
use parts of this dictionary on your website or blog, please contact me!
e Swiss Hillbilly · March 8, 2021 at 7:43 PM
mother's parents immigrated from the Berner Oberland to Wisconsin in the early 1900's. English was a second
guage for my mother (and father who was a Glarner). I know a little dialect from my parents and the Glarner
mmunity where I grew up.

mother used to call a runny nose (phonetically) shnu-thah-nuhz-ah, with no "d's". "Gring" was the word for head
d could be attached to the word for stormy (shter-mee) or shwahd-lee (Mom said this meant something like
eless.) Boy was "bueb" (boo-ub) and could be attached to the word for snot (see above) or louse (loos). Then,
re's "hor-chik". Mom said this meant something like frumpy. I asked an elderly Swiss expat from Stammheim
German Dictionary (alphabetically ordered)
out the word, and he'd never heard of it.

r pronunciation for the word I (Ich) was a diphthong something like this: "Ayee" (but "ee" in Dad's dialect.) Have
be) was "cha". Not was "nid" in Mom's dialect and "nayd" in Dad's.

gets confusing trying to keep it all straight, alongside the smattering of German I know.

Irene Wyrsch · March 13, 2021 at 6:18 PM

ening)
Thanks for writing. How interesting to see how Swiss German evolved once it arrived in America! I could
o arrive)
probably still understand most of it but I'm guessing there are also older words still used that in today's
Switzerland are considered old fashioned.
o hint at understand
I can sth) also: how
aatöne
it gets confusing though. Especially if you throw German in the mix. :)

arrival)
PLY
phone call)
onymous · June 14, 2023 at 1:10 AM
o hint) also: adüüte
w do you say "To Be" like not to do some thing but just simply be. Like when you have a cup of hot cocoa and
kinky)
k out at the beautiful lake and just be. AND how to say "imagine" Thank you for this great list!

(to fall from something)

Anonymous · June 19, 2023 at 10:04 PM
It would be "eifach sii" which literally means "to simply be".
akeoff)
 to takeoff)
PLY
to crop or to bunk)
zel · September 27, 2023 at 9:39 PM
eparture)
here a Swiss German version of the word "ready"?

to depart)
Irene · September 29, 2023 at 6:13 PM
Of course. It would be "bereit". But often we use the english "ready" as well!
t (failed)

kt (totally failed)
PLY
ö (formal goodbye)
er Comment
advent, season before Christmas)
chranz (advent wreath)
omething to add or would like to ask a question? I would love to hear from you!
kalender (Christmas calendar)

märt (advent market)

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diary)

ete zum Geburi! (Happy Birthday!) also: Häppi Börsdei!

gain and again)

ometimes)
g (narrow-minded)

tter) also: Butter

ow free)

mbe (cannonball, jumping butt first into the pool)

in Bernese dialect)

hange!, come on!)

)

e (to drive a car, to ride a car)

ple (to hitchhike, lit. to stop a car)

rom french "excusez", sorry)

by) also: Bébé, Buschi, Poppi

Schätzli, Schnüggel and Müüsli - Terms of

pe (bathing cap)

Endearment in Swiss German

d (bathing suit for women)

take a bath)
Kiss
ie - Oliver
(beach Haja / pixelio.de If you've ever been invited to the home of a Swiss
vacation)
ocouple, you
swim, to arein
play probably familiar with the most popular Swiss German term of
the water)
endearment
(bathing "Schätzli" ('little treasure') or one of it's many varieties like e.g.
trunks)
"Schatz"
blic pool) or "Schätzeli"
also: Schwümmbi. Obviously, this is not the only pet name used by Swiss …

hli (towel)
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(staycation, lit. imaginary land on your balcony)

k (licorice)

by) also: Baby, Buschi

untain)

