Ich ha Chopfweh
I have a headache
Usage
The basic sentence for telling a doctor, pharmacist or companion about a headache; the ending -weh means ache
Grammar Note
composed: Chopfweh is Chopf (head) + weh (ache); Buuchweh and Halsweh are built the same way
Ich ha Buuchweh
I have a stomachache
Usage
Used to describe a stomachache to a doctor or pharmacist
Grammar Note
composed: Buuchweh is Buuch (belly) + weh (ache)
Ich ha Halsweh
I have a sore throat
Usage
The basic sentence for a sore throat
Grammar Note
composed: Halsweh is Hals (neck, throat) + weh (ache)
Ich ha Fieber
I have a fever
Usage
Tells a doctor or people nearby that you have a fever
Grammar Note
composed: Fieber has the same form as in Standard German and is used without an article
Ich ha Hueschte
I have a cough
Usage
Tells a pharmacist or doctor that you have a cough
Grammar Note
composed: Hueschte is the noun for cough, used without an article; its spelling varies between writers
Ich ha Schnupfe
I have a runny nose
Usage
Used at a pharmacy for a head cold; can be combined with the word for cough
Grammar Note
composed: Schnupfe is the noun for a head cold, used without an article
Ich ha en Sunnebrand
I have a sunburn
Usage
Used after too much sun at the beach or in the mountains
Grammar Note
composed: Sunnebrand is Sunne (sun) + Brand (burn); masculine, so the indefinite article is en
Ich bi chrank
I am sick
Usage
The basic sentence for saying you are ill; also useful when telling a hotel or workplace
Grammar Note
chrank is the Standard German word krank, with the initial k turned into ch
Ich bi schwanger
I am pregnant
Usage
Tells a doctor, pharmacist or airline staff that you are pregnant
Grammar Note
composed: uses the adjective schwanger, which has the same form as in Standard German
Mir isch übel
I feel nauseous
Usage
Used with a doctor or companion when you feel nauseous
Grammar Note
composed: literally 'to me it is unwell', a dative construction built like Standard German Mir ist übel
Es tuet mir da weh
It hurts here
Usage
Said while pointing at the sore spot to a doctor or pharmacist
Grammar Note
composed: tuet ... weh means 'hurts', with the person in the dative mir
Rüefed Sie bitte en Dokter!
Please call a doctor
Usage
A polite request asking someone nearby to call a doctor
Grammar Note
composed: the polite imperative is the plural verb ending -ed followed by Sie
Ich bruuche en Dokter
I need a doctor
Usage
The basic sentence when you are unwell and want to see a doctor
Grammar Note
composed: the verb bruuche (need) takes its object directly
Ich bruuche en Dokter, wo Änglisch redt
I need a doctor who speaks English
Usage
Used by visitors looking for a doctor who can treat them in English
Grammar Note
composed: the relative clause is introduced by the particle wo (where Standard German has der), with the verb redt at the end
Ich bruuche en Zahnarzt
I need a dentist
Usage
Used when a toothache means you need to find a dentist
Grammar Note
composed: Zahnarzt has the same form as in Standard German
Wo isch d nächscht Apotheke?
Where is the nearest pharmacy?
Usage
Asks for the nearest pharmacy when you need medicine; signs read Apotheke
Grammar Note
composed: Apotheke is feminine; nächscht is the superlative form; the article for feminine nouns is d
Händ Sie öppis gäge Schmerze?
Do you have something for pain?
Usage
A polite request for something against pain at a pharmacy or hotel desk
Grammar Note
composed: the polite Sie takes the plural verb händ, and the question is formed by inversion
Chönd Sie mir es Rezäpt schriibe?
Could you write me a prescription?
Usage
A polite request to a doctor for a prescription
Grammar Note
composed: the polite Sie takes the plural chönd; Rezäpt is neuter
d Nase
Nose
Usage
A body part noun for telling a doctor where the problem is
Grammar Note
Feminine noun, so the article is d
s Ohr
Ear
Usage
A body part noun for telling a doctor about an ear problem
Grammar Note
Neuter noun, so the article is s; the plural is Ohre
de Arm
Arm
Usage
A body part noun for when you have hurt your arm
Grammar Note
Masculine noun, so the article is de
de Finger
Finger
Usage
A body part noun for telling someone about a hurt finger
Grammar Note
Masculine noun, so the article is de
d Haut
Skin
Usage
A body part noun for describing itching or a rash
Grammar Note
Feminine noun, so the article is d
d Wunde
Wound
Usage
A noun for showing a doctor an injury
Grammar Note
Feminine noun, so the article is d
s Bluet
Blood
Usage
A noun for telling someone about bleeding
Grammar Note
Neuter noun, so the article is s
de Durchfall
Diarrhea
Usage
A symptom noun for telling a doctor or pharmacist
Grammar Note
Masculine noun, so the article is de. Dialect texts use the same form as Standard German, Durchfall (for example "Ich ha Durchfall")
s Gaggi
Poop
Usage
The child-friendly word for poop. The als.wikipedia article "Kot" lists it as "echli netter au Gaggi" (somewhat nicer: Gaggi)
Grammar Note
composed: words ending in -i are neuter, so the article s was used, but the gender is unconfirmed. Not for adult medical settings
s Pipi
Pee
Usage
The child-friendly word for pee; it also appears in Pipi-Pause (toilet break)
Grammar Note
composed: in Standard German Pipi is a neuter child-language word. Dialect texts use the same form (for example "pipi dri gmacht"), but the dialect gender is unconfirmed
Ich ha Durchfall
I have diarrhea
Usage
Tells a doctor or pharmacist that you have diarrhea
Grammar Note
composed: "Ich ha + symptom" states a symptom, like "Ich ha Fieber". Durchfall is used without an article
Ich muess Pipi mache
I need to pee
Usage
Tells a companion or child that you need to pee
Grammar Note
composed: "muess + infinitive" expresses necessity. "Pipi mache" matches the usage in dialect texts such as "pipi dri gmacht"
Ich muess Gaggi mache
I need to poop
Usage
Tells a companion or child that you need to poop
Grammar Note
composed: "muess + infinitive" expresses necessity. "Gaggi mache" is based on the corpus line "machi … Gaggi" (do Gaggi); examples in dialect texts are few
More Swiss German phrases
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