https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed German has more than one special word for the practice of taking a day off to make the most out of public holidays that fall close to a weekend. But which word should you use? That depends a bit on where you are. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230406/bruckentag-fenstertag-or-zwickeltag-all-the-german-words-for-getting-longer-holiday-weekends Thu, 06 Apr 2023 11:32:04 +0200 bruckentag-fenstertag-or-zwickeltag-all-the-german-words-for-getting-longer-holiday-weekends The letter 'ß' (eszett) is an integral part of the German language. But did you know that it's not generally used by Swiss Germans? https://www.thelocal.ch/20231116/why-is-the-german-letter-s-not-used-in-switzerland Thu, 16 Nov 2023 13:18:17 +0100 why-is-the-german-letter-s-not-used-in-switzerland The Swiss enjoy the practice of taking a day off to make the most out of public holidays that fall close to a weekend. Here are some words you need to know for this 'bridge day'. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230406/bruckentag-fenstertag-or-zwickeltag-all-the-german-words-for-getting-longer-holiday-weekends-2 Thu, 06 Apr 2023 11:32:04 +0200 bruckentag-fenstertag-or-zwickeltag-all-the-german-words-for-getting-longer-holiday-weekends-2 If you live in a German-speaking part of Switzerland you will likely consider learning the language. But should you start with standard German (Hochdeutsch) or a form of Swiss German? https://www.thelocal.ch/20230203/reader-question-is-it-better-to-learn-hochdeutsch-or-swiss-german Fri, 03 Feb 2023 17:20:28 +0100 reader-question-is-it-better-to-learn-hochdeutsch-or-swiss-german From strange French borrowings to missing tenses and pronunciation oddities, we give you the lowdown on how Swiss German is different from the Standard German you learn in the classroom. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180919/seven-ways-swiss-german-is-different-from-standard-german Wed, 19 Sep 2018 11:34:14 +0200 seven-ways-swiss-german-is-different-from-standard-german German is a notoriously challenging language - and for English speakers, there are a few classic pitfalls that trip people up time and time again. Here are some common mistakes you may not even know you're making - and how to avoid them. https://www.thelocal.ch/20210923/four-common-mistakes-english-speakers-make-when-learning-german-3 Thu, 23 Sep 2021 14:14:28 +0200 four-common-mistakes-english-speakers-make-when-learning-german-3 People in German-speaking Switzerland use Hochdeutsch (standard German) - but there is also a huge variety of Swiss German dialects. We spoke to experts to explore the differences between the languages. https://www.thelocal.ch/20221206/swiss-german-vs-hochdeutsch-what-are-the-key-differences Tue, 06 Dec 2022 12:03:57 +0100 swiss-german-vs-hochdeutsch-what-are-the-key-differences An interesting quirk of colloquial German is that many insults base themselves around names. Could this explain why some traditional names have gone out of fashion? https://www.thelocal.ch/20220219/why-traditional-german-names-are-often-used-as-insults Sat, 19 Feb 2022 11:58:50 +0100 why-traditional-german-names-are-often-used-as-insults Some Swiss German words are so culturally specific, or just so strange, that it is impossible to translate them – at least not in a simple, elegant way. From dogs' funerals to egg bumping, some Swiss German words just don't make it across the translation divide. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180306/language-eight-swiss-german-words-you-cant-translate-into-english Tue, 06 Mar 2018 14:48:06 +0100 language-eight-swiss-german-words-you-cant-translate-into-english In English the name for the popular kids’ birthday game involving chairs and music is fairly straightforward. But why do Germans call it "Trip to Jerusalem"? https://www.thelocal.ch/20220115/whats-behind-the-strange-german-name-for-musical-chairs Sat, 15 Jan 2022 13:51:43 +0100 whats-behind-the-strange-german-name-for-musical-chairs