ächig (meeting)

he (hot water bottle)

mpfeli (bedtime snack)

g (application)

ere (to admire)

ick, pimple)

children)
pee) also: brünzle

e (to bivouac)
little bit)

leaves

ft (pencil)
idiot) also: Tubel

How to Say 'I Love You' in Swiss German

to lollygag)

flower)

little
To beflower)
completely honest, I'm not very fond of hallmark holidays and Valentine's
walk
Dayaround undressed)
is probably the mothership of them all. In my home there will be no cheesy
l, onion
cards or(only in Zurich
flowers on thatdialect))
day and, personally, I'm happy about it. However, I know
scht
that(bratwurst)
there are many people who like to celebrate Valentine's Day and take it as …
to cry) also: greine, gränne, hüüle, brüele
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(brother)

i (little brother)

o cry) also: greine, gränne, hüüle, briegge

(washbasin, sink) also: Lawabo

to pee) also: bisle

ar (useful)

o remember)
runk)

(a drunk)

r (visitor)

o work) also: chrampfe, schaffe

worker)

to book)

bump)
little bumps, bumps on a ski slope)

schte (mogul slope)

fice)

ignon) also: Hüppi, Pfürzi

Panache, a Swiss Mixed Beer

aby) also: Bébé, Baby

ägeli (pram)
Next to our daily coffee fix , we Swiss really enjoy our ' Feierabendbier '. This
(to ride a bus, to drive a bus)
literally means 'quitting time beer' and refers to a beer drunk in the after-work
also: Busle, Chatz
hours. Maybe we're not quite like the Irish who are said to go straight to the pub
t) also: Büsi, Chatz
after work but many of us still like to enjoy a good cold beer when we get home.…
((apple) core) also: Groibschi, Gigetschi
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elly)
eh (tummy ache)
mer) Powered by Blogger

Miss Peaches 2012

f (farm)
f-Feerie (vacation on a farm)

e (to camp out)

platz (campground) also: Zältplatz

halet)
 d)
oldness)

touque, hat)
map, card)

eese)
e (wardrobe, strong and heavy man)
echli (cheese tart)

mmi (bubble gum) also: Cheutschgi

oke)
turn)

candle)
eh (making candles)
hgi (chewing gum) also: Chaugummi

ig (to be hoarse)
n fair, annual fair)

hild, children)
geburi (child's birthday)
mack)

azieh (to put on clothes) also: sich aalege

to bang)
(a Cervelat, a typical Swiss sausage)

(to pinch)
(large piece of wood)
(to gag someone)

to cook)
pf (cooking pot)
ead)

rer (head phone)

(dive with head first) also: Schpiessli

h (headache) also: Grindweh

to crawl)
to scratch)

(beads)
e (to work hard)
cherry, cherries)

chtei (cherry stone)

(manger, day care center)
baum (Christmas tree)

chindli (Christ child)

crown)

ösche (dandelion) also: Soiblueme

üsi (Chaos) also: Durenand
kitchen)

häschtli (kitchen cupboard)

chublade (cupboard drawer)
w)

(cake)
e (cowpat)
 gel (frostbite on finger or toes, lit. cow nail)

chriiber (ballpen) also: Chugi

allpen) also: Chugelschriiber

(globe, ball)
ahn (marble run)
to roll)

hei! (come home soon!)

ung (letter of dismissal)
h mit mir go Znacht ässe? (Will you go out to dinner with me?)

- pumpkin
e (to whisper in someone's ear)
(to tickle)

g (ticklish)
unlikely, improbable)

usin (male second cousin)

usine (female second cousin)
male cousin)

(female cousin)

haa (to wear the pants, e.g. to be in charge)

side)
ziert (aloof)

tig (Thursday)
(to fall for sth, to fall into sth)
de Beschti! (you're the best (for men))

di Beschti! (you're the best (for women))

ch mega hübsch us. (you look so pretty)
sch mi glücklich (you make me happy)

iot) also: Idiot

d (chaos) also: Chrüsimüso
d sii (to be messy, confused)

utside)

