Language/Swiss-german/Vocabulary/Education

Swiss German Vocabulary - Education

Hi Swiss German learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on Swiss German vocabulary related to education. Education is crucial for personal development, and it is essential to know the appropriate terms in Swiss German to communicate effectively with educators and students.

With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: Fruits & Geography.

School Types

Switzerland has a unique education system. There are many types of schools, and each type serves different educational goals. Below are some of the most common school types in Switzerland.

Swiss German	Pronunciation	English
die Primarschule	dee Pree-mahr-shoo-luh	Primary school
die Sekundarschule	dee Sek-oon-dahr-shoo-luh	Secondary school
das Gymnasium	dahs Gee-mnah-zee-oom	High school
die Berufsfachschule	dee Beh-roofs-faaks-shoo-luh	Vocational school

Dialogue:

• Ann: "Mein Kind geht in die Primarschule." (My child goes to primary school.)
• Tom: "Meine Schwester ist auf dem Gymnasium." (My sister is in high school.)

University

Switzerland is renowned for its excellence in higher education. The country has many prestigious universities and specialized schools offering studies in various fields.

Swiss German	Pronunciation	English
die Universität	dee Oo-nee-fehr-zee-tayt	University
die Hochschule	dee Hohks-shoo-luh	University of applied sciences
die Fachhochschule	dee Fahks-hohks-shoo-luh	Technical college
die Pädagogische Hochschule	dee Pay-dah-goh-gish-uh Hohks-shoo-luh	College of education

Dialogue:

• Maria: "Ich studiere an der Universität Zürich." (I study at the University of Zurich.)
• Andreas: "Ich habe eine Ausbildung an der Fachhochschule gemacht." (I had vocational training at a technical college.)

School Subjects

Swiss German vocabulary related to school subjects is essential for students, teachers, and parents.

Swiss German	Pronunciation	English
die Mathematik	dee Mah-teh-mah-tik	Mathematics
die Naturwissenschaft	dee Nah-toor-vee-senshahft	Science
die Geschichte	dee Geh-shicht-uh	History
die Sprachen	dee Sproo-chen	Languages

Dialogue:

• Sophie: "Welches Fach findest du am schwierigsten?" (Which subject do you find the most challenging?)
• Paul: "Ich habe Schwierigkeiten in Mathematik." (I have difficulties with mathematics.)

School Supplies

There are many school supplies in Swiss German. The following table shows some of the most common items.

Swiss German	Pronunciation	English
der Bleistift	dehr Blaise-tift	Pencil
das Heft	dahs Hehft	Notebook
der Radiergummi	dehr Rah-dee-ehr-goom-mee	Eraser
der Rucksack	dehr Rook-sahk	Backpack

Dialogue:

• Tim: "Hast du meinen Bleistift gesehen?"(Have you seen my pencil?)
• Jan: "Ja, er ist auf deinem Heft." (Yes, it's on your notebook.)

Swiss Educational System

Switzerland's education system is unique and varies by canton. Education is compulsory for ten years, starting at the age of six. After that, students have the option to attend a vocational school or a high school (Gymnasium). Students who choose the high school route will graduate after six years and take a test called the "Matura." The Matura is a comprehensive exam that tests students' knowledge in various subjects, preparing them for university entrance. The Swiss education system is bilingual (German and French) and emphasizes practical training to ensure students are well-prepared to enter the workforce.

If you want to improve your Swiss German vocabulary related to education further, you can use Polyglot Club to find native speakers and ask them any questions. You can also review the vocabulary related to other themes.

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

• Education in Switzerland - Wikipedia
• List of Universities in Switzerland - Wikipedia
• Matura - Wikipedia

Other Lessons

• How to say Good Bye
• Express Surprise
• Health
• Fruits
• Animals
• Geography
• Days of the Week
• Clothes
• Drinks