There are four official languages in Switzerland; this means that there are four possible ways of greeting. These are German, French, Italian and Romansh. Try to understand which language or languages your interlocutor speaks before talking to him. However, remember that, especially in big cities, almost all Swiss speak English quite well and you can therefore use this international language.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Choose the Right Language
Step 1. Learn which language is commonly spoken in each canton
65-75% of the population speaks Swiss-German, particularly in the central and northern areas. 20% speak French and 4-7% Italian. These two languages are very common along the border areas with France (to the west) and Italy (to the south). Romansh is an ancient language, originating in some southern regions of Switzerland, which is spoken by less than 1% of citizens.
Remember that many Swiss people are polyglots. German is well understood and spoken practically all over the country, but you can get by with French, Italian and English, no matter which canton you are in
Step 2. Try speaking in English
Just say hello with a simple "Hello!". Most Swiss citizens speak at least some English, especially in large cities. Locals may be impressed by your attempt to speak in their native language, but you should still be able to "survive" with English in most metropolitan areas. Also, the English word "hello" has the same root as the German word "hallo", so you could be mistaken for a German if you say it in the correct tone.
Step 3. Take advantage of the signs you can pick up from the local population and think before you speak
Listen to the people around you. Before you speak to someone, pay attention to how they speak. If you are about to greet a group, overhear the conversation before speaking. You may be able to recognize the pronunciation of certain words by listening to the people around you.
- Watch for signs, warnings and advertisements. If most of the public notices are written in German, you should probably try to speak this language. If the signs are mostly written in French, adjust accordingly.
- If you are about to meet someone for the first time, consider their name. If his name is Pierre, chances are he comes from the French canton. If his name is Klaus, you can be pretty sure he's a Swiss-German.
Step 4. Use the correct physical approach based on etiquette
If you are meeting someone for the first time, hold out your hand and say hello. If you are a woman who meets a friend or a man who greets a lady, you can give three kisses on the cheek by offering first the right one, then the left one and finally the right again. These are not real kisses, but just sliced kisses. If you are a man who greets a friend, limit yourself to a handshake or a manly hug. These conventions are suitable all over the country, but in certain regions (especially border regions) a specific etiquette may apply.
Method 2 of 5: Say Hello in German
Step 1. Use Swiss-German and not German
The language spoken in German-speaking Switzerland is similar to classical Teutonic, but there are many local dialect variations that make your greetings easier to understand. All the vowels present in a word must be pronounced. If you see the diphthongs ue, üe or ie, for example, you should say "u", "e" and "i" as distinct sounds. If you are writing, remember that all nouns, in German, are capitalized.
Step 2. Say hello informally when talking to friends or family
To greet a person, say the word "Grüetzi" or "Gruetzi mittenand" if you are addressing two or more individuals. In most German-speaking areas, the term "Grüetzi" is equivalent to "hello" and sounds phonetically like "Gryətsi" or "Gruuotsi". You can also try the classic German greeting "Guten Tag", which is easier to remember and pronounce. Also consider these other informal greetings:
- Hoi / Salü / Sali: "hello", more informal than Grüetzi. They are pronounced as "Hoy", "Saluu", "Salii".
- Hoi zäme: to say "hello" to more than one person. The pronunciation is similar to "Hoy zah-mee".
- Hello: Just like our informal greeting, but pronounced slightly differently and the sound is similar to "ciau".
Step 3. Say hello in a formal way
More formal expressions are recommended when greeting business associates and people you don't know well. Most of these greetings are related to the time of day.
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"Gueten Morgen!": "Good morning!"; pronounced as "Guu-ten mor-ghen" (the letter "g" of "ghen" is hard). In some regions, the German-speaking population uses the greeting "guetä Morgä", with the abbreviations "Morgä" or "Morge" (which vary from canton to canton).
This expression is used until around noon. In some areas of Germany only until 10:00
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"Guetä Tag!": "Have a nice day!". It is pronounced as "Guu-ten tagg".
This phrase is used between noon and 6 pm
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"Gueten Abig.": "Good evening". It is pronounced: "Guu-ten a-bij".
It is used after 18:00
Method 3 of 5: Greetings in French
Step 1. Speak in French
People should be able to understand you if you use this language, especially in the western regions. Swiss-French differs from official French to a lesser extent than Swiss-German differs from German.
Step 2. Pronunciation:
"Bonjour". Its standard translation is "hello" and you can use it on both formal and informal occasions. The term is a combination of the words "bon", which means "good", and "jour", which means "day" and is pronounced as "bon-juur".
Step 3. Say "Salut" to greet informally
The letter "t" is silent, so you have to say the word as "Sah-lù". This is the term that translates "hello" instead of the more formal "good morning".
