REMOVAL

CHANGE

EXPLANATION

EXAMPLE
(Schweiz/ Old Basel-Stadt)

-n => -/ -e

In general, -n ending disappears (always in a verb).
-n disappears even if it’s an ending of one of the words of a bigger word (that comprises of several words).
If the sound is long, -n- in the middle or in the end of a word is substituted by a preceding vowel (thus doubles the vowel).
If the sound is short, this substitution may be omitted, meaning -n- simply vanishes.
In a verb if the preceding vowel is not doubled, -e ending can be added instead to ease pronunciation (usually after -u-, -el, -er-).

tanzen => tanze/ danze
der Aschenbecher => dr Äschebächer
das Weizenbier => s Wäizebier
der Mann => dr Maa
anbieten => a(a)biete
tun => tue/ due
flüstern => flüschtere
bummeln => bummle

BUT:

-n ending may (but doesn’t have to!) remain for pronunciation purposes. 

Schönen Abend => Schöne(n) Oobe!
Ich bin allergisch => I(ch) bi allergisch

-ch => -/ -e

-ch ending (and sometimes in the middle of the word) usually disappears. 
-e ending can be added instead if needed to ease pronunciation.

-ch ending remains if it's a part of a bigger ending, e. g. -sch! 

noch => no
nicht => nit
durch => duure
wirklich => wörkli (Luzern)/ wiirgglig (old Basel)

BUT:

Schweiz/ Basel

In most Swiss dialects -ch ending usually remains, e.g. in Zürich (mich, dich).

In Basel and Bern -ch ending is usually omitted in “mich” (mi) and “dich” (di), but remains in “sich”. 

-ch ending may (but doesn’t have to!) remain if the next word starts with a vowel.

sich kennenlernen =>

sich kenne leere
Ich habe mich in dich verliebt =>

Ich haa mi in di(i) verliebt.

ge- => g-

ge- beginning becomes g- beginning in all words (exception for some verbs in the Perfect tense form is given below).

das Gemüse => s Gmies
genau => gnau
gefallen => gfalle
gemütlich => gmietlig
das Gespenst => s Gspäng(g)scht

BUT:

In the Perfect tense form, verbs (both regular and irregular) that begin with b-, d-, k-, t-, p- and z- (additionally to some in High German), don’t receive any prefix.
ge + b- becomes b-
ge + d- becomes d-
ge + k- becomes k-
ge + t- becomes t-/ d-
ge + p- becomes p-/ b-
ge + z- becomes z-.

gebraucht => broocht/bruucht
gedauert => duur(e)t
gedruckt => druckt/ druggt
gekommen => choo/ koo
gekocht => chocht/ kocht
getrennt => trennt/ drennt
getraut => traut/ draut
geplaudert => plaudered/ blaudered
gepfiffen => pfiffe/ pfyffe
gezogen => zooge

be- => b-

be- prefix becomes b- prefix in verbs and derivatives if their roots begin with h-, s- and in most cases l- and r-.

behaupten => bhaupte

belieben => bliebe

derBericht => dr Bricht

der Bescheid => dr Bschaid

beschreiben => bschriibe/ bschryybe

besetzt => bsetzt

besonders => bsunders

bestellen => bstelle

der Besuch => dr Bsuech

BUT:

be- => bi-

be- prefix becomes bi- prefix in verbs and derivatives in most cases when the root remains (transformation of a word, not a complete change). -i- is added mainly to ease pronunciation.

der Befehl => dr Bifääl
begreiflich => bigryfflig
benehmen => binää
berühmt => biriemt

BUT:

be- => aa-, ver-, yy-

If be- prefix that doesn’t dramatically change the meaning of the root in verbs and derivatives, it is usually substituted by other prefix (aa-, ver- and sometimes ii-/ yy- etc.) and often other roots (completely new words with the same meaning) are used alongside.
In Schwizerdütsch aa-, ver-, ii-/ yy- prefixes are more common than any other prefix from High German.
Creation of new completely different words is also very common for Schwizerdütsch. The new word can have no prefix whatsoever.

beginnen => aafoo
beenden => fe(r)tig mache

(but also: beände/ biände)
beerdigen => bigraabe, yyschaare, verschaare
bemalen => aamoole
beschimpfen => aapfyffe
beschmutzen => verdrägge

-h- => -

Basel

If surrounded by a vowel and a consonant, -h- in the middle of a word is substituted by a preceding vowel (thus doubles the vowel).

