Swiss Standard German is the one to learn if you'll read, write, and work in German-speaking Switzerland. It's the German of Swiss books, newspapers, schools, and the news, and it has its own spelling and words. Few apps say which German they teach, so here is what we found that helps with the Swiss kind.
Below, you'll find what each app is good for and whether it teaches Swiss Standard German at all. Our Swiss Standard German resource guide covers tutors, Swiss TV, and language tests, and our German app comparison covers apps for any kind of German.
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn German. You learn from German you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, your level and what you like, and she writes your Swiss Standard German lessons. If a sentence is hard to follow, ask Poppy to explain it.
With Regenerative Review™, words you save show up again in new lessons, so that you can review words in new contexts without having to use flashcards.
To learn it in Bubblegum, pick German, then German (Switzerland). Try asking Poppy why Swiss writers say Billett for a ticket.
Bubblegum is more about reading and listening than speaking. For conversation with people from Switzerland, the tutors and language partners below can help.
- Lessons are in Swiss Standard German, with Swiss spelling, like Strasse with no ß, and Swiss words, like Velo for a bicycle and Billett for a ticket.
- Regenerative Review™ brings saved words back in new lessons, and you can export them to Anki.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- Lessons are read aloud in standard German, not a Swiss accent, so listen to Swiss radio and TV too.
- Lessons teach Swiss Standard German, not the Swiss German dialects people speak every day.
- Custom lessons cost us money to make, so you need Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons. Lessons Poppy wrote for other learners are free for everyone to read.
- Regenerative Review™
Mobile
These courses teach German in general. Their German pages don't say they teach Swiss spelling or Swiss words, so use them for grammar and basic words, and learn the Swiss ones from Swiss lessons and media.
Duolingo
Duolingo suits learners who like small goals and game-like exercises while the basics settle in. Its German page doesn't mention Swiss spelling or words.
- A free course with short, game-like lessons.
- Duolingo Stories in German cover the A1, A2, and B1 levels.
MobileWeb
Busuu
Busuu teaches reading, writing, speaking, and listening, with grammar and vocabulary lessons. Its course teaches German in general, so pair it with Swiss material for Swiss words.
- More than 420 lessons in the Complete German course.
- Live group lessons and certificates for German from A1 to B2.
MobileWeb
Babbel
Babbel's lessons are built around real-life conversations for travel and work, and the app explains grammar when you need it. Its page says German is official in Switzerland but doesn't list a Swiss course.
- Short lessons with review exercises.
- Speech recognition helps you practice pronunciation.
- Flashcards
MobileWeb
Three apps have a Swiss German course. Swiss German usually means the dialects people speak every day, which differ from Swiss Standard German, the written language. These courses suit you if you want to talk with neighbors. For reading and writing, use the lessons above.
Pimsleur
Pimsleur's Swiss German page describes Swiss German as an Alemannic dialect and doesn't say whether the course teaches the dialect or the written standard, so check a free lesson before you commit.
- A separate Swiss German course, with lessons of about 30 minutes.
- You answer out loud and then hear the answer.
MobileWeb
Drops
Drops describes its Swiss German as the language of everyday life and spoken talk, so it fits conversation more than reading and writing.
- A separate Swiss German course of illustrated word games.
- Audio from native speakers.
Mobile
uTalk has a separate Swiss German course of words and phrases, voiced by native speakers, with memory games. Its Swiss German page says the course teaches the Bernese dialect, not Swiss Standard German, so use it for Bernese words and phrases when you'll live in or near Bern.
Preply
Ask a tutor from Switzerland to teach the German you'd read at work, and to explain Swiss words like Velo. Say you want standard German, since some Swiss tutors also teach the dialect.
- Filter German tutors by country of birth, and look for Switzerland.
- Its German page links to Swiss German classes.
MobileWeb
italki
Tell your teacher you want Swiss Standard German, not the dialect, so the examples fit what you'll read and write.
- Use the Teachers from filter to look for German teachers from Switzerland.
- Pick a lesson time that suits you both.
MobileWeb
Tandem
On Tandem, you help someone with your language while they help you with German. Members in Switzerland list German and Swiss German, so say you want standard German.
- Find a partner in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland and choose the variety you want to learn.
- Trade voice notes, or talk over video.
MobileWeb
- LernLaterne: Its Swiss page describes Swiss Standard German and lists level-sorted stories and dialogs with audio, plus grammar units. The page also says its Swiss course is coming soon, and the free plan has 4 stories or dialogs and 4 grammar units.
- SRF Play: Streaming from Switzerland's German-language public broadcaster, with shows, a live stream, and news. Its pages mark some titles as playing only in Switzerland.
