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How to Say 'Ski' in Swiss German


Skiing in Switzerland - daniel stricker  / pixelio.de 

Ski Slopes in Switzerland

Skiing is highly popular in Switzerland. During the winter months almost everybody heads up to the snow covered mountains at least once - and many go much more. It is a costly sport and requires a minimum level of skill and fitness but the feeling of gliding down a slope surrounded by snow covered mountains is just worth it.

There are many different ski resorts - some a bit more pricey than others and some a bit more remote than others. The ski areas closer to the big cities - such as Arosa or Lenzerheide - are better for day trips or weekends because they can be reached in just a few hours. The more remote ones are better for longer skiing holidays. Usually also the small ski areas are good for just a day but if you're staying for a week you might want a bigger area so you don't have to ski down the same slope all week!

Remember, in Switzerland there are three colors marking the difficulty of a slope:

blue = easy, for beginners and pleasure skiers
red = advanced, for experienced skiers
black = real hard and tricky, requires technical skills

Please choose a slope that is right for your skill level and make sure to use caution at all times. Skiing accidents aren't pretty and happen faster than you'd think! If you need to improve your skiing, you can find qualified skiing instructors at any ski resort in Switzerland!

Swiss German Skiing Vocabulary

Before the skiing season comes to an end I thought it appropriate to give you the basics of Swiss German skiing vocabulary. You'll be able to hit the slopes and name pretty much everything you see. Sounds great? It is! Of course, I'll include some snowboarding terms as well even though snowboarding has been losing popularity quickly over the last few years.

Abfahrt (downhill slope)
Après-ski (after skiing party/drinks)
carve (to use carving skis)
board (snowboard)
boarde (to snowboard)
Boarderpark (snow park with jumps and halfpipes)
Buggelpischte (bumpy slope)
Bügellift (T-bar lift)
freestyle (freestyle)
Gondeli (gondola)
Gondelibahn (gondola lift)
Halfpipe (halfpipe)
jumpe (to jump)
Pischte (slope)
Schanze (jump)
Schlitte (sled)
schlittle (to sled, go sledding)
Schii (ski)
Schiibrülle (ski mask)
Schiifahre (to ski)
Schiijagge (ski jacket)
Schiihelm (ski helmet)
Schihose (ski pants)
Schiilehrer (skiing instructor)
Schiilift (ski lift)
Schiiliftmitarbeiter (ski lift employee)
Schiischuel (skiing school)
Schiistock (ski poles)
Schnee (snow)
Schneebar (snow bar, bar outside in a ski resort)
snöbe (to snowboard, typical 90ies expression)
snöbi (snowboard, typical 90ies expression)
Snowblades (a very short type of ski)




© 2017 IRENE WYRSCH "A HUMOROUS GUIDE TO SWITZERLAND" ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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