-äh- becomes -ää-

-eh- in the middle becomes -ää-, but

-eh ending becomes -ee ending

-uh- becomes -ue-

If the sound is short this substitution may be omitted, meaning -h- simply vanishes.

gefährlich => gföörlig/ gfäärlig
empfehlen => empfääle
nehmen => nää
die Lehne => d Lääne
mehr => mee
das Kopfweh => s Chopfweh / Kopfwee
die Kuh => d Kue (sing.), Kie (pl.)/ Kie (sing.)

BUT:

-h- => -ch-

If surrounded by vowels only, -h- is usually extended to -ch-.

This shows that -h- on its own is not typical in Schwizerdütsch.

die Zehe => d Zeeche
die Nähe => d Nööchi/ Neechi

(but: ausleihen => us(s)lehne, us(s)leene)

-e => -

-e ending in the (usually short) nouns, where other vowels or consonants are already prolonged, often disappears.

das Erbe => s Eerb
die Gasse => d Gass
die Stelle => d Stell

BUT:

-e => -i

In the end of bigger nouns -e may be substituted by -i.

die Erdbeere => d Äär(d)beeri

die Schwitze => d Schwitzi

SUBSTITUTION

CHANGE

EXPLANATION

EXAMPLE
(Schweiz/ Old Basel-Stadt)

-ei- => -ii-/ -yy-

Schweiz/ Basel-Stadt

-ei- is generally substituted by prolonged -ii- in most Swiss dialects, and by -yy- in old  Baseldytsch.

In the traditional old (Basel-Stadt) Baseldytsch it is distinguished between i/ii (an open i as “kling”) and y/yy (a closed i as “seen”).

Y/yy is mainly used during Fasnacht, otherwise less often. 

der Schweizer => dr Schwiz(z)er/ Schwyzer

gleich => gliich/ glyych

peinlich => piinlig/ pyynlig

eifersüchtig => iifersüchtig/ yyfersichtig

die Zeit => d Zi(i)t/ Zy(y)t

normalerweiser => normalerwiis/normalerwyys

BUT:

-ei- => -ei-/ -ai-, -äi-

Schweiz/ Basel-Stadt

If, however, the sound remains unchanged, in most dialects in written form -ei- also remains unchanged. 

But in written Baseldytsch there are many distinctions from the High German that can be regarded as “unnecessary” substitutions (different way to spell the same sound), such as -ei- becoming -ai- (or even -äi-). Such substitution, however, may be usually ignored.

kein => kei/ kai

einfach => eifach/ aifach

weiss => weiss/ waiss

zwei => zwei/ zwai, zwäi

-ie- => -ii-/ -yy-

Schweiz/ Basel-Stadt

Since Schwizerdütsch is mainly an oral language, it is written as close to the pronunciation as possible.

Doubled vowels in -ii- instead of -ie- in most dialects, and -yy- instead of -ie- in old Baseldytsch are used to stretch a vowel.

This is another “unnecessary” substitution in Schwizerdütsch, thus may still be written unchanged as -ie-. 

viel => viil/ vyyl

der Kies => dr Kiis

friedlich => friidlig

-k- => -ch-/ -k-, -g-

-ck- => -ch-/ -g(g)-

Schweiz/ Basel-Stadt

In general, -k- becomes -ch- in Schwizerdütsch, whereas in modern Baseldytsch -k- is preserved, and in the old Baseldytsch it is often substituted by -g-.

Quite often in Schwizerdütsch -ck- is also substituted by -ch-, whereas in the old Basledytsch it usually becomes -g(g)-.

(More on -g(g)- transformation later)

der Kuchenkasten => s Chuchichästli

kommen => choo /koo

der Kranz => dr Chranz/ Granz

der Kopf => dr Chopf/ Kopf

backen => bache/ bagge

-ung => -ig

In Schwizerdütsch there are only few typical endings for nouns. The main ones for nouns are -ig, -li, -keit/ -käit, -heit/ -häit, -schaft and less often -bäär/ -beer.

