Language/Swiss-german/Grammar/How-to-Use-Be

Swiss German Grammar - How to Use "Be"

Hi Swiss German learners! 😊 In this lesson, we will focus on the verb "be" in Swiss German. This verb is crucial to express ideas such as identity, occupation or origin. Knowing how to use it correctly will make a noticeable difference in your Swiss German communication skills.

Introduction

First things first, let's clarify the meaning of the word "be". In Swiss German, the verb "be" can be translated as "sein" in German. It is used to convey the idea of permanence or existence. For example:

• Ich bin Schweizer (I am Swiss)

In this sentence, "bin" is the first-person singular form of the verb "be" and it is used to express the speaker's identity.

Present tense

In the present tense, the verb "be" in Swiss German is conjugated as follows:

Swiss German	Pronunciation	English
ich bin	[ɪh bɪn]	I am
du bisch	[du bɪʃ]	you are (singular informal)
är/sie/äs isch	[ɛr/zi/æs ɪʃ]	he/she/it is
mir sind	[mɪr zɪnd]	we are
ihr sind	[ihr zɪnd]	you are (plural informal)
sie/ si sind	[zi/si zɪnd]	they are / you (formal) are

Example dialogue

• Chris: Hesch du Züri Nummereys? (Do you have the phone number of Zurich?)
• Sara: Nei, ich bini nid vo Züri. (No, I'm not from Zurich.)
• Chris: Ah okay, wo bisch du deheim? (Ah okay, where are you from?)
• Sara: Ich bin vo Basel. (I'm from Basel.)

Present Perfect tense

In Swiss German, the present perfect tense of "be" is formed with "hän" + past participle "gsii" (been). Keep in mind that this tense indicates that the action is completed, in contrast to the present tense, which indicates that the action is ongoing. For example:

• Ich han gsii. (I have been.)
• S'het lang gsii, dass ich disch gseh ha. (It's been a long time since I've seen you.)

Example dialogue

• David: Wo hesch denn ds Wucheänd verbrocht? (Where did you spend the weekend?)
• Janine: Ich han z' Oschtarei gsii. (I have been to Austria.)
• David: Giits schön gsi? (Was it nice?)
• Janine: Ja, es isch wunderschön gsii. (Yes, it was wonderful.)

Future tense

To form the future tense in Swiss German, we use the auxiliary verb "werde" (will) and add the infinitive of the main verb "be". For example:

• I wärde bald en Eltere si. (I will soon be a parent.)

Example dialogue

• Lucas: Was mached ihr eigentlich am Wucheänd? (What are you guys doing this weekend?)
• Diana: Mir gönnd am Samstig uf d'Alpe. (On Saturday, we are going to the mountains.)
• Lucas: Ah cool, wäsche Gipfel wänd ihr bstige? (Ah cool, which peak are you going to climb?)
• Diana: Mir werde ds Rigi bstige. (We will climb Mount Rigi.)

Negative contractions

In Swiss German, we often use negative contractions for the verb "be". These contractions are formed by replacing the "i" in "ni" with an apostrophe. For example:

• Ich bin nöd fertig. (I'm not done)
• Du bisch ned do. (You are not here.)

There are no contractions for the 3rd person singular and plural form of "be".

Interesting facts

Switzerland has four national languages; German, French, Italian, and Romansh. Swiss German, also known as Schweizerdeutsch or dialect, is the spoken language in the German-speaking part of Switzerland.

To improve your Swiss German Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

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