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 Though it is not one of Switzerland’s national languages, English is, nevertheless, one of the main ones used in business and education. And it's use is on the rise. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260306/in-numbers-how-english-has-gained-ground-in-swiss-workplaces Fri, 06 Mar 2026 15:13:47 +0100 in-numbers-how-english-has-gained-ground-in-swiss-workplaces A certain level of proficiency in one of Switzerland’s national languages is a must before foreigners can obtain a work permit or citizenship. But some immigrants are exempted from this obligation. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250818/whos-exempt-from-switzerlands-language-requirement-for-permits-and-naturalisation Mon, 18 Aug 2025 12:23:03 +0200 whos-exempt-from-switzerlands-language-requirement-for-permits-and-naturalisation From “schmolitz” to “panosse”, some words and phrases common in the French-speaking part of Switzerland are different from their equivalents used in France. Here is the vernacular you should master if you live in Suisse Romandie. https://www.thelocal.ch/20210906/some-useful-swiss-french-words-you-need-to-know Mon, 06 Sep 2021 16:29:53 +0200 some-useful-swiss-french-words-you-need-to-know The percentage of English speakers in Switzerland is not only steadily increasing, but in the workplace it even exceeds the proportion of users of some national languages. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250219/revealed-how-prevalent-english-is-in-switzerland-in-2025 Wed, 19 Feb 2025 13:14:12 +0100 revealed-how-prevalent-english-is-in-switzerland-in-2025 How can you describe cold weather in German (and Swiss German)? With temperatures dipping recently, here are some essential words you’ll likely be hearing or using in winter. https://www.thelocal.ch/20240111/the-words-you-need-to-talk-about-cold-weather-in-german-speaking-switzerland Thu, 11 Jan 2024 17:44:21 +0100 the-words-you-need-to-talk-about-cold-weather-in-german-speaking-switzerland Depending on where in Switzerland you live, the local population you meet may speak fluent English or a broken one, a new study reveals. https://www.thelocal.ch/20241113/where-in-switzerland-will-you-find-the-best-and-worst-levels-of-english Wed, 13 Nov 2024 14:20:53 +0100 where-in-switzerland-will-you-find-the-best-and-worst-levels-of-english Italian is one of Switzerland's four national languages, enjoying equal status with French and German at the national level. The Local brings you the low-down on the language, and its relationship to the Italian spoken in Italy. https://www.thelocal.ch/20170704/guide-swiss-italian-switzerland-language-dialect-vocabulary Tue, 04 Jul 2017 12:57:36 +0200 guide-swiss-italian-switzerland-language-dialect-vocabulary Leave it to the German language to help with any situation that involves a trade-off between two things. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230301/german-phrase-of-the-day-etwas-in-kauf-nehmen-3 Wed, 01 Mar 2023 10:05:13 +0100 german-phrase-of-the-day-etwas-in-kauf-nehmen-3 Just about to leave, or want more equality? This is the German word for you. https://www.thelocal.ch/20221213/german-word-of-the-day-gleich Tue, 13 Dec 2022 18:38:14 +0100 german-word-of-the-day-gleich It's no secret that learning German in Switzerland can be difficult, but what do you do when you hit a learning wall? How do you persevere with your language learning goals? Writer Naomi Tsvirko asked an expert. https://www.thelocal.ch/20190517/what-to-do-when-you-feel-like-giving-up-on-learning-german-in-switzerland Fri, 17 May 2019 10:16:29 +0200 what-to-do-when-you-feel-like-giving-up-on-learning-german-in-switzerland You just have to get to know this word. https://www.thelocal.ch/20221102/german-word-of-the-day-eben-3 Wed, 02 Nov 2022 09:37:18 +0100 german-word-of-the-day-eben-3 Even with High German, the differences between writing and speaking are stark. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200908/seven-fascinating-ways-written-and-spoken-german-differ Tue, 08 Sep 2020 16:03:59 +0200 seven-fascinating-ways-written-and-spoken-german-differ If you've finally lost your cool over passive aggressive notes in your apartment building's laundry room, if you want to express your displeasure over a parking fine or if you just want a short sharp exchange of views with the person who has told you off for putting your rubbish out on the wrong day, here are the phrases you will need. https://www.thelocal.ch/20190702/the-nine-very-best-french-insults-for-use-when-youre-very-very-cross-language Tue, 02 Jul 2019 11:36:17 +0200 the-nine-very-best-french-insults-for-use-when-youre-very-very-cross-language What percentage of people in Switzerland can speak three national languages fluently? How many native English speakers are there in the country? And what exactly is Romansh? Here is what you need to know about languages in Switzerland. https://www.thelocal.ch/20191231/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-languages-in-switzerland-bilingual-culture Tue, 31 Dec 2019 12:00:00 +0100 heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-languages-in-switzerland-bilingual-culture One international reader shares the story of his Swiss language journey and how life after Switzerland has shaped him forever. https://www.thelocal.ch/20190524/life-after-switzerland-i-still-have-a-great-deal-of-affection-for-switzerland Fri, 24 May 2019 13:55:38 +0200 life-after-switzerland-i-still-have-a-great-deal-of-affection-for-switzerland From ‘un natel’ to of course the numbering system, what are some of the most important Swiss French words - and why? https://www.thelocal.ch/20210831/have-your-say-what-are-the-most-important-swiss-french-words Tue, 31 Aug 2021 18:13:31 +0200 have-your-say-what-are-the-most-important-swiss-french-words If you’re planning on heading to south Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, you’ll be certain to hear today’s word of the day in almost every conversation. https://www.thelocal.ch/20201020/german-word-of-the-day-gell Tue, 20 Oct 2020 13:45:11 +0200 german-word-of-the-day-gell German is a notoriously difficult language to master. And to make matters worse, some things have different names in different German-speaking regions. This word is a prime example https://www.thelocal.ch/20201013/word-of-the-day-der-erdapfel Tue, 13 Oct 2020 18:44:08 +0200 word-of-the-day-der-erdapfel Scientists still don't know many things about the new Covid-19 virus but now one thing is certain - in French, the virus is feminine. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200511/covid-19-is-officially-feminine-say-french-language-guardians Mon, 11 May 2020 15:21:25 +0200 covid-19-is-officially-feminine-say-french-language-guardians Starting in January 2020 applicants for certain work permits in Switzerland need to provide certificates from government-accredited institutions to prove their language proficiency. https://www.thelocal.ch/20191231/stricter-language-requirements-for-foreigners-in-switzerland Tue, 31 Dec 2019 11:49:46 +0100 stricter-language-requirements-for-foreigners-in-switzerland