Bubblegum is the only app here whose lessons are all written in Swiss Standard German. LernLaterne has some Swiss texts, the rest teach German in general, teach the spoken dialect, or help you find people.
| App | Lessons in Swiss Standard German | What It Helps With |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | Yes | Reading and listening at your level |
| LernLaterne | PartlyA Swiss High German page; course coming soon | Stories and dialogs with audio |
| SRF Play | No, Swiss TV | Watching Swiss shows and news |
| Duolingo | No, German in general | Short, game-like lessons |
| Busuu | No, German in general | A course from A1 to B2 |
| Babbel | No, German in general | Conversation-based lessons |
| Pimsleur | No, a Swiss German course | Speaking from audio lessons |
| Drops | No, spoken Swiss German | Words with pictures |
| uTalk | No, the Bernese dialect | Words and phrases |
| Preply | PartlyWith a tutor from Switzerland | Speaking with feedback |
| italki | PartlyWith a teacher from Switzerland | Speaking with feedback |
| Tandem | PartlyWith a partner from Switzerland | Conversation practice |
| App | Free? | What's Free |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | Free version | Custom lessons cost us money to make, so you need Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons. Lessons Poppy wrote for other learners are free for everyone to read. |
| Duolingo | Free | Every Duolingo course is free. Super Duolingo removes ads and adds extras such as Unlimited Energy, and you can try it free for 14 days. |
| Busuu | Free version | Many Busuu features are free. Busuu Premium gives you all of them. |
| Babbel | Some lessons free | The first lesson of every Babbel course is free, and some languages have more free lessons. The full course needs a subscription. |
| Pimsleur | Free trial | You can try Pimsleur free for 7 days. After that, you pay for one language or for all of them. |
| Drops | Free version | The free version lets you learn for five minutes every 10 hours. Drops Premium gives you unlimited time and all the content, and the yearly plan starts with a 7-day free trial. |
| Preply | Paid | You pay for each lesson, and each tutor sets their own price. If your first tutor isn't a good fit, you can try two more for free. |
| italki | Paid | You pay for each lesson, and each teacher sets their own price. Practicing with the community and taking the level test are free. |
| Tandem | Free version | Signing up is free, and Tandem reviews each new member first. Many features are free, and Tandem Pro gives you all of them. |
Try one lesson in your language before you pay. Each number is how many languages you can use the app in, including script variants.
| App | Languages You Can Use It In | Full List |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | 76 | Full list
|
| Duolingo | 33 | Full list |
| Busuu | 15 | Full list |
| Babbel | 9 | Full list |
| Pimsleur | 3 | Full list |
| Drops | 16 | Full list |
| uTalk | 140+ | Full list |
| Preply | 19 | Full list |
| italki | 19 | Full list |
| Tandem | 14 | Full list |
Which Swiss Standard German app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning German, start with Bubblegum. Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons at your level about things you like. Or start with a tutor from Switzerland if you'd like to hear Swiss words from the first lesson.
Is Swiss Standard German the same as Swiss German?
No. Swiss Standard German is mainly written, and people speak it in formal places like the news and classrooms. In everyday life, German-speaking Swiss people use their local Swiss German dialect. To learn the Zürich dialect, see Best Ways to Learn Zürich German.
Do I need a Swiss course to read Swiss German texts?
No. It's standard German with a few Swiss words and spellings, so any German course gives you the grammar. The Swiss differences are small, like ss for ß, and Velo for a bicycle.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. Lessons Poppy wrote for other learners are free for everyone to read. Custom lessons cost us money to make, so you need Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Swiss Standard German (mainly written; no ß; Billett, Velo, Spital)
- Bubblegum: German (Switzerland)
- LernLaterne: Learn Swiss High German (course coming soon; free plan has 4 stories or dialogs and 4 grammar units; 140 texts with audio in the paid plan)
- Duolingo: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- Duolingo: Learn German
- Busuu: Learn German online (Complete German course, more than 420 lessons, ends at B2)
- Busuu: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- Babbel: German (first lesson free; full courses need a subscription)
- Babbel: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- Pimsleur: Swiss German (30-minute lessons, 7-day free trial)
- Pimsleur: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- Drops: Swiss German (spoken everyday Swiss German)
- Drops: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- uTalk: its Swiss German course teaches the Bernese dialect
- uTalk: Languages you can learn from
- Preply: German tutors (country of birth filter; Swiss German classes link)
- Preply: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- italki: German teachers (Teachers from filter)
- italki: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- Tandem: learn German online (find a partner in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland and choose the variety)
- Tandem: language exchange in Switzerland
- Tandem: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- SRF Play: Swiss German-language public broadcaster's streaming site (some titles only play in Switzerland)
- Duolingo: what's free
- Busuu: what's free
- Babbel: what the paid plan adds
- Pimsleur: what's free
- Drops: what's free
- Drops: what the paid plan adds
- italki: what's free
- Tandem: what's free
- Bubblegum
- Babbel
- Drops
