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Swiss German word of the day: Poschtiwägeli

If you're going shopping in Swiss-German speaking parts of Switzerland, this is a useful word to know.

Published: 12 March 2024 15:54 CET

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Photo: Photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash/Nicolas Raymond

Switzerland is a nation of many languages. Yes, there are the four official ones (Swiss German, French, Italian and Romansh) but there’s also a lot variety within those.

For instance the various Swiss German dialects (also known as Schweizerdeutsch, Schwiizerdütsch and Schwyzerdütsch to name a few variations) are like languages in themselves.

READ ALSO: Swiss German vs Hochdeutsch – what are the key differences?

People in German-speaking areas in Switzerland (that includes the 17 Swiss German, three bilingual and one trilingual cantons) know standard German or Hochdeutsch but in everyday life people tend to speak a Swiss-German dialect.

Language experts recommend that people get familiar with the dialect in their local area so they can integrate better.

Today we’re sharing a word we think is an important one to recognise in everyday Swiss life (at least in some areas): the noun das Poschtiwägeli.

When you hear Poschtiwägeli, you might think at first it has something to do with the Swiss Post-Auto bus service, but it has nothing to do with that.

It’s an object that is part of daily life in Switzerland and means a trolley, shopping cart or a shopper.

Some Swiss German words are recognisable to speakers of standard German but this one might leave you perplexed.

That’s because the high German word for a shopping trolley is Einkaufswagen.

A shopping trolley or Poschtiwägeli.

A shopping trolley or Poschtiwägeli. Image by 652234 from Pixabay

While “Wägeli” is close to the German “Wagen”, “Poschti” could perhaps be derived from the English “push”. After all, a shopping trolley is pushed. However, it’s not entirely clear where the term comes from.

Use it like this:

Swiss German: Für s Poschtiwägeli bruchemer en Zwoifränkler.

Standard German: Für den Einkaufswagen brauchen wir ein Zwei-Franken-Stück.

English: We need a two-franc piece for the trolley.

Member comments

Anonymous - 14 March 2024 at 20:33 CET

I suggest that in the future, for English speakers, you include how to pronounce the Swiss German words you post.

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The German words you need to talk about cold weather in Switzerland

Firstly, it’s important to know that the weather is a safe small talk topic in Switzerland. The Swiss are always happy to complain about whether it’s freezing outside or blazing sunshine.

For that reason, it’s worth brushing up on your weather vocabulary so you can break the ice with your German-speaking (and Swiss German) colleagues and friends.

Bitterkalt

This compound word is pretty straightforward when translated into English – bitterly cold. It’s a great word to use when the mercury falls below freezing, as it has in much of Switzerland recently.

Use it like this:

In Basel ist es bitterkalt

It’s bitterly cold in Basel.

READ ALSO: Geneva and Lausanne activate their extreme cold plan

Saukalt/Schweinekalt

Both of these words can be used in the same way as “bitterkalt” but literally translate as “pig cold”.

The terms have existed in German for many years, supposedly referring to the low temperatures needed to store meat outdoors – at which point farmers would typically slaughter their pigs for the winter.

“Saukalt” and “Schweinekalt” have a slightly vulgar tone, equivalent to “damned cold” or “bloody cold” in English.

Use it like this:

I don’t want to go to the cinema, it’s damn cold.

Ich habe keine Lust, ins Kino zu gehen, es ist saukalt.

Skiing in Schwyz, Switzerland in winter 2022.

Skiing in Schwyz, Switzerland in winter 2022. Photo by Yves Scheuber on Unsplash

Arschkalt

Sometimes it’s just too cold to mince your words. In this case, German speakers might say it is “arschkalt” – literally “ass cold” (or bloody cold in English).

Mein Gott, es ist arschkalt draußen!

My God, it’s freezing outside!

Scheißwetter

One of the most common ways to complain about the weather in German is by using the word “Scheißwetter” (shit weather), which means horrible weather. Even though the word is used colloquially, it is still listed in the German dictionary Duden, and defined as “very unpleasant weather”.

Use it like this:

Was für ein Scheißwetter heute.

What shitty weather today.

READ ALSO: The three important Swiss driving rules for when it snows

Es regnet Bindfäden

But temperatures below freezing (in the “Minusbereich”) aren’t the only hallmarks of a European winter. Rain is rarely far away, and when it’s pouring down, German speakers might exclaim “Es regnet Bindfäden!”, literally “It’s raining strings!”

Some Swiss German words for the winter:

Of course, in German-speaking areas of Switzerland, Swiss German dialects are spoken.

One word for cold that you might often hear is “chalt”, while “iischalt” is icy cold.

In mountainous areas, people might even be “iigschneit” (snowed in) during winter.

There’s also a special Swiss German word for when a lake freezes over… “Seegfrörni”.

READ ALSO: Five places to learn (Swiss) German for free in Zurich

Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur schlechte Kleidung

That said, there’s only so much complaining you can do about the weather. Typically, the Swiss tend to wrap up in warm in waterproofs and brave winter storms regardless, leading to one final favourite German language saying:

Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur schlechte Kleidung.

There is no bad weather, just the wrong clothing.”

Don’t forget your Winterjagge (winter coat)!

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