Swiss German is the unique group of dialects of German that is widely spoken in Switzerland. While it shares many similarities with High German, Swiss German has its own set of rules, vocabulary, and grammar structures. One of the most commonly used verbs in Swiss German is the verb ‘to go’, which has a variety of different meanings and applications. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the verb ‘to go’ in Swiss German, exploring its conjugations, most frequent uses, and example sentences. Let’s get to it.
To start with, we need to clarify that Swiss German is mainly a spoken language and not a written one, thus there are not exact rules on how to write it. However, some words are more standardised, and Swiss people will still be very welcoming of you writing the dialect even if it’s not the exact same way they do.
Conjugations of the Verb ‘to go’ in Swiss German
In Swiss German, the verb ‘to go’ is ‘gah’, and its conjugations are as follows:
- ich gah (I go)
- du gahsch (you go)
- er/sie/es gaht (he/she/it goes)
- mir göhnd (we go)
- ihr göhnd (you all go)
- si/Si göhnd (they go)
The verb ‘to go’ is an irregular verb in Swiss German, which means that its conjugations do not follow a predictable pattern like regular verbs do. Therefore, it is important to memorize the conjugations of ‘gah’ in order to use the verb correctly in sentences.
Most Frequent Uses of the Verb ‘to go’ in Swiss German
1. To Indicate Movement or Travel
The most common use of the verb ‘to go’ in Swiss German is to indicate movement or travel. For example:
- Ich gah i de Schuel. (I go to school.)
- Mir göhnd zäme go z’Märit. (We go together to the market.)
- Si göhnd am Wuchenändi nöd schaffe. (They don’t go to work on the weekend.)
2. To Indicate Intention or Plan
The verb ‘to go’ can also be used in Swiss German to indicate intention or plan. For example:
- I gah hüt am Abig go luege, wär z’Telefon isch. (I’m going to check tonight who’s calling.)
- Mir göhnd nächscht Wuche go wandere. (We’re going hiking next week.)
- Si göhnd morn go Iischlaufe. (They’re going jogging tomorrow.)
3. To Express Agreement or Acceptance
Another common use of the verb ‘to go’ in Swiss German is to express agreement or acceptance. For example:
- Das gahd guet. (That’s fine.)
- Das gahd klar. (That’s clear.)
- Si göhnd d’accord. (They agree.)
Example Sentences
Here are some example sentences that use the verb ‘to go’ in Swiss German:
- I gah am Namittag go choche. (I’m going to cook this afternoon.)
- Du gahsch jetz am beschte hei. (You should go home now.)
- Er gahd am Samstig go Möbel kaufe. (He’s going to buy furniture on Saturday.)
- Mir göhnd morn go Schlittlä ufem Berg. (We’re going sledding on the mountain tomorrow.)
- Ihr göhnd am Sunntig go Brunchä. (You all are going to brunch on Sunday.)
- Si göhnd am Fritig go Tanze. (They’re going dancing on Friday.)
In conclusion, the verb ‘to go’ is an important and versatile verb in Swiss German. It is used to indicate movement or travel, express intention or plan, and indicate agreement or acceptance. As with any language, practice and repetition are key to mastering the use of this verb in Swiss German.
Let us know if there are any other verbs you would like to read about. Good luck and happy learning!