German vocabulary for working in Switzerland - where to start
Textbook German and the German you actually need in your first weeks of work in Switzerland are often two different things. Here's the vocabulary that has proven most useful in my own practice - gathered from 7 years of living and working in Fribourg and Bern.
Your first days at work
- die Einarbeitung - onboarding/induction
- der/die Vorgesetzte - supervisor
- die Probezeit - probation period
- sich krankmelden - to call in sick
- der Feierabend - end of the workday (a typically Swiss/German cultural concept, not just a word)
Official paperwork
- die Anmeldung - residence registration (one of the first things to do after arriving)
- die Aufenthaltsbewilligung - residence permit
- die Krankenkasse - health insurance fund (mandatory in Switzerland)
- die Steuererklärung - tax return
Everyday communication
- Grüezi - the Swiss "good day" (instead of "Guten Tag")
- Merci vielmal - a common "thank you very much" in German-speaking Switzerland (French influence)
- das Tram - tram (neuter article in Switzerland, unlike in Germany)
Why this isn't enough on its own
A word list is just the start - the real difference comes when you start using these words in conversation, in the context of your own industry and situation. That's exactly what we work on in lessons - you don't learn words "in a vacuum", you learn them for the situations you'll actually face.
If you're preparing to move, I'd be glad to help you build vocabulary matched to your specific field - let's start with a free consultation.