(egoist)
ay)
(squirrel)

e (to color eggs, e.g. by cooking them in dye or drawing on them)

che (to look for the eggs)

h (egg bump, i.e. an Easter game involving eggs)

ce)
ffi bittschön (One coffee please)

arents)
e! (enjoy your meal, bon appetit)
Gäld (a pile of money)

ne (have a nice day)

ne Valentinstag (happy valentinesday)
i (peanut, typical gift from Santa)
(adventure, experience)
Auguscht (1st of August = Switzerland's national day)

ch (astounding)
t's fun)
Nöis (happy new year)

chelet (there are interpersonal problems)

s Wucheänd (have a nice weekend)
s guet (we're all right)

family)
colorful
arty)

maunder, to babble)
)
oliday, vacation)

atte (hard disk)

(busywork)
pper)
nte mache (make a fuss about sth. when it's not really necessary)

nta's stick that he uses to hit bad behaving children)

cross pass in soccer)
uche (honey moon)
(airport)
plane) also: Flugzüüg

g (airplane) also: Flugi

ght)
gscht (fear of flying)
o fly)
e (airport)
take photos)

hoto) also: Foti

to) also: Föteli
crap of paper)
hnitte (lit. slice of paper scraps, French Toast)
man, wife)
z (firecracker, lit. A woman's fart)

iday)
(spring)
oyfriend, friend)
(girlfriend, friend)
resh)

ert (frustrated)
t) also: Füdli
tt) also: Fudi
t (buttnaked)
et)
l (football, soccer, also lit. the soccer ball)

l spiele (to play soccer) also: tschutte

lplatz (soccer field) also: Tschuttiplatz
o touch each others feet)
to relax, to do nothing)
t)

e)
o make a fire, to make a bonfire)
k (fireworks)

le (to go pick flowers)

(to go to work)
o (high speed)
guest)

guests)
birthday)
htens (awesome)
luggage, baggage)
frozen)

to freeze)
(creepy)
fall)
o hear)
(seesaw)
i (apple core) also: Bütschgi, Groibschi

o chuckle, to giggle)
black ice)
rmflüge (paragliding)
iron)
öögg (silly, annoying person)
iccup) also: Hitzgi

puddle)
(to look with envie)
chkeit (coziness)
! (have fun!)
enjoy sth)

uche (week of indugence)

o shriek)
am) also: Gonfi
m) also: Gomfi
at)
al)

alie)
e (to play with water)
stutz (darn it)
old car, old vehicle, old bicycle)
corner kick)
e (to play with water)
o cry, to weep) also: greine, hüüle, briegge, brüele
y)
ead)
nz (bread roll in the shape of a man)
randma) also: Grosi, Grosmami

andpa) also: Grospapi, Grosätti

(grandpa) also: Gropi, Grospapi
nd (grandchild, grandchildren)
re (grandparents)
andma) also: Gromi, Grosmami

mi (grandma) also: Gromi, Grosi

(grandpa) also: Gropi, Grosätti
mi (grandma)
itli (granddaughter)
i (apple core) also: Bütschgi, Gigetschi
rumor)

ormal hello) also: Griezi, Grüessech

(sound)
li (gift, gifts))
chterti (sibblings)
ealthy)

it! (Bless you! (after sneezing))

od)
cht (good night)
abig (good evening)
orge (good morning)
g (good day)

cookie, cookies)
n, needle pin)
tiefel (rain boots)
o jump)
g (cheap, good prize)

ash)
übel (trash can)
sip or spill)
peek, to look)
thunderstorm)

r)
mmeli (elastic hair band)

nitt (haircut)
o eat)
tt (zither)
(cozy)
sion (half board)
llo)
 (handful)
e (gloves, mittens)
rsdei! (Happy Birthday!) also: Alles Guete zum Geburi!
el (potato)
elstock (mashed potatoes)

ss (to be more than can be seen at first sight (in a good or bad way))
hirt)
t (fall, autumn)
tferie (fall vacation)
to fork out)
fahre (to drive in reverse)

