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LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

From ‘natel’ to ‘ça joue’: The Swiss French words which help you sound like a local

From “schmolitz” to “panosse”, some words and phrases common in the French-speaking part of Switzerland are different from their equivalents used in France. Here is the vernacular you should master if you live in Suisse Romandie.

From 'natel' to 'ça joue': The Swiss French words which help you sound like a local
No, the chalet is not crazy. Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

Each of Switzerland’s main languages – German, French and Italian – are shared with a larger and more influential neighbour. 

These three languages – when added to the unique Romansh language – makes for a diverse linguistic spectrum. 

It might come as a relief to foreigners living in one of the French-speaking cantons that differences between the Swiss version of the language and the one spoken in France is much smaller than the difference between standard German and Schwyzerdütch.

Except for some specific words and expressions, people in France understand their counterparts in Romandie much easier than is the case between Germans and Swiss-Germans.

READ MORE: ‘Just so fun to say’: Are these the best Swiss-German words to learn?

The Local recently asked its readers what are the most important Swiss-French words to know.

Which parts of Switzerland speak French?

Geneva, Vaud, Jura and Neuchâtel speak only French, while Valais and Fribourg speak predominantly French but also German. 

Bern, the seat of the de facto capital, is also bilingual, but with more German than French speakers. 

From the answers we received, several respondents mentioned the numbers. 

As anyone who has tried to learn French will tell you, the numbering system is particularly difficult – especially when you get in the double figures. 

The Swiss French numbering system is different to that of original French, with Swiss French using the words septante (seventy), huitante (eighty) and nonante (ninety). 

The Romands decided to simplify these words from their original French versions: soixante-dix, quatre-vingt, and quatre-vingt-dix, which literally translate to ‘sixty-ten’, ‘four twenties’ and ‘four twenties-ten’. 

However, regional differences are also at play here: Geneva uses the French version of these numbers, possibly because of its close proximity to France.

Some readers also mentioned the expression “ça joue”. Literally translated it means “it plays”, but in the Suisse Romande it means “yes, it’s alright”.

Other words and expressions mentioned in the reader survey were: “carnotzet” (a small bar), “bonap” (Bon appétit – enjoy your meal), “si jamais”, (if ever), vélo (bicycle), “ouais” (slangy oui – yes), and “tout de bon” (all the best).

READ MORE: Have your say: What are the most important Swiss French words to know?

Suisse-Romande versus France

Aside from the numbers mentioned above, some words and phrases used in this part of Switzerland are uniquely “Romand” and if you use them in France, chances are you will be met with a quizzical look.

Natel: Mobile phone (“téléphone mobile”)

French-speaking Switzerland: Seven life hacks that will make you feel like a local

Panosse: A wet broom (“serpillière in France)

Y a pas le feu au lac: Literally, this means “there’s no fire in the lake”. But what it actually means “there is no rush, no urgency.

Faire schmolitz : Wine drinking ritual in which two people decide to befriend each other by passing from the formal “vous” form to the more casual “tu”.

Schmoltz! Photo by Monstera from Pexel

Etre déçu en bien: Be pleasantly surprised (être agréablement surpris in France)

Ça va, le chalet?: Are you crazy ? (ça va pas la tête ?)

Tchô bonne: Have a good day /evening (bonne journée /soirée)

Lolette: a pacifier for babies (tétine in France)

Quart d’heure vaudois: This means a slight delay, not only in Vaud but in other Romand cantons as well (être en retard” in France). Please note that a similar expression doesn’t exist in the German-speaking cantons, and for a good reason: Swiss-Germans are rarely late.

‘The pleasure of punctuality’: Why are the Swiss so obsessed with being on time?

Tenir les pouces: Just like in Anglo countries, crossing fingers brings good luck in Suisse Romande. But in France, you’d have to “croiser les doigts”.

Tenir les pouces: universal sign of good luck. Photo by Dayne Topkin on Unsplash

Lost in translation?

If you are not totally familiar with the intricacies of the French language, keep in mind that these expressions have a different meaning in French than in English. Or, they may not mean what you think they might:

Préservatifs: No, these are not artificial food additives (“conservateurs”), but condoms. The latter is commonly found in food, the former usually isn’t.

Hors-ligne: This is often seen on buses in the Suisse Romandie. This doesn’t mean the bus is transporting horses; it does mean it is not in service.

Voilà, there you have it: some typical expressions you are bound to hear in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.

Tchô bonne! 

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LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

German phrase of the day: Etwas in Kauf nehmen

Leave it to the German language to help with any situation that involves a trade-off between two things.

German phrase of the day: Etwas in Kauf nehmen

Why do I need to know this phrase?

This is one of the most common German language idioms, which pops up just as frequently in colloquial chats as in political debates and news broadcasts across the German-speaking world.

What does it mean?

The phrase literally translates as “to take something in the purchase”. But its usage goes far beyond commercial transactions: essentially it means that, in order to get something you really want, you have to accept something less-than-ideal in return.

Let’s say you get the chance to be a participant on a show like Game of Switzerland (which sees four pairs complete a scavenger hunt through Switzerland in three days for the main prize of 30,000 Swiss francs) – on the same night as your best friend’s birthday bash which you’ve been planning for weeks. You might have to take it in Kauf that you’ll miss the festivities. 

READ ALSO: Swiss German vs Hochdeutsch: What are the main differences?

In the political dimension, the phrase is often used to argue that, in order to implement a beneficial measure – be it more reliable public transport or energy rebates – a less desired consequence, such as raising taxes, will be part of the deal. 

And the phrase frequently arises in debates around the ethics of technology: some say, for example, that self-driving cars will ultimately save lives, even if there are a few crashes before the AI behind them is perfected.

Essentially it’s a trade-off of two things, with a person arguing (or at least accepting) that the good outweighs the inevitable bad.

Where does the phrase come from?

Originally the phrase was used to refer to something a person receives in addition to what they have already bought. It then came to refer to the bad goods that a merchant wanted to get rid of along with the desired purchase.

Examples of how it’s used:

Dieses Risiko kann ich in Kauf nehmen.

I can accept this risk.

Bei diesen preisgünstigeren Geräten müssen Nutzer aber eine niedrigere Rechenleistung in Kauf nehmen.

But with these lower-priced devices, the user must take into account the lower processing power.

READ ALSO: Five Swiss German phrases to make you sound like a local

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