Word	Translation	Example
Grüezi	Hello (formal)	Grüezi, wie gaht's Ihne? Hello, how are you?
Say: GRUE-tsi. The standard polite greeting for strangers and shops, any time of day. Unrelated to Standard German 'Guten Tag'.
Grüezi mitenand	Hello everyone	Grüezi mitenand! Hello everyone!
Say: GRUE-tsi MIT-en-and. Use when greeting a group; 'mitenand' = together/all.
Guete Morge	Good morning	Guete Morge zäme! Good morning everyone!
Say: GOO-teh MOR-geh. 'zäme' = together/all. Morge = morning (Standard German 'Morgen').
Guete Abig	Good evening	Guete Abig mitenand. Good evening everyone.
Say: GOO-teh AH-big. Abig = evening (Standard German 'Abend').
Hoi	Hi (informal)	Hoi Anna, wie gaht's? Hi Anna, how are you?
Say: hoy. For friends and casual settings only, never with strangers.
Sali	Hi / hey (informal)	Sali zäme! Hi everyone!
Say: SAH-li. Casual greeting among friends.
Wie gaht's?	How are you?	Wie gaht's dir hüt? How are you today?
Say: vee gahts. Informal 'dir'; the formal version is 'Wie gaht's Ihne?'.
Guet, danke	Good, thanks	Guet, danke, und dir? Good, thanks, and you?
Say: goot DAN-keh. 'guet' = good (Standard German 'gut').
Es gaht scho	I am okay	Es gaht scho, danke. I am doing okay, thanks.
Say: es gaht sho. Literally 'it goes already'; means fine or so-so.
Merci vilmal	Thank you very much	Merci vilmal für d Hilf. Thank you very much for the help.
Say: MER-si FIL-mal. Merci (from French) is everyday Swiss German; 'vilmal' = many times.
Gärn gscheh	You are welcome	Gärn gscheh, bitte. You are welcome.
Say: gairn k-SHAY. Literally 'gladly happened'; the standard reply to thanks.
Exgüsi	Excuse me / sorry	Exgüsi, dörf i verbii? Excuse me, may I get past?
Say: eks-GUE-si. From French 'excusez'; for getting attention or squeezing past.
Es tuet mer leid	I am sorry	Es tuet mer würkli leid. I am really sorry.
Say: es too-et mer lide. A sincere apology; 'würkli' = really.
Kei Problem	No problem	Kei Problem, alles guet. No problem, all good.
Say: kye proh-BLAYM. 'kei' = no/none; 'alles guet' = all good.
Wie heissed Sie?	What is your name?	Grüezi, wie heissed Sie? Hello, what is your name?
Say: vee HYSE-set zee. Formal; the informal version is 'Wie heissisch?'.
Ich heisse...	My name is...	Ich heisse Tom, und Sie? My name is Tom, and you?
Say: ish HYSE-seh. heisse = to be called (Standard German 'heissen').
Freut mi	Nice to meet you	Freut mi, Sie kennezlerne. Nice to meet you.
Say: froyt mee. Literally 'pleases me'; 'mi' = me.
Wo chömed Sie här?	Where are you from?	Und wo chömed Sie eigentlich här? And where are you actually from?
Say: voh KHUE-med zee hair. 'härcho' = to come from; 'eigentlich' = actually.
Ich chume us...	I come from...	Ich chume us Amerika. I come from America.
Say: ish KHOO-meh oos. 'us' = from/out of; note k-to-ch in 'chume'.
Ich verstah nöd	I do not understand	Exgüsi, ich verstah nöd. Excuse me, I do not understand.
Say: ish fer-SHTAH nud. 'nöd' = not (Standard German 'nicht').
Chönd Sie das wiederhole?	Can you repeat that?	Chönd Sie das langsam wiederhole? Can you repeat that slowly?
Say: vee-der-HOH-leh. 'langsam' = slowly.
Wie bitte?	Pardon? / Sorry?	Wie bitte? Ich han das nöd ghört. Pardon? I did not hear that.
Say: vee BIT-teh. A polite 'what did you say?'; 'ghört' = heard.
Redsch Änglisch?	Do you speak English? (informal)	Redsch vilicht Änglisch? Do you perhaps speak English?
Say: redsh ENG-lish. Informal 'du' form; the formal version is 'Reded Sie Änglisch?'.
Es freut mi, di z gseh	Good to see you	Es freut mi, di wieder z gseh. Good to see you again.
Say: froyt mee, dee tsuh k-SAY. 'gseh' = to see (Standard German 'sehen').
Bis spöter	See you later	Tschau, bis spöter! Bye, see you later!
Say: biss SHPUE-ter. 'spöter' = later (Standard German 'später').
Bis morn	See you tomorrow	Guet, bis morn! Good, see you tomorrow!
Say: biss morn. 'morn' = tomorrow (Standard German 'morgen').
Schöne Tag no	Have a nice day	Merci, schöne Tag no! Thanks, have a nice day!
Say: SHUE-neh tahg noo. 'no' = still; a warm sign-off.
Uf Widerluege	Goodbye (formal)	Uf Widerluege und bis bald. Goodbye and see you soon.
Say: oof VEE-der-loo-eh-geh. The formal goodbye; note how 'Wiedersehen' softens to 'Widerluege'.
Tschau	Bye (informal)	Tschau zäme, bis morn! Bye everyone, see you tomorrow!
Say: chow. From Italian 'ciao'; casual, for friends.
Schlaf guet	Sleep well	Schlaf guet und bis morn. Sleep well and see you tomorrow.
Say: shlahf goot. A friendly good-night to someone you are close with.
Alles Guete	All the best	Alles Guete zum Geburtstag! All the best for your birthday!
Say: AL-les GOO-teh. A warm, all-purpose good wish, also used for birthdays.
Härzliche Glückwunsch	Congratulations	Härzliche Glückwunsch! Congratulations!
Say: HAIRTS-likh-eh GLUEK-voonsh. For achievements and celebrations.

Swiss German Greetings & Small Talk for English Speakers Official

Rate this Deck

Word List — click grammar notes to expand

More Swiss German Decks

Swiss German — Essentials (for English Speakers)

Swiss German Restaurant & Shopping for English Speakers

Swiss German Travel & Directions for English Speakers

Swiss German — Daily Life (for English Speakers)