(wedding)
rmal hello)
e (informal hello to a group)
per (grasshopper)
nts)

k (pocket)
ostel)
otel)
mer (hotel room)
eler (Swiss folk music)
e (to cough, a cough)

sing, covering)
og)
puppy)
rlochete (party in the hills)
hignon) also: Bürzi, Pfürzi

weep) also: greine, gränne, brüele, briegge

us)
u (housewife)
(door (of a house))

ed Schwizer. (I am not Swiss (male))

ed Schwizerin. (I am not Swiss (female))
ur chli am umeluege. (I'm just looking.)

l. (I'm full, I ate enough)

ilch gärn (I like milk)
apiert (I got it, I understood) also: Ich has verstande, Ich has tscheggt
scheggt (I got it, I understood) also: Ich has kapiert, Ich has verstande
erstande (I got it, I understood) also: Ich has kapiert, Ich has tscheggt
dich (I love you)

nüm. (I've had enough)

iss di. (I miss you)
identity card)
o)
burglary)

(shopping)
 t (to be snowed in, stuck in a place because of snow fall)
to bag something)
to bag something)

schlöfernd (soporific)

ce cold)
bele (to cover someone with snow)
y (hockey)
ce rain)
icicle)

g goh (to go out)

e (dive in, jump in)

o yodel) also: jodle

yodel) also: jödele
umsy person, strange person, funny person)
to play table football) also: töggele

haschte (table football) also: Töggelichaschte

th hostel)
ung)
(young people)

ktown)
ee)
g (Good Friday)
el (stuff, junk)
angover, male cat)

g (no idea)
uitcase)
friend)
etch of a terrain)
suhr (cuckoo clock)
(art)

er (artist)
sammlig (art collection)

amp)
brawl)
terhose (long johns)
(boredom)
b)

walk)
washbasin, sink) also: Brünneli
avalanche)
fohr (avalanche danger)
 study, to teach)

study)
uess (kind regards) also: Liebi Grüess
e)
üess (kind regards) also: Liebe Gruess
ght)
chetti (chain of lights)

little light)
ehl (deck chair)
t, the left side)
knit)
, student driver)

zue! (listen to me!)

sten)
look)

(wanton person)
icnic lunch)

to shine, to glow)
ift (highlighter)
mood)
(moody)
ng)

li (ring and run)

n, husband)
mucki (a skinny child)
om) also: Mueti, Mutti
(to eat)
nli (mandarine)
Monday)

edible chestnuts)

schtand (Marroni booth)

verchäufer (Marroni vendor)
neili (marzipan eggs)
tlassig (collective dismissal)
a, ocean)

n (delicious)
enu)

ank you, from french "merci") also: danke

aschi (gallimaufry)

(to play along)

oon)

h (Wednesday)
morning)

apple juice)

(to make applesauce)

o complain, to baa) also: mötzele

(to complain, to baa) also: motze

to be tired)

mother)

om) also: Mami

g)
er (sea of fog)

oggy)
ght)

ler (straggler)

ternoon) also: Namitag

(afternoon) also: Nami

obile phone)
nature, outdoors)

phew)
neutral)

niece)

elneu (brand spanking new)

ot yet)

to annotate)
to sneeze)

proximately, sometimes)

omeone)

wundere (to admire sb)

eiche (to kick sb)

Honig ums Muul schmire (to butter sb up)

mething)

wundere (to admire sth)

gäh (to jettison sth, to give up sth)

bler (earwig)

ple, apples)
e (easter)

eili (easter egg)

haas (easter bunny)

häsli (little easter bunny)

mäntig (Easter Monday, a national holiday)

näschtli (Easter nest,little basket you put eggs and bunnies in)

partner, boyfriend, girlfriend)

sport)

ich uf! (take care!)

ier (passenger)
rolle (passport control)
 reis (package tour, all-inclusive vacation)
edal)

o sleep)

cold, runny nose)

little rascal)

hignon) also: Bürzi, Hüppi

hroom, mushrooms)

ck)
aby) also: Baby, Bebé, Buschi

mail, the post office)

(to shop)

wägeli (shopping cart)

(cheers!)