-ung ending in nouns is generally shortened to -ig ending in all Swiss dialects.

-bar ending in nouns is minimally changed to -bäär/ -beer (e.g. der Nachbar => dr Noochber).

die Ausstellung => d Us(s)stellig

die Schätzung => d Schätzig

-chen => -li

-lein => -li

Schweiz/ Basel-Stadt

In general, -chen ending is substituted by -li ending.

In general, -lein ending is substituted by -li ending.

In Baseldytsch though diminutive forms of nouns are used even more often (as often as possible), by adding -li ending.

das Schätzchen => s Schatz(el)i, Schätz(e)li

das Mädchen => s Maitli

das Früchtchen => s Früchtli/ Frichtli

das Entlein => s Entli/ Ääntli

das Bäuchlein => s Büüchli

die (pl.) Fotos => d Föteli

das Croissant => s Gipfeli

das Tram => s Drämmli

-er => -

(plural)

In Schwizerdütsch in plural form nouns may become even shorter than in the singular form, since there’s no -n ending, and -er ending is usually also omitted.

die (pl.) Gehäuser => d Ghyys/ Ghüüs

-(l)ich => -(l)ig

-e(r)nd => -(r)ig

-haft => -ig

-bar => -ig

-isch => -ig

-voll => -(l)ig

In Schwizerdütsch there are only few typical endings for adjectives and adverbs. The main ones for adjectives and adverbs are -ig, -voll and less often -ch, -bäär/ -beer, -isch.

-(l)ich ending in adjectives is generally shortened to -(l)ig ending. In special cases in some dialects -ch ending may simply disappear, as in the general rule, e.g. in Luzern (wirklich => wörkli).

-haft ending always, and -e(r)nd, -bar, -isch endings in most cases in adjectives and adverbs are also shortened to the same -ig ending.

-e(r)nd ending in adjectives may remain -e(r)nd ending to avoid confussion.

-bar ending in adjectives in some cases may be minimally changed to -bäär/ -beer.

-isch ending in some cases may still remain or be used through transformation (e.g. manchmal => mängisch, mägdehaft => mägdisch).

-voll ending in special cases may be shortened to -(l)ig (e.g. kunstvoll => kinschtlig).

gemütlich => gmütlig/ gmietlig

säuerlich => süürlig/ syyrlig

wirklich => wörkli/ wirgglig

lächernd => lächernd/ lächerig

zuckend => zuckend/ zuggig

schmackhaft => äässig, gschmeggig

kostbar (köstlich) => keschtlig

schnippisch => spitzig

-au- => -u(u)-

auf- => uff-

aus- => uus-

aus- => uss-

-au- is generally substituted by -u(u)- in all Swiss dialects. For a shorter sound a single -u- is used, and for a longer one – prolonged -uu-.

-auf- prefix usually becomes -uff- (short -u- sound), since in Schwizerdütsch -f- is often stressed (thus doubled), resulting in -ff-.

-aus- prefix usually becomes -uus- (long -u- sound), since in Schwizerdütsch the first syllable is usually stressed and thus prolonged.

Depending on the pronunciation, -aus- prefix can also become -uss- (short -u- sound), if -s- is stressed.

kaum => kuum

laut => lut

der Raum => dr Ruum

saugen => suuge

aufmachen => uffmache

auslesen => uuslääse

der Ausruf => dr Uusrueff

aussen => usse (but: raus => use)

das Ausland => s Ussland

(z)er- => ver-

(z)er- prefix (mostly only in the beginning of verbs) is either substituted by ver- prefix or a (morphologically) completely new word is created.

Otherwise, if er- in the beginning is a part of a root, it is extended to eer- or substituted by äär-. This last transformation is also an “unnecessary” one, thus may be omitted.

erzählen => verzelle

ertrinken => vertrincke/ vertringge

zerbrechen => verbräche, verheie

zerfressen => verfrässe

zerschlagen => verheie, verschloo

(but: erklären => erglääre

erlauschen => erluusche/ erluschtere)

erblich => eerblig

-eu- => -ü -, -öi-/ - y(y)-

Schweiz/ Basel-Stadt

-eu- is generally substituted by -ü- or -öi-, and in the old Baseldytsch by -y(y)-.

die (pl.) Leute => d Lü(ü)t/ Lyt

leuchten => lüüchte/ lyychte

die Keule => d Chüüle/ Kyyle

der Neubau => dr Nöibau

-ü- <=> -ü(e)-/ -i(e)-

Schweiz/ Basel-Stadt

In general -ü- is extended to -üe-, or in some cases it may remain as -ü-.

