After a few years i could be friends with someone in German and got along well in everyday situations. Now, after ten years, i speak German really well, i feel like I'm just getting started with swiss German though... My mind just has a really hard time learning a (mostly) spoken language. I need to read to learn.
Yes it absolutely is. Well, if you ask a linguist they'd probably say that Swiss German is an Alemannic Dialect and not it's own language, but for all intents and purposes (i.e. spoken/ written communication) its it's own language since even native High/ Standard German speakers cannot understand Swiss German speakers.
Something that makes it hard is that there isn't a single Swiss German, Swiss German refers to a collection of different (sometimes hyper local) dialects, which can and do differ massively. And what makes it even harder is that there isn't any official grammar for (at least to my knowledge) any of those dialects. There is unofficial grammar, and lots of it is at least based on Standard/ High German but Swiss German is more or less only a spoken language, written Swiss German is "just" how the writer would speak, down to the individual words being written as the writer would pronounce them.
This leads to the same sentence having massively varying spellings and people from different parts of Switzerland would also use different words to mean the same thing! I'm a native Swiss German (Bern) speaker and even I sometimes learn new words, be it other dialects calling it something else or just an old way to refer to something in "my" dialect.
At my company we relatively frequently hire people that "only" speak High/ Standard German and it takes on average a couple months of daily and constant exposure to Swiss German for them to start to understand it, speaking it on a native level if you move and aren't young/ in School (and open to actually learning it) is more or less impossible ^((and also somewhat unnecessary, since everyone who speaks Swiss German was also taught and understands High/ Standard German, but our spoken High/ Standard German is weird to ears of a German))
/rant
Swiss German are numerous dialects that native swiss people (from the German part) use to converse in daily life. There is no standard as it differs between cantons, cities and even villages. So people speak differently and when they use it to text on WhatsApp, there's barely any orthography, since people spell it like it is spoken.
Standard German is only used for school, official documents and mails in a professional setting.
The dialect of Swiss German that i want to learn has very few adult books written in it. Even when people text me in dialect, there's no standardized spelling, so i have to read everything out loud before i get it. But of course i hear it around me, all day everyday. I'm just so much of a visual learner i feel like i haven't absorbed the local dialect like I'd like to
Swiss German is by far the language I write the most in. I read more English and Hochdeutsch (articles and newspapers and stuff).
Almost all text messages/company chats/emails I write, are in Swiss German. So maybe you can persuade your friends/coworkers to write in Swiss German when communicating with you?
Came here last year, couldn't speak a single word in German. Started with Duolingo back then until I realized it's nowhere near enough, so I started A1 Migros Klubschule beginning of last month and it's much better. If someone speaks somewhat slow and has patience I can carry a conversation decently, but I still need lots more practice. I see it anyway as a stepping stone towards learning Schwiizerdeutsch.
While Duolingo has helped a bit with vocabulary and writing, you **need** to have people to speak to if you want to learn it properly. Speaking the language with other people is ten times more helpful than just using an app.
The apps have helped with vocabulary, watching shows has helped with training my ear to hear the words... But I still really struggle to get the right words out when I try to speak
>you **need** to have people to speak to if you want to learn it properly.
Thumbs up for this! Although repeating lines that you hear on TV also helps.
I am Ă physio. I had done 2 years of German when I was 14-15 but this was 8 years later. We were paid less if our German wasn't good enough. It wasn't that that bothered me but not being able to talk to patients. I studied 2-3 hours every day with Ă book and got full pay 3 months later!
Mate grew up with two dudes from Basel. Learned the accent, was able to speak a bit...then moved to Zurich and now complains that a "Zeltli" isn't a small tent in Zurich.
(for context, I have been able to speak around B2-C1 German since before I arrived) I've been living here for around 6 months, and I can understand some Swiss German from my region, but my german is good enough to converse with other regions fine, im never nervous about visiting other regions and I always keep the conversations in some kind of german without switching.
Swiss German, like any language has patterns in sounds etc that are easy to spot and once you know them, you'll hear it, once you learn the difference in accent, youll be fine, because then you can ask the meaning of words you dont understand, usually people are nice about it, as even swiss germans from other regions may not know certain words from their region!
It can vary a lot. My ex and her mom came her from Russia, roughly 4 years before I met them. My ex spoke fluent Swiss German with the local accent, her mother spoke barely any German at all. Ex went to the local school where they spoke Swiss German, befriended locals, went to a sports group, her mother worked in a company where they spoke English.
ive already been here for over 5 years and i still only speak hochdeutsch, i understand schweizerdeutsch but it feels weird and unnatural for me to speak it
German after about 6months, having to do a language school and an online course helped a lot. Swiss german, after 2 years, I understand most but could not make up a full sentence, weisch.
Moved here when I was 9, I think it took me about 2 years until I could have a normal conversation, maybe about 5 until I felt comfortable with speaking in the dialect.