(provisions)

exam)
m (audience)

ss, brothel)

(to be querulous)
g (querulous)

(neighborhood)

vely)
(to squeeze)

urnip, beetroot

htli (beetroot lantern)

htliumzug (beetroot lantern walk)

ght, the right side)

ig (on time)

el)
n)

e (rainbow)

ntel (rain coat)

rm (umbrella)

fe (rain drops)
eam) also: Nidle

(lit. belly-er or paunch-er; when you jump off the diving board and land smack on your tummy)

alter (penny pincher)

, journey)

travel, to take a trip)

o (travel agency)

er (wanderlust)

li (someone who travels a lot)

hrer (travel book, guide book)

(destination)
o relax)

restaurant)
swing) also: Riitti

ing) also: Riitseili

y, easily)
red wine)

Swiss potato pancake)

rabe (imaginary line that separates the French and German speaking parts of Switzerland)

rse)

mall horse)
l (road apple)

k (backpack)
arrot)

rte (carrot cake)

stir, to throw)
crambled egg)

ahn (slide)
oom)

ooms)

te (cottage of the Swiss Alpine Club)

g)
o rain, to piss)

us (Santa Claus)
g (Saturday)

to play with sand)

carf)

to work) also: chrampfe

uit, coffee with milk, peel)

oat, ship)

re (to ride a boat, to ride a ship)

)

e (to ski)

ski lift)
feree)

ear)
as (scaredy cat, lit. fear rabbit)

üg (sweets, candy) also: Zeltli, Täfeli

(hockey stick)
ssel (mess)

crawl)
sledge)

hueh (skate, ice skate)

hüehle (to ice skate)

sip)

(a little sip)
e (to smell)
gle (to bootleg, to smuggle)
li (lit: dirty one, Santa's helper)

e (to spoon with sb, to canoodle)

ge (to crawl)
snow)

all (snow ball)

all-Schlacht (snow ball fight)

ele (to play in the snow)

ocke (snowflake)
öckli (small snowflake)

öckli (snowflake)
au (snow woman)

maa (snowman)

chturm (snow storm)

to snow)

hle (to snorkle)

erlumpe (lit. snot cloth, handkerchief)

ernaase (running nose)

el (cuty)

(to blow one's nose)

rend (shocking)
er (someone who has an easy life)

i (small chocolates)
(chocolate)

hueche (chocolate cake)

haas (chocolate bunny)

chtängel (chocolate stick)

erie (happy holidays)

Wiehnacht (marry Xmas)

(baby milk bottle)

che (toys, lit. playing things)

li (dive with head first) also: Chöpfler

hupele (cobweb)
Chnebel (recorder, flute)

e (splitter, splinter)

e (to run) also: seckle

gbrätt (diving board)

e (injection, syringe)
e (to slosh, to besplatter)

(to write)
(stairs)

e (bar, half a liter of beer)

star)
(little star)

ob, place)
zeig (job advert)

(star)

vo Bethlehem (Chistmas star)

broke, flat broke)

pen or an apprentice)
s (street)

(beach)

elampe (street lamp)

weird)

(living room, sitting room)

(piece)

i (morsel)

re (to reflect or to study)

Swiss Franc or a steep ascent)

timid)
chool)

(training)
(foam)

r (brother-in-law)

e (to play hooky)

ereltere (parents-in-law)

ermueter (mother-in-law)
ervatter (father-in-law)

