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How to Say 'Football' in Swiss German


Team Sports - Stephanie Hofschlaeger  / pixelio.de
Sports are a big part of life in Switzerland whether you actively take part in one of the many regional sports leagues or local sports clubs (e.g. soccer, volleyball, cycling, etc,) or simply enjoy watching it from the comfort of your home.

The most popular sports in Switzerland, however, are not team sports; cycling, hiking and swimming. Other popular Swiss sports include soccer (or football for everyone British), hockey, tennis, handball, volleyball and rowing.

One of the best ways to meet new people in Switzerland is to join a local sports club. To make things a bit easier for you on the way to a successful sports adventure in Switzerland, I collected the most important words in Swiss German for the more popular sports here in Switzerland.

Swiss German Words for Sports

Soccer/Football

Egge (corner kick)
Flangge (cross)
Faul (foul)
Fuessball (football, soccer, also lit. the soccer ball)
Fuessball spiele (to play soccer) also: tschutte
Fuessballplatz (soccer field) also: Tschuttiplatz
Gool (goal)
Gooli (goalie)
Gorner (corner kick)
Schiri (referee)
tschutte (to play soccer) also: Fuessball spiele
tschüttele (to play with a soccer ball, easy going soccer playing)
Tschuttiplatz (soccer field) also: Fuessballplatz

Hiking

Charte (map)
Proviant (provisions)
Rucksack (backpack)
wandere (to go hiking)
Wanderig (hike)
Wanderschueh (hiking boots)
Wanderweg (hiking trail, hiking track)

Swimming

Arschbombe (lit. ass bomb, cannonball)
Badchappe (bathing cap)
Badchleid (bathing suit for women)
Badhose (bathing trunks)
Badtüechli (towel)
Chöpfler (dive with head first) also: Schpiessli
inegumpe (dive in, jump in)
Rutschbahn (slide)
Schpiessli (dive with head first) also: Chöpfler
Schprungbrätt (diving board)
schwümme (to swim)
Schwümmbi (swimming pool, public pool)
Schwümmbrüle (goggles)
Wasser (water)

Cycling

Pedale (pedal)
Pnö (tire)
trampe (to pedal)
velofahre (to cycle)
Velo (bicycle)
Velohelm (helmet)
Veloschtreife (bicycle lane)
Velotour (bicycle tour)
Veloweg (bicycle track)

(Ice) Hockey

Gool (goal)
Gooli (goalie)
Iis (ice)
Iishockey (hockey)
Pögg (puck)
Schiri (referee)
Schläger (hockey stick)
Schlittschueh (skate, ice skate)
schlittschüehle (to ice skate)


Is there any other sport that you want on this list? Or words that you think which are missing? Please feel free to write me a comment with your suggestions and questions. I am aware that Switzerland has much more to offer than those five sports.




© 2013 IRENE WYRSCH "A HUMOROUS GUIDE TO SWITZERLAND" ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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