In the old Baseldytsch -ü- is substituted by -i- if it’s a short vowel, and by -ie- if it’s a long vowel.

das Glück => s Glück/ Gligg

wünschen => wünsche/ wintsche

grün => grüen/ grien

Grüss => Grüess/ Griess

süss => süess/ siess

wütend => wüetig/ wietig

die Prüfung => d Prüefig/ d Briefig

-äu- => -ü(ü)-/ -y(y)-

Schweiz/ Basel-Stadt

In general -äu- becomes -ü(ü)-, but in the old Baseldytsch -äu- is substituted by -y(y)-/ -i(i)-.

enttäuscht => enttüscht

(but: gläubig => glöibig/ glaibig)

-e- => -ä(ä)-

In general, stressed -e- becomes -ä- in many dialects in order to approximate the written Schwizerdütsch to its oral one as close as possible.

The long sound (because of the stress) is usually prolonged to -ää-.

In some dialects even unstressed -e- becomes -ä(ä)- (e.g. in Schaffhausen, lesen => läsä)

This can also be seen as another “unnecessary” substitution in Schwizerdütsch, thus may still be written unchanged as -e-.

lesen => läse

der Moment => dr Momänt

die Leber => d Lääbere (but: als Speise => s Lääberli)

der Kern => dr Kä(ä)rn

die Erde => d Äärde

gern => gäärn

(but: gestern => geschter(t)/ geschtrig)

vorbei- => duure-

Schweiz/ Basel-Stadt

vorbei- prefix in verbs is often transformed into verbii- prefix or changed to duure- prefix in many Swiss dialects.

vorbei- prefix in verbs in old Baseldytsch is usually substituted by duure- prefix. In the rare case if a new word to be created has already a different meaning or as an exception, the vorbei- prefix is minimally changed into verbyy- prefix (e.g. vorbeikommen => verbyykoo, because bestehen => duurekoo).

vorbeibringen => verbiibringe/ duurebringe

vorbeischicken => duureschicke/ duureschigge

vorbeigehen => duuregoo, verbiigoo/ verbyygoo

(zu)rück- => (z)rugg-

In general, -rück- becomes -rugg-. Analogically, zurück- becomes zrugg-.

In rare cases, when rück- prefix is used in the meaning of the abridged version of zurück- prefix, z- may be preserved , resulting in zrugg- prefix (e.g. die Rückfahrt => d (Z)ruggfaart).

die Rückseite => d Ruggsyte

zurücktreten => zruggdrätte

der Rücken => dr Rugge

-ä- => -oo-, -ö-

-a(h)- => -oo-

In some dialects, stressed -ä- either becomes prolonged -oo- (in order to approximate the written Schwizerdütsch to its oral one as close as possible), or in some cases -ö-.

The long sound (because of the stress) gives usually the prolonged -oo-. 

Analogically, in some cases (if a change occurs), stressed -a(h)- also becomes prolonged -oo-.

schläfrig => schloofrig/ schlööfrig

die Wäsche => d Wösch

fragen => frooge

die Gefahr => d Gfoor

ADDITION

CHANGE

EXPLANATION

EXAMPLE
(Schweiz/ Old Basel-Stadt)

-u- => -ue-

In general, if the vowel -u- is long and stressed, -e- is added.

In special cases long stressed vowel -i- and -ü- also gets -e- after, resulting in -ie- and -üe-  respectively (e.g. das Licht => s Liecht, das Müsli => s Müesli, Grüss => Grüetzi).

der Fuss => dr Fuess,

genug => gnue(g)

gut => guet

husten => hueschte

die Mutter => d Muet(t)er

zuschauen => zueluege

der Zustand => dr Zuestand

BUT:

-u- => -

If the vowel -u- is short and not stressed it either remains unchanged (for pronunciation purposes) or disappears completely.

die Zukunft => d Zuekunft/ Zuekumft

zuletzt => zletscht

zuviel => zwiil/ zvyyl

-s- => -sch-

In Schwizerdütsch -s- before a consonant almost always is extended to -sch- in order to approximate the written Schwizerdütsch to its oral one as close as possible.