Switzerland)

rdütsch (Swiss German)

is)

rin (sister-in-law)
hter (sister)

hterli (little sister)

mbi (public pool) also: Badi

mbrüle (goggles)

me (to swim)
o run) also: schpringe

ni (freezing of a lake)
ürdigkeit (tourist attraction)

sing)

eeting)
me (dandelion) also: Chrotepösche

(souvenir)
ttel (stroll, walk)

n (city map)

dfahrt (sightseeing tour in a city)

(extra exercise)

(summer)
feerie (summer vacation)

(boggy)

un)
and (sunburn)

äm (sunscreen)
to sun tan)

hirm (sunshade)
Sunday)
gradually, carefully)

young wine)

to sneak, to squeal, to tell on someone)

ack (someone who tells on someone)

ndy, sweets) also: Zeltli

refuel)

um (fir tree)

unt)
bag)

to outdare)

i (tea bag)

re (to make a phone call)

ckly)

to play table football) also: jöggele

haschte (table football) also: Jöggelichaschte

t (sounds good)

sound)
to pedal)

grape, grapes)
(small grapes)

(to walk)
re (to judder)

(bye [to a friend])

zämme (bye all)

i (cheerio, bye)

(to boot, to play soccer)

(to play soccer) also: Fuessball spiele

e (to play with a soccer ball, easy going soccer playing)

platz (soccer field) also: Fuessballplatz

iot) also: Blödian

towel)
(to buy unnecessary small things)

r)

(sightseer)
wer)

ensive)

hte (to stay over night)

htig (accommodation, overnight stay)

nde (overtime)

(overtime)
(open) also: uftue

(to refurbish)
en) also: ufmache
 mework)
(to turn around)

mle (to hang around)

e (to rummage around)

une (to roam)

survey)
eit (disparity)

ncle)

be (procrastinate)
excursion, day trip)

overseas, countries outside of Switzerland)

(foreigner)

hwiizer (expat)

day trip, excursion)

e (to unpack)

fe (to sleep in)

) also: Papi, Äti, Vatter

ather) also: Papi, Äti, Vati

ack eye)
ycle)

e (to cycle)

m (helmet)
(bicycle tour)

(bicycle track)
(to miss)

to sing out)

(to go on a trip)
he (to frighten off)

ände (to waste)

ch (confidential)

ti (relatives)

k zum Geburi! (happy birthday!)

hl (to feel very comfortable)

on (full board)
nough, left over)

e, cake)

wiss-french)
harte (trail map)

(to wander, to hike)

g (hike)
chueh (hiking boots)

weg (hiking trail, hiking track)

ch hüt vor? (What are you up to today?)

hat?)

water)
bread roll)

uick, quickly)
s? (how are you?)

w?)

hte (Christmas)
htsmärt (Christmas market)

hoschtet das? (how much does that cost?)

(how much?)

e)

- grape harvest
iehnachte (lit:white Christmas, snow on Christmas eve)

white wine)
nison)

d)
diaper, nappy)

winter)

gge (winter coat)

is-à-vis)

ere)
week)

li (woolen sweater)

(sausage)
(dishevel)

(disheveled)

h)Zahbürschteli (toothbrush)
th)

(to brush your teeth)

hta (thoothpaste)

t)
sleep in a tent)

(campground) also: Campingplatz

der, gentle)
rschoggi (bittersweet chocolate)

eets, candy) also: Täfeli

(Tuesday)

ht (zeitgeist)
ervice (room service)

lunch)
breakfast)

uffet (breakfast buffet)

e (to eat your breakfast in a unhurried way)

dinner)
econd breakfast)
toms)

li (sugar eggs, candy in egg shape)

e (close) also: zuetue

lose) also: zuemache

move)
hl! (cheers!) also: Proscht!

ain)
e (to ride a train)

a time)

(twin)
re (to twitter)

020 IRENE WYRSCH "A HUMOROUS GUIDE TO SWITZERLAND" ALL

RESERVED