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Folk Dance Federation of California, South, Inc.
Swiss |
A a, Ä ä, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g,
H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, Ö ö P p,
Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, Ü ü, V v,
W w, X x, Y y, Z z
The Swiss German alphabet consists of the same 26 characters as in English. There is also the addition of a diacritical mark, the "umlaut." Most German vocabulary is derived from the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family.
Swiss German words are generally accented on the first syllable.
The t is unaspirated, making it sound more like d.
Swiss German uses a guttural "r," similar to that used by French; not a growling "r" as in English.
There is no past tense of a verb; the perfect tense is used.
Letters not listed are pronounced approximately as in English.
| A, a | - a as in far |
| E, e | - e as in pen; e as in grey |
| I, i | - i as in machine |
| O, o | - o as in bottom; o as in north |
| U, u | - oo as in boot |
| Y, y | - ee as in free |
| Ä, ä | - a as in bear; a as in paid |
| Ö, ö | - eu as in fleur |
| Ü, ü | - eu as in fleur |
| Ch, ch | - ch as in loch |
| d | - t as in pat when in final position |
| gg | - ck as in block |
| J, j | - y as in yes |
| K, k | - ch as in loch |
| S, s | - s as in sit |
| Sp, sp | - shp at the beginning of a word |
| St, st | - sht |
| W, w | - v as in vim |
| Z, z | - ts as in bits |
| DIPTHONGS: | |
| Æ, æ | - a as in act (used often in Swiss German but not used in German) |
| Ai, ai | - i as in lie |
| Äu, äu | - oi as in oil |
| Ee, ee | - a as in grey |
| Ei, ei | - ei as in height; sometimes ee as in free |
| Eu, eu | - eu as in fleur |
| Ie, ie | - ee as in free |