-st- becomes -scht-

-sp- becomes -schp-

This change may be also regarded as an “unnecessary” one, and thus may be omitted.

gestern => geschter(t), geschtrig

das Fenster => s Fänschter

kosten => koschte

die Wespe => d Wäschpi

-el- => -(e)le-

In general, unstressed -el- after two consonants with different phonetic sound usually becomes -le-.

But after two consonants with single phonetic sound (in order to ease pronunciation) -el- becomes -ele-.

Although -le- is used usually more often, in some cases both versions are possible. 

bummeln => bummle

die Nessel => d Nessle

verzweifelt => verzwiiflet

lächeln => lächle

die Ampel => d Ampele

-er- => -ere

In verbs with -ern ending, when -n disappears the remaining -er ending receives -e in the end, resulting in -ere ending. 

flüstern => flüschtere

gärtnern => gäärtnere

lästern => läschtere

rudern => ruedere

DOUBLING

CHANGE

EXPLANATION

EXAMPLE
(Schweiz/ Old Basel-Stadt)

-f- => -ff-

-t- => -tt-

In Schwizerdütsch consonants that have a stressed vowel before, and another (unstressed) vowel after, can be doubled.

-f- becomes -ff-

-t- becomes -tt-.

kaufen => kauffe

der Greif => dr Griff/ Gryff

saufen => suffe

beten => bätte

das Kapitel => s Kapittel/ Kabittel

-e- => -ee-

-a- => -aa-

-o- => -oo-

-ö- => -öö-

-ä- => -ää-

-u- => -uu-

In Schwizerdütsch vowels that are stressed and not changed are often doubled as well.

-e- becomes -ee-

-a- becomes -aa-

-o- becomes -oo-

-ö- becomes -öö-

-ä- becomes -ää-

-u- becomes -uu-.

heben => heebe

erst => eerscht

energisch => eneergisch

gerade => graad

sagen => saage

die Garage => d Garaasch(e/i)

besorgt => besoorgt

morgen => moorn

blöd => blööd

der Käfer => dr Kääfer

die Jugend => d Juuged

OLD BASEL-STADT: Additional substitutions (not necessary and not often used)

CHANGE

EXPLANATION

EXAMPLE
(Old Basel-Stadt)

t- => d-

p- => b-

k-, c- => g-

-k-, -ck- => -gg-

Words having strong consonants in High German, usually have weak consonants in Baseldytsch. Only a few words in Baseldytsch survive this transformation. It is uniquely typical to Baseldytsch and is not present in other Swiss dialects. These changes can also be considered as “unnecessary”, and thus be omitted.

t- in the beginning and sometimes in the middle becomes d-.

p- in the beginning and sometimes in the middle becomes b-.

k-, and sometimes c- (mostly in foreign words) in the beginning becomes g-.

-k-, -ck- in the middle becomes -gg-. This change is very important to Baseldytsch and can still be used, while the other omitted.

die Tablette => d Dablette

die (pl.) Tropfen => d Dröpfli

tun => due

plaudern => blaudere

die Plakette => d Blagette

die Post => d Boscht

pur => buur

das Kleid => s Gläid

die Creme => d Greeme

das Geschenk => s Gschängg

denken => dängge

der Drucker => dr Drugger

schicken => schigge

-ö- => -ee-

In Baseldytsch -ö- always becomes -ee-.

In other Swiss dialects letters with “umlaut” (ä, ö, ü) are preserved and even prolonged and used as often as possible, e.g. in Schaffhausen ä is used more often than anywhere else (lesen => läsä) and in Luzern such letter is ö (die Schwester => d Schwös(ch)ter). As seen from the examples, these differences happen with the change (in both directions) of vowel -e-.

das Öl => s Eel

nötig => neetig

-ie- => -ii-

In the old Baseldytsch in cases where -y(y)- is not an appropriate substitution, the change will still be made, and -ie- will become -ii-. This change obviously is “unnecessary” and may be omitted.

der Kies => dr Kiis

friedlich => friidlig