Swiss Pronunciation Guide

By Dick Oakes

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