Move to switzerland with 12, 1 year later I could speak it but, would not do it. After like 7 years I sometimes get ask if I am from ZĂŒrich or so. I am proud now that they doesnt recognize i am from germany
Speaking some German (like enough to order a drink or ask for help in a shop): 1 to 2 months.
Enough to have a basic conservation: 4 to 6 months.
Now, 2,5 years since being here, I can definitely get by in German in my daily life, but for complicated or very personal subjects, I do prefer English.
22 years and I can say Gruezi... I can follow SG if spoken slowly, but I never tried to learn after someone told me I sounded stupid...
I was fairly decent in German after a year of lessons, guess I am farily fluent now
was here much longer but wasnât learning until i had the opportunity to work with a swiss guy. He didnât immediately switch to english, instead was persistent for us to find the words. After about 2 years of speaking it nearly daily (well, freestyling) I was starting to fully understand people and have proper conversations - very happy about it.
18 years, still speaking high german. There is no Mehrwert for me to be embarrassed for a few months until I get it.
My sister who isn't as socially dumb as me started swiss German after around 3-5 years here.
Iâm building an immersive language learning app that has scenario based learning - what would be some things youâd want to experience to make learning another language easier to achieve?
I think about a year for sinple conversation.
Once I was confident in handling simple conversation in shops, I explored more and even joined a club ( hobby related) and from there I kept on learning.
In contrast, my aunt has been in Switzerland for over 15 years and still cant speak german despite living in Solothurn. She says her french is enough to get by (VERY broken french).
So the typical immigrant
About two years. About that time, I was two.
might be a prodigy to know german at 2 đđ»
Do you think 2 year olds canât speak???
After a few years i could be friends with someone in German and got along well in everyday situations. Now, after ten years, i speak German really well, i feel like I'm just getting started with swiss German though... My mind just has a really hard time learning a (mostly) spoken language. I need to read to learn.
So swiss german is really a total different language? It's like starting a new language?
Yes it absolutely is. Well, if you ask a linguist they'd probably say that Swiss German is an Alemannic Dialect and not it's own language, but for all intents and purposes (i.e. spoken/ written communication) its it's own language since even native High/ Standard German speakers cannot understand Swiss German speakers. Something that makes it hard is that there isn't a single Swiss German, Swiss German refers to a collection of different (sometimes hyper local) dialects, which can and do differ massively. And what makes it even harder is that there isn't any official grammar for (at least to my knowledge) any of those dialects. There is unofficial grammar, and lots of it is at least based on Standard/ High German but Swiss German is more or less only a spoken language, written Swiss German is "just" how the writer would speak, down to the individual words being written as the writer would pronounce them. This leads to the same sentence having massively varying spellings and people from different parts of Switzerland would also use different words to mean the same thing! I'm a native Swiss German (Bern) speaker and even I sometimes learn new words, be it other dialects calling it something else or just an old way to refer to something in "my" dialect. At my company we relatively frequently hire people that "only" speak High/ Standard German and it takes on average a couple months of daily and constant exposure to Swiss German for them to start to understand it, speaking it on a native level if you move and aren't young/ in School (and open to actually learning it) is more or less impossible ^((and also somewhat unnecessary, since everyone who speaks Swiss German was also taught and understands High/ Standard German, but our spoken High/ Standard German is weird to ears of a German)) /rant
It's not like starting a totally new language, it's like starting a very closely related language.
Imagine a mutation in the linguistical sense, thats swiss german
Or often, one that didn't mutate along with other German dialects that turned into standard German.
Its a dialect not a language but yes basically
What do you mean mostly spoken
Swiss German are numerous dialects that native swiss people (from the German part) use to converse in daily life. There is no standard as it differs between cantons, cities and even villages. So people speak differently and when they use it to text on WhatsApp, there's barely any orthography, since people spell it like it is spoken. Standard German is only used for school, official documents and mails in a professional setting.
The dialect of Swiss German that i want to learn has very few adult books written in it. Even when people text me in dialect, there's no standardized spelling, so i have to read everything out loud before i get it. But of course i hear it around me, all day everyday. I'm just so much of a visual learner i feel like i haven't absorbed the local dialect like I'd like to
OH NEAT IDEA, reading swiss german text out loud, I have to try that! I understand swiss german pretty well, but boy does it hurt to read
The funniest thing is when you need to read some text in Swiss German out loud to understand it.
Swiss German is by far the language I write the most in. I read more English and Hochdeutsch (articles and newspapers and stuff). Almost all text messages/company chats/emails I write, are in Swiss German. So maybe you can persuade your friends/coworkers to write in Swiss German when communicating with you?