- Although "salut" is an exclamation used to greet people, it is related to the French verb "saluer", which means "to greet" in the army.
- Another informal formula is the expression "Salut tout le monde!". A rough translation could be "Hello everyone!", Since "tout" means "everything" and "le monde" means "the world". It is used only in a group of close friends.
Step 4. Switch to the term "Bonsoir" when evening falls
The sound is similar to "bon-suar" and the literal translation is "good evening". It is used to greet in the late afternoon and early evening. You can say it in any situation, but it is more likely to be heard in formal meetings.
- "Bon" means "good" and "soir" means "evening".
- One way to address a group of people during an evening is to say the phrase: "Bonsoir mesdames et messieurs" which means: "Good evening ladies and gentlemen". To pronounce it: "bon-suar meh-dahms et meh-siures".
Method 4 of 5: Say Hello in Italian
Step 1. Use Italian
If you are in the regions bordering Lombardy, Piedmont, Valle d'Aosta or Trentino Alto Adige, do not complicate your life and speak your language. About 4-7% of the Swiss population understands and uses Italian, especially in the southern regions. Swiss-Italians are much more likely to speak Swiss-German than Swiss-Germans will speak Italian. In any case, don't take anything for granted; if you are traveling only in the southern cantons, listen to the people around you and try to interpret the signs. If you find that people speak Italian everywhere, feel free to use your language.
Step 2. In this case the label does not vary much from what you are used to
On informal occasions you can use a simple "hello". This exclamation is also normally used in Switzerland, but it is considered very friendly and is therefore only used between friends or relatives.
You can also use it to say hello when you leave; just make it clear that you are welcoming the person and that you are not saying goodbye
Step 3. In neutral situations you can use the term "hello"
Although it is not as common as "hello", the word "hello" is more appropriate when you are around people you are not very familiar with. The most formal way to say hello is to use a formula related to the time of day, but "hello" is still considered appropriate.
Just like "hello", you can also say "hello" to say goodbye, although it is less used in this context
Step 4. Use expressions related to the time of day
"Good morning" and other similar greetings are the more formal ones. However, nothing prevents you from using them even among friends and relatives. Just like with the official Italian, you can also use "buongiorno" to say goodbye, depending on the situation you are in.
- In the morning you can say "good morning". You can use it until lunchtime, which varies a lot according to local habits and customs.
- In the afternoon, after meal time has usually passed, you can say "good afternoon". Again, you can use it both when you welcome a person and when you leave. It is now customary to use "good morning" even during the afternoon, until sunset begins; however, the word "good afternoon" is more appropriate, as well as much more formal.
- Use the term "good evening" in the evening. After around 4:00 pm, you can say goodbye with this expression of both welcome and farewell.
Method 5 of 5: Greetings in Romansh
Step 1. Use the Romansh language
It is an ancient language spoken by less than 1% of Swiss citizens, of whom 48,000 live in the southeastern canton of Graubünden (Grisons). Most Romansh speakers also speak Swiss-German and other languages, but you will make a good impression if you try to approach them in their original language.
- Romansh is also called rumantsch, romontsch, rumauntsch and belongs to the subgroup of Rhaeto-Romance languages.
- About half of the people who use it have emigrated to the industrialized cities of northern Switzerland where German is spoken. For this reason, it can be said that Zurich has become the city with most Romansh speaking people. However, most of the residents of this Romansh-born city use German for convenience.
- It derives from the "vulgar Latin" spoken by the people with some Etruscan, Celtic and other languages influences used by the first inhabitants of the valleys, now known as the Canton of Grisons and South Tyrol. Romansh was recognized as a Swiss national language in 1938. The pronunciation is very similar to Latin.
Step 2. Use the terms "cheerful", "hello," or "tgau" to greet informally
- Pronounce "cheerful" just like in Italian.
- The term "hello" has a slightly different inflection and the sound is similar to "hello".
- The word "tgau" reads "gau".
Step 3. Use expressions that refer to the time of day
Just as with the other official Swiss languages, these greetings also tend to be used for formal occasions for Romansh. This is how you welcome people you don't know or when you find yourself in some official situation.
- "Bun di" means "good morning". It is pronounced exactly as it is spelled.
- "Buna saira" means "good afternoon" or "good evening".
Advice
- Most Swiss-German people like to hear someone try to speak their language and respond with a warm "Danke vielmal"; however, continue to speak in Italian or English, if appropriate.
- Try to understand which language your interlocutor speaks, to avoid speaking to him with the wrong one!
- Remember that most Swiss speak English quite well, especially in big cities, so you can use this international idiom.
