Proficiency in a ‘local’ language (‘local’ being the key word here) is a requirement residence permits and, even more so, for naturalisation in Switzerland. So what language does a foreigner need to master if living in the German-speaking part of Switzerland?
This is a dilemma that many non-German-speaking foreigners face when coming to Switzerland: should they try to learn the standard German (Hochdeutsch) – which is not really a local language,or bite the bullet and have a go at the tongue-twisting Swiss German (Schwiizerdütsch) instead?
Officially at least, standard German is listed as Switzerland’s primary national language and all written communications from the government and other public entities are in that language only (probably because there is no officially-accepted written version of Swiss German – though it is commonly used on social media and in other unofficial capacities).
Swiss German is spoken by around two thirds of people in Switzerland. Referred to by its speakers as ‘Dialekt’ or ‘Mundart’ (vernacular) of even just ‘Dütsch’ (as in ‘Deutsch’ or German), Swiss German is actually a range of different dialects.
So what should you make of it?
For all legal intents and purposes, having the required level of proficiency in standard German is enough to get (or upgrade) your work permit and make you eligible for naturalisation (provided you also meet all the other required criteria).
You will be understood by your co-workers, neighbours, and others in your community (though you may not be able to understand them, as it takes a while for your ear to get accustomed to whatever Swiss-German dialect is being spoken in your area.)
READ ALSO: Seven things you should know if you’re learning Swiss German
No need to worry, you will be far from alone: approximately 330,000 German citizens live permanently in Switzerland – mostly in the Swiss-German areas.
So from the official point of view, standard German is fine, though you will always be pegged as a foreigner.
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So is it worth learning Swiss-German to fit in?
Even though only knowledge of standard German is needed for obtaining citizenship, Swiss people value any effort that foreigners make to conform.
So even if your efforts to master the Schwiizerdütsch of your region are not perfect, they will not go unnoticed, and could even boost your chances with your local naturalisation committee if you ever apply for Swiss citizenship.
Still, for practical reasons, it is best to first master the required level of standard German – if only to be able to read the news (and stay informed on what is going on in Switzerland and in your community), and to understand letters and other written communication you receive.
For a non-German speaking foreigner, it is undoubtedly difficult to learn both, but in the end it might be worth it.
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Valuable for integration
Some good advice on this matter comes from social media, namely from Reddit Switzerland.
This is what two users said:
“There are way more resources out there for Standard German and is understood by a lot more people, not to mention that it’s standardised. Swiss German varies wildly, even city to city, and there’s no standard spellings. Schweizerdeutsch has at least six different spellings, depending on what dialect you speak,” said one user.
“I’m saying this as an American who learned German and is now working on picking up Swiss German. I’m probably never going to be able to fully speak Swiss German myself, but I’ve gotten a lot better at understanding it and have adopted some phrases into my speech.”
And another said: “Once you learn standard german to B2 or C1 level, then everyone will tell you there’s no point to learn Swiss German. From an integration standpoint I disagree. It is definitely an advantage to be able to converse in mundart [dialect], but it takes quite some time and persistence.”
READ ALSO: Seven things to know if you’re learning Swiss German
