Tip: translate from Swiss German to English using Google Translate

Language Corner
1
Discovered this by accident, thought I'd share...

Although Google Translate doesn't have a Swiss German option, it seems to translate text from Swiss German to English correctly if you select Luxemburgish, whereas it often doesn't translate correctly if selecting German.

Although my (high) German is ok, I started receiving lots of Swiss German messages since I joined a few local clubs. Until now they've been completely lost on me but now I can understand most of it!

2
Deepl.com can translate Swiss German to English, with the German setting. Never tried it with Letzeburgisch setting.

ChatGPT can translate into Swiss German (!). More or less accurately. You might have to ask in Swiss German:

Bitte übersetz s'Folgendi, i Schwiizer Düütsch:

3
Ah, but what regional Schweizerdütsch?

4
Translate the following in Basel, Zürich, Bern and Wallis versions of Swiss German.

What time is it please, I have to catch a train to Berlin at five pm?

Basel: Wieviel Uhr hänn mer bitte? I mues es Tram uf Berlin fange um fünf am Namittag.

Zürich: Wieviu Uhr isch es bitte? I mues e Zug uf Bärlin erwiische am füfi am Namitag.

Bern: Wie viel Uhr hämmer bitte? I mues es Bähnli uf Bärn um füfi am Namitag erwische.

Wallis: Wie vill Uhr esch bitte? I mues e Zug uf Berlin am füfi am Namittag erwische

I've no idea how accurate these are.

5
Ein Bitzli.

6
My daughter-in-law says "No, but nice try".

7
Bern: Wie viel Uhr hämmer bitte? I mues es Bähnli uf Bärn um füfi am Namitag erwische.

This should say: Excüsee, was isch für Zyt? I mues de Zug uf Berlin am Namitag am füfi verwütsche.

So yes, nice try

8

https://textshuttle.com/de/ claims to be able to translate from/to Schweizerdeutsch and Rhaetian.

9
Hello! Hope you all are well, I think Deepl and Chat GPT is best for translating Swiss German into English and this is the best for translating other languages also, You all should try it.

Thankyou.

10
I thought Swiss German isn't a written language? Is it just written phonetically but there are no actual proper spellings, or???

11
Correct

12
I'm no expert but any means. But as an example from the last few days...

Received this in a text: Los mi doch wüsse obs e Möglichkeit gäbt in Basel z'spiele.

According to Google, translating from German > English, it means: Come on, I would know if there was a possibility to play in Basel.

But translating from Luxembourgish it gives: Let me know if there is a possibility to play in Basel. This is also exactly the same as Deepl's translation from (High) German.

13
I once went to some Migros classes in Swiss-German. Talk about different dialects. Imagine a room of foreigners, each one with their version of the language. I gave up and decided normal life was the only way to pick up the language. This had its down-side. My mother in-law was not impressed with "Ich muss go seicha" (learnt on the soccer field).