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SWISS TRADITIONS

From bugs to bears: Top ten Swiss German nicknames to woo your sweetheart

In the loving country of Switzerland, every day is Valentines Day. Time to roll out some animal-inspired Swiss German romantic nicknames for that special someone in your life.

Published: 14 February 2020 20:45 CET
Updated: 14 February 2022 13:55 CET
A bear cub in Sweden. Image: Janko Ferlic on Unsplash
A bear cub in Sweden. Image: Janko Ferlic on Unsplash

Are you a hare, a little mouse or just a beetle? Swiss-German is decidedly zoological when it comes to pet names for one’s better half. If you’re at a loss for how to address your special Swiss someone check out our list of ten romantic nicknames. 

Schätzli

In cutesy German, the lovely Schatz, or treasure, becomes Schätzchen (meaning “little treasure”). In Swiss German, you can smother that treasure with a separate layer of cuteness by tacking on the ubiquitous -li suffix.

A little boy, for example, might ask a girl: “Vötsch mis Schaetzli si?” (Do you want to be my girlfriend?). But be warned: that line doesn’t work for anyone over about the age of 12. At least we hope not.

Herzli

“Happy Valentine’s Day, little heart of mine”. Awww. Too much? Yeah, maybe slight overkill.

But the opposite of this – the charming German word “Lebensabschnittspartner” (literally ‘life stage partner) – might be taking this just a little too far in the other direction.

Müsli

Not to be confused with Switzerland’s enduring contribution to global breakfast culture, this term of endearment turns your lover into a little mouse. You could try saying for example: ‘I ha di gern mis Müsli’ (I love you my little mouse).

Read also: Looking for love? Here’s how to date the Swiss

Chäferli

What can you say about a culture that uses “little beetle” as a romantic nickname? Oh that’s right: we have sweet cheeks. And stud muffin.

Bärli

The Swiss may give their bears names that resemble motorways (e.g. the recently-sighted M29) but call your other half a little bear and you might even get yourself some sweet honey.

Schäri

This darling name derives from the French chéri(e). It’s yet another example of the Swiss Germans using French words like the ubiquitous ‘merci’ for thank you, ‘trottoir’ for footpath or ‘cordon bleu’…for cordon bleu.

Knudel

C’mere my little snuggle buddy. A lovely word that stems from the verb knuddeln, to cuddle. Deploy judiciously.

Schnüggerli

This also has ‘Partnerlook’ (the disconcerting habit some couples have of wearing the same clothes) written all over it, but is more Swiss than the even the a bowl of müesli eaten in the Alps during a blizzard.

A superb diminutive to whip out when you fancy a snuggle. Or something a bit more serious.

A classic case of ‘Partnerlook’. Photo: Depositphotos

Häsli

You can also choose to show your partner that you really care… by calling them a little hare.

Plain old -li

Run out of romantic words? Just add -li to your loved one’s name. So George becomes Tschötschli and Hans is Hansli and Esther is Estherli. Do this repeated-li.

And last but not least: if your relationship is running into trouble, or just getting a bit stale, men might want to substitute the words above for the less-than-delightful and decidedly politically incorrect ‘chefin’ (the boss) or “mini alti” (my old lady).

Warning: don’t try these at home.

A version of this article originally appeared in The Local in 2016.

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SWISS TRADITIONS

EXPLAINED: Why is Switzerland so famous for watches?

Watches are considered as quintessentially Swiss as chocolate. But how did that become the case?

Published: 10 April 2024 11:47 CEST
EXPLAINED: Why is Switzerland so famous for watches?

Switzerland is considered the centre of the global wristwatch trade, with several of the world’s largest and most exclusive manufacturers based there.

However, this was not where the watch trade was born. 

In the 16th century, portable, wearable clocks, usually worn on a chain around the neck, first appeared in the German cities of Nuremberg and Augsburg. 

Both cities were known for precision instruments related to the weapons and surveying trades.

Several advances in metallurgy in these two cities enabled the creation of working, albeit somewhat unreliable, clock movements that could be carried around. 

READ MORE: Cuckoo clocks and Toblerone: The ‘Swiss’ products that are not actually Swiss

Soon, these were luxury items – and in fierce demand across Europe. 

Shortly afterwards, another momentous historical event occurred that would enable Switzerland’s dominance of the watch trade. 

An industry is born

As the Protestant Reformation exploded across Europe, French Protestants – known as Huguenots – were driven from France by the Catholic monarchy. 

Many of these Huguenots crossed to Switzerland and settled in Geneva, bringing their skills as metalworkers and jewellers. 

At this time, the city of Geneva was under the control of the reformer John Calvin and his supporters.

Calvin was a strict and austere man who had forbidden displays of flashy jewellery in the city. Thus, many Huguenots retrained as watchmakers to circumvent the religious laws that were rigorously enforced. 

Necessity breeds innovation, and within decades, the first clunky, inaccurate wearable clocks were replaced by far more advanced, smaller timepieces. 

READ MORE: Geneva watch fetches $21 million at auction

Throughout the 17th century, the pocket watch became incredibly popular, owned in large numbers by the nobility. 

Several large mercantile companies appeared in the 18th century, and the merchant class also began carrying them. 

To meet this surge in demand, timepiece manufacturing spread beyond Geneva to several nearby cantons, such as Neuchâtel and Jura. 

At this time, the country’s oldest still-existing watch manufacturer, Blancpain, was founded in 1735. Breguet, another titan of the watchmaking industry, was founded in 1775.  

The first wristwatch 

By the 19th century, the Swiss clock and timepiece industry had achieved almost total dominance, only rivalled by England and parts of Germany. 

This is due to the development of the etablissage system. Family firms in various villages and towns would be responsible for creating standardised watch parts, which would then be assembled by watch firms in the larger cities. 

Inventing the self-winding mechanism also played a huge role in furthering the influence of Swiss watchmaking. 

Such a system streamlined the production process and meant that watches could consistently be produced without waiting for specific parts to be available.

Many believe that Abraham-Louis Breguet created the first wristwatch in 1810 for Caroline Bonaparte, Queen of Naples and sister of Napoleon.  

READ MORE: Napoleon’s locks to be put in Geneva watches

This led to a fashion trend, and by the mid-19th century, women would wear bracelets that included a timepiece. 

Many new luxury brands, such as Patek Philippe in 1839, emerged to cater to this market. 

Men’s wristwatches would follow later – prompted by military men requiring something to use to time manoeuvres in the field. 

The Swiss watch industry continued to expand throughout the 20th century, weathering the development of quartz movements in Japan and several other threats to its dominance. 

Today’s Swiss watch industry

In 2024, the Swiss watch industry will contribute around 26.5 billion francs to the country’s economy, with just four companies—Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Richard Mille—comprising almost half the market share. 

Around 700 wristwatch makers operate across Switzerland today, catering to luxury and specialist markets. 

Despite competition from other countries, such as Japan and the United States, the country is still viewed as a centre of innovation and excellence. 

READ MORE: Swiss watches rebound to beat the pandemic blues

Many firms emphasise bespoke, hand manufacturing as their strength in creating excellent timepieces. 

This perhaps explains the prices that some Swiss watches can command —some Patek Phillipe models, for example, have sold for more than 20 million euros! 

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