Tags: Swiss vocab, Swiss French, Swiss, Swiss Accent, switzerland, learning french, french culture, learn french, french language, language learning . it could be a diminutive form, playful, pejorative, affectionate, something funny. We explain what they are, where theyre spoken and, most importantly, when to speak them. [2], Examples of words that differ between Switzerland and France, IPA Brackets and transcription delimiters, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "L'aire de diffusion de l'arpitan, en France, en Italie et en Suisse", "20 Swiss French Expressions To Know Before Visiting Switzerland", "From 'natel' to 'a joue': The Swiss French words which help you sound like a local", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Swiss_French&oldid=1149310570. Auj is one that is relatively easy to guess, " aujourd'hui ", meaning "today". So if Swiss German is a dialect-ridden language thats incredibly difficult to understand, it would be ridiculous to even attempt a conversation in German with a Swiss person right? Nd all Tassli im Schrank ** - Not all cups in your cupboard. Its also fascinating because its a land made up of multiple linguistic groups and has largely avoided the social conflict that has plagued other multilingualsocieties throughout history. This explains why most Swiss German people call the Standard German that they are required to learn in school Schriftdeutsch literally written German. However, even in this written form of German, certain foreign loanwords are preferred over their German equivalents. Meals. Canadian slang deserves a whole article, but here are a few expressions and words to get you started. This expression can sometimes be found in France, in places close to Switzerland. But in Swiss French, the O vowel sound changes between the words. All right then. Im going to bed, see you tomorrow!). Example: Pourquoi tu frtilles comme a ? There are four languages spoken in Switzerland - German, French, Italian, and Romansh. Centre de dialectologie et d'tude du franais rgional, Glossaire des patois de la Suisse romande, A primer on shared laundry rooms in Switzerland. (Thank you for such a nice welcome, well be back! But you can also find multilingualism in the smallest areas of daily life, such as when I entered a supermarket outside of Zurich only to be greeted by signs warning me in German, French and Italian that all shoplifters will be prosecuted. /coucoufrenchclasses Mme pas vingt heures et il est dj sur Soleure ! (You made a mess in your room again!), No, this isnt a culinary specialty. In fact, when you look at it, pote looks quite a bit like pout., Example: Je lui ai gentiment demand de ranger son cheni, et maintenant il fait la pote ! The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. As for the language regions. Although a standard form of French is taught in schools and used in the government, the media and business, there is no uniform vernacular form of French among the different cantons of Switzerland. Last but not least, Switzerlands smallest national language (and a language which only gained official recognition in 1996) is Romansh. Grezi Earlier this year a Swiss reporter for German-language Swiss public television, SRF, interviewed Jean-Stphane Bron, a Swiss film director from French-speaking Lausanne, about his latest documentary. And of course 'le galetas' instead of 'le grenier' (the attic). Example: Encore un qui a forc sur labricotine* ! Literally! We have an accent French people tend to make fun of. Let's go and have a beer after work. do the straight piece) means balancing yourself on your head and hands, like a handstand. Some cantons such as Bern, Valais and Fribourg, are officially bilingual between French and German, and the canton of Grisons is even recognized as being trilingual with Italian, German and Romansh designated as official languages. And heres the really confusing part: the French call lunch, Bond girl Ursula Andress was born to Swiss German parents, and, like many Swiss Germans, spoke fluent French. (The other three are German, Italian and Romansh.) Then Check Out: Red Light District Tips! This Swiss French phrase will make your head spin. Le cheni in Switzerland is a mess or disorder. Despite the relatively small size of the Romansh-speaking community, there are incredibly five Romansh dialects in daily use, with attempts by the government of Grisons to introduce a universal pan-Romansh being met with mixed results at the local level. Youll learn that French spoken in the Jura region is quite different from that spoken in Geneva. , or Romandy, in the western part of the country. Swiss French is really not terribly different from French (Standard). 4. Originally from Zurich, she sings in four different languages, producing catchy tunes that meld folk, rock and jazz sounds. Switzerland was formed into 22 member states defined by either conservative catholic or liberal governments, which led to civil war in 1847. Other famous Swiss people include Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Blaise Cendrars, Henri Ds, Patrick Juvet, Vincent Prez, Zep, Ferdinand de Saussure, Albert Cohen, and William Tell. In the south of Switzerland, along the border with Italy, youll find the Swiss Italians. For the most part, the French version incorporates commonly-used French, of course with specifics about how the book publishing process works. For our French Around the World Series, were highlighting different variations of French so that you can enrich your vocabulary and impress francophones with your in-depth knowledge of their culture! 13. (Download), Its the same dish but the spices are different.. This film is great for advanced French learners who are curious about Swiss French culture and history. And the phrase frequently arises in debates around the ethics of technology: some say, for example, that self-driving cars will ultimately save lives, even if there are a few crashes before the AI behind them is perfected. Here are some other essential Swiss-French terms to know: a joue This is the Swiss equivalent of the French phrases a marche, cest bon and a va. Basically it means that alls going well. Ah the sun, the cicadas, the lavender, and the pastis Who wouldnt want to be able to enjoy that all year round? Swiss-French is the second most widely spoken language in Switzerland and used by more than two million people. The Swiss say, . From Geneva to Lausanne, the Swiss have a particular way of expressing themselves. Even within Suisse Romande, there are regional variations. Having an understanding of Swiss French and Romand culture expands your spectrum of French learning in the best ways Jsuis nonante-neuf pourcent sr! The novel is available in many languages besides French and has even been made into a TV drama. Tas la gratte ou bien ? You will often hear it when you are at the checkout counter of a store. Abeleere! Numbers: In Switzerland, you can use septante, huitante and nonante for 70, 80 and 90, respectively - compared to soixante-dix, quatre-vingts and quatre-vingt-dix in France. From the answers we received, several respondents mentioned the numbers. Swiss German is a group of varied German dialects, spoken from behind the Rostigraben in Switzerland. Download our free guide to French slang! While sant sounds like cheers in standard French, this is not exactly something you wish to an abricotine drinker before taking a sip. Many French people are familiar with this Swiss number system, so if youre having a brain fart, its absolutely okay to default to this method sometimes. The people who live in this region are therefore called les suisses romands. In France, "cornet" would typically designate an ice cream cone. "Duvet" in France means sleeping bag, for similar reasons. So what is its name doing among the French speakers? Swiss Germans vigorously promote the rich array of dialects found within their community, meaning that its not even accurate to say that there is one unified spoken version of Swiss German. Switzerland recognizes four languages as so-called national languages, and while speakers of these languages can be found throughout the country, the four languages are largely confined to specific regions. In Swiss French, as opposed to the French of France, the words for seventy, eighty and ninety are similar in construction to the ones used for thirty up to sixty. a joue! Much like its world-famous pocket knives, Switzerland feels like a country made up of varying parts, where four different languages are granted the cultural, political and social room to flourish with minimal interference from the state or from the other language communities. Faire schmolitz : Wine drinking ritual in which two people decide to befriend each other by passing from the formal vous form to the more casual tu. Quick reminders about using French insults 1. But did you know that he was from Switzerland? So, if you're crossing the Rstigraben and want to merge with the locals, learn these phrases. Here are some common ways you can expect to see French words written in your text messages with French speakers: slt ( salut ), bjr ( bonjour) stp ( s'il te plat ), svp ( s'il vous plat) cad ( c'est--dire) A+ ( plus tard) pq ( pourquoi) wtu ( o es-tu) je t'm ( je t'aime) This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you However, this usage varies within Suisse Romande. Swiss German Slang- ChuchichaschliLand; Close; Global Slang. N'importe quoi 11. In this multicultural and multilingual country with four official languages (French, If a Swiss person asks you this, theyre probably pretty cheerful. From the answers we received, several respondents mentioned the numbers. This book is available in both French and English, and the French can be a little too poetic and metaphoricalfor beginning French learners. Example: Tiens, Henri ! French slang. Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP, But with these lower-priced devices, the user must. Why Cant I Learn French? I recently polled a handful of my Swiss and French friends about vocabulary and expressions unique to Suisse Romande. Boudin 6. Before we get started, there are a few basic things you should know. An avid runner and Swiss food blogger, she enjoys exploring Switzerland with her family. Say what? Joseph Gorgoni is a very popular Swiss comedian whose alter-ego, Marie Thrse Porchet, gives lessons about Switzerland in French. 10013, Contact: For instance, the Swiss call a jacket une jaquette, whereas the French call it une veste. The variety of Swiss German youd hear in Zurich is completely different from what youd hear in Basel, let alone in the market squares of Alpine villages. Sorry, it doesnt have anything to do with fondue! The most widely spoken language in Switzerland is Swiss German. Spoken by just over 60 percent of the population, its speakers are concentrated in the northern, central and eastern parts of the country. Unfortunately, her videos are only available with French subtitles. Rat 13. French slang in text messages tends to be universal, not regional. +1 323-522-6947, Sign-up for exclusive announcements, New York, a faisait longtemps ! Lhumeur vagabondeis a humorous podcast that chronicles the lives of various historical figures and their accomplishments and affect on society. This is just one example of how French in Switzerland differs from across the border in France. While there are some distinctions in vocabulary and expressions, Swiss French wont prove too much trouble for anyone skilled in speaking Standard French. Extra bleu ciel! But in Swiss French, the O vowel sound changes between the words. (Look at him! But, many people use balle to refer to money, like buck. If you cant travel to a French-speaking country at the moment, the Internet is a wonderful place to find francophones to speak or chat with. And in western Switzerland, particularly the Geneva region, youll find French speakers, who might also speak one of Switzerlands specific dialects, like, . This 2004 comedy from La Fazer is about a man who inherits 2 million Swiss Francs upon the death of his grandmother. Etre du en bien: Be pleasantly surprised (tre agrablement surpris in France), a va, le chalet? From Geneva to Lausanne, the Swiss have a particular way of expressing themselves. Zucchinis were already mentioned. Watch, One of the most famous Swiss-French words is, , which means cellphone. Or even more than one. Frnkli (A Swiss franc) 10. A guide to all the French revolutions you should know about! After a long walk around Lake Geneva, its not uncommon to get home with a. If famous quotes about Switzerland is what you were looking for, look no further! French is one of Switzerland's four national languages. Check out her albums Mondays Ghost and 1983, which both made the top charts in Switzerland. piss off. "Rclame" is an older disused word for advertising in French. The first three listed below are available to stream on YouTube, and Tanner is most well known for Jonas qui aura 25 ans en lan 2000 (Jonah Who Will be 25 in the Year 2000) and Dans la ville blanche (In the White City). Though not his strongest,it provides an intriguing commentary on the dynamic between Switzerland and France at the time. Example: Tu as encore mis le cheni dans ta chambre ! For example, the Swiss use different names for some numbers; instead of the standard French soixante-dix (70), quatre-vingts (80), and quatre-vingt-dix (90), in Switzerland they become septante, huitante, and nonante. In Belgium and Switzerland, French speakers say, . Unless they sneeze right in front of you, that is. And heres the really confusing part: the French call lunch le djeuner and breakfast le petit djeuner, whereas the Swiss call lunch le dner and breakfast le djeuner! 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