How to Order a Drink in Swiss German

A few years ago I started a collection of Swiss German words and had the guts to call it Swiss German Dictionary even when I know it's not even coming close to a real dictionary and probably never will. However, since Swiss German is not an official language, there probably will never be an official Swiss German to English dictionary so my contribution doesn't look too bad after all.

What do you do when you want to learn the language? A good start would be to learn Standard German. This will give you a good basis. After that, you could take an online course or study on your own with online resources for learning Swiss German. However, the best strategy to learn Swiss German is to spend time with Swiss people and talking with them as much as possible.

When you're out with your Swiss friends, for example, make sure to use Swiss German to order your beer, wine or drink. Below you'll find a short guide on ordering a drink in Swiss German which covers the basics. If you're unsure on how to pronounce something or can't find the suitable word in Swiss German ask your friends or the waiter about it. I'm sure they'll be happy to help you out!

How to Order a Drink in Swiss German

1) Greet the waiter or barman:
Grüezi! - hello, good day

hallo - hello (informal, use with young people only!)

2) Explain that you'd like a drink:

ich hetti gern ... - I would like ...

für mich bitte ... ! - for me a ... please!

3) Select your drink:
ä Stange, es Chliises - a small glass of beer (2.5 dl)
en Chübel, es Grosses - a big glass of beer (5 dl)
es Glas Wii - a glass of wine
es Glas Rote (Wii) - a glass of red wine
es Glas Wysse (Wii) - a glass of white wine
en Martini - a Martini
en Caipi - a Caipirinha
en Schnaps - a shot of schnapps
en Schüümli - a glass of champagne

4) Thank the waiter or barman on receiving your drink:
Danke! - thank you!
Danke vellmol! - thank you very much!
Merci! - thank you!

5) Toast with your friends:
Proscht! - cheers!
Pröschtli! - cheers!

Drink - chocolat01 / pixelio.de

Source:
Swiss German Phrasebook on Wikitravel.com

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

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