German Germany, Switzerland, Austria

doch

Word USED Very frequently BY everybody

It means "No, you are wrong and I am right" in one word.

"Hier darf man nicht schneller als 50 Meilen fahren!“ "Doch!"

"You cannot drive faster than 50 miles here!" "Yes, you can!"

French Suisse romande, Switzerland

natel

Word USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone

(n.) • A mobile phone.

“J’ai perdu mon natel.”

“I lost my phone.”

Italian Lombardy and Tessin, Italy and Switzerland

Dopo sette fette, ha capito che era polenta

Proverb USED On Rare Occasion BY Mostly old people

(After seven slices, s/he realized it was polenta) • Used to describe someone who realizes something obvious, especially after doing the same thing in a more long or difficult way for a long time.

"Ieri mio fratello ha scoperto che può sbloccare il suo telefono con l'impronta digitale." "Beh, dopo sette fette ha capito che era polenta!"

"Yesterday my brother discovered he can unlock his phone with his fingerprint." "Well, after seven slices he realized it was polenta!"

Italian Italy and Switzerland

per carità!

Interjection USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(for charity!) • Generally at the end of the sentence to stress that something is negative. Equivalent to "God forbid" or "hell no".

"Giovanna, ma ti piace Marco o no?" "Ma per carità!"

"Giovanna, do you or do you not like Marco?" "For God‘s sake, no!"

German Germany; Switzerland

Bulle

Slang USED On Occasion BY mostly young people

(n.) • (bull) • a rather insulting term used to refer to a police officer, often used similar to the word „cop“ in English

"Ich rufe die Bullen."

"I‘m calling the bulls."

German | Swiss German Switzerland

äxgüsi

Slang USED On Occasion BY Some People

to say sorry or excuse me in a joking and informal way

"Äxgüsi, könnten sie miar helfa?"

"Excuse me, could you help me?"

German Switzerland

bünzli

Word USED On Occasion BY Most People

(n.) • A "bünzli" is a person who follows rules at all times and wants others to follow them, too. It's usually also associated with people of higher socioeconomic status or older people. It has a partial overlap in meaning with the English slang term "Karen" in that a "bünzli" will also talk to a manager (or some kind of higher official) if something isn't done their way.

"Mi nochber isch sone bünzli. Är het gest dr polizei aglüte weil mr am 22:30 ufem balkon musik glost hän."

"My neighbor is such a bünzli. He called the police yesterday because we were listening to music on our balcony at 10:30pm."

German | Swiss German Switzerland

Hopp de Bäse

Idiom USED Frequently BY Some People

Used to tell someone to hurry up.

"Jetzt aber hopp de Bäse!"

"And now hurry up!"

German | Swiss German Bern, Switzerland

Müntschi

Slang USED Frequently BY Young people

(n.) • This word meaning "kiss" is used at the of a message, for example in a WhatsApp chat instead of “bye".

"Müntschi und bis bald"

"Kiss and see you soon"

Italian Italy and Switzerland

spagnoletta

Word USED On Occasion BY Lombards and Swiss people

(n.) • (little female Spaniard) • It means "peanut".

"A Capodanno non possono mai mancare le spagnolette!"

"Peanuts can't ever miss for New Year's!"

Italian Switzerland

natel

Word USED Frequently BY Everyone

(n.) • This is what the Italian Swiss call their phones.

"Ho dimenticato il natel a casa! E adesso come faccio a chiamare Lucia?"

"I forgot my phone at home! How will I call Lucy now?"

German Switzerland

läss

Word USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(adj.) • Cool or great.

"Das isch so läss."

"That's so cool."

German Switzerland

Du hesch doch nüm alli tassa im schrank!

Idiom USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(You don’t have all your cups in your cupboard anymore!) • To ask if someone is serious, but implying that you think that their idea is crazy or dangerous.

"Du bisch im Gwitter go bada? Du hesch doch nüm alli Tassa im Schrank!"

"You went bathing in the middle of the thunderstorm? You don’t have all your cups in your cupboard anymore!"

German Switzerland

Hesch dini sieba sacha?

Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone

(Do you have your seven things?) • To ask someone if they have all their belongings, so that you can get going.

"Hesch dini sieba sacha? Miar kömmen sus no ds spot!"

"Do you have your seven things? Otherwise we’ll be late!"

Swiss German Switzerland

heb dr latz

Expression USED Frequently BY Young People

(hold your apron) • an offensive and rude way to tell someone to shut up

"Heb dr Latz, du hesch jo eh kai Ahnig vo was du redsch!"

"Hold your apron, you don’t know what you‘re talking about anyways!"

Swiss German Switzerland

nia im leba!

Expression USED On Occasion BY Young People

(never in life) • Something that is very unlikely to happen, especially if you dare someone to do something.

"Nia im Leba gosch du jetzt zu dem Typ ana und frogsch ihn noch sinera Nummera!"

"Never in life would you go over to that guy and ask him for his number!"

German | Baseldytsch Basel, Switzerland

es schifft

Expression USED Frequently BY Most People

(it ships) • Meaning it is pouring rain.

"Ich chum nid, es schifft."

"I'm not coming, it is shipping."