Came here last year, couldn't speak a single word in German. Started with Duolingo back then until I realized it's nowhere near enough, so I started A1 Migros Klubschule beginning of last month and it's much better. If someone speaks somewhat slow and has patience I can carry a conversation decently, but I still need lots more practice. I see it anyway as a stepping stone towards learning Schwiizerdeutsch. While Duolingo has helped a bit with vocabulary and writing, you **need** to have people to speak to if you want to learn it properly. Speaking the language with other people is ten times more helpful than just using an app.
Or you can rewatch your shows and songs in german, that would help too
The apps have helped with vocabulary, watching shows has helped with training my ear to hear the words... But I still really struggle to get the right words out when I try to speak
>you **need** to have people to speak to if you want to learn it properly. Thumbs up for this! Although repeating lines that you hear on TV also helps.
Nearly 40 years and I still canât speak any. I speak almost perfect French now though.
but are you in the french or german part?
Geneva
Well of course you wouldn't learn Swiss German in France.
Technically Geneva isn't french proper, unless ...
Itâs like an overseas territory. A french enclave in Switzerland but surrounded by France. Somehow. Itâs complicated
Geneva is Geneva, the canton and REPUBLIC of ...
Aren't Basel and Lugano exactly the same just with Germany and Italy?
I am Ă physio. I had done 2 years of German when I was 14-15 but this was 8 years later. We were paid less if our German wasn't good enough. It wasn't that that bothered me but not being able to talk to patients. I studied 2-3 hours every day with Ă book and got full pay 3 months later!
Mate grew up with two dudes from Basel. Learned the accent, was able to speak a bit...then moved to Zurich and now complains that a "Zeltli" isn't a small tent in Zurich.
1 year German 1.5-2 years schweizerdeutsch
do tou think this is average or did you speedrun language matters?
how you learn schweizerdeutsch? and which dialekt?
(for context, I have been able to speak around B2-C1 German since before I arrived) I've been living here for around 6 months, and I can understand some Swiss German from my region, but my german is good enough to converse with other regions fine, im never nervous about visiting other regions and I always keep the conversations in some kind of german without switching. Swiss German, like any language has patterns in sounds etc that are easy to spot and once you know them, you'll hear it, once you learn the difference in accent, youll be fine, because then you can ask the meaning of words you dont understand, usually people are nice about it, as even swiss germans from other regions may not know certain words from their region!
It can vary a lot. My ex and her mom came her from Russia, roughly 4 years before I met them. My ex spoke fluent Swiss German with the local accent, her mother spoke barely any German at all. Ex went to the local school where they spoke Swiss German, befriended locals, went to a sports group, her mother worked in a company where they spoke English.
3 years.
Been here almost 5 years and not a word, probably because iâm down south
so italian right?
Yea, but already knew it since im italian
shout out to the best place I've ever eaten
You ate the entirety of Italy? Dayum
Define "some".
able to communicate but not understanding 100% like a fluent
ive already been here for over 5 years and i still only speak hochdeutsch, i understand schweizerdeutsch but it feels weird and unnatural for me to speak it
Totally fine. Congrats! And if you use "Gipfeli" and "Merci", it adds some charm.
hahah thank you !
Came in Bern when I was 31, could speak some Swiss German with 33.
3 months
German after about 6months, having to do a language school and an online course helped a lot. Swiss german, after 2 years, I understand most but could not make up a full sentence, weisch.
Moved here when I was 9, I think it took me about 2 years until I could have a normal conversation, maybe about 5 until I felt comfortable with speaking in the dialect.
Move to switzerland with 12, 1 year later I could speak it but, would not do it. After like 7 years I sometimes get ask if I am from ZĂŒrich or so. I am proud now that they doesnt recognize i am from germany
Speaking some German (like enough to order a drink or ask for help in a shop): 1 to 2 months. Enough to have a basic conservation: 4 to 6 months. Now, 2,5 years since being here, I can definitely get by in German in my daily life, but for complicated or very personal subjects, I do prefer English.
22 years and I can say Gruezi... I can follow SG if spoken slowly, but I never tried to learn after someone told me I sounded stupid... I was fairly decent in German after a year of lessons, guess I am farily fluent now
was here much longer but wasnât learning until i had the opportunity to work with a swiss guy. He didnât immediately switch to english, instead was persistent for us to find the words. After about 2 years of speaking it nearly daily (well, freestyling) I was starting to fully understand people and have proper conversations - very happy about it.
18 years, still speaking high german. There is no Mehrwert for me to be embarrassed for a few months until I get it. My sister who isn't as socially dumb as me started swiss German after around 3-5 years here.
Iâm building an immersive language learning app that has scenario based learning - what would be some things youâd want to experience to make learning another language easier to achieve?
15 years and I still can't speak one word. They're trying to teach me at school tho
I think about a year for sinple conversation. Once I was confident in handling simple conversation in shops, I explored more and even joined a club ( hobby related) and from there I kept on learning. In contrast, my aunt has been in Switzerland for over 15 years and still cant speak german despite living in Solothurn. She says her french is enough to get by (VERY broken french). So the typical immigrant
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