Damon Mcknight
German and Austrian are two variations of the same language, with German being the standard form. Austrian German is influenced by Austro-Bavarian, a dialect spoken in Austria. While the two variations are mutually intelligible, there are some notable differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, and even past tense formation. For instance, the Austrian German term for potato is Erdapfel, while in standard German, it is Kartoffel. These differences can be surprising to learners of standard German who visit Austria, as they may find themselves unable to understand much of the local language.
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What You'll Learn
Vocabulary
Austrian German and Standard German are remarkably similar, as they are both part of the West Germanic family of languages. However, there are some differences in vocabulary between the two. Austrian German has a smaller vocabulary than Standard German, and often employs different words to convey the same meaning.
For example, while the word ‘Erdapfel’ is the accepted Austrian German term for ‘potato’, more than half of the Austrian population use the standard German term ‘Kartoffel’. When Austria became a member of the European Union in 1995, 23 food-related terms were listed in its accession agreement as having the same legal status as the equivalent terms used in Germany, such as the words for "potato", "tomato", and "Brussels sprouts".
In Austrian German, the common diminutive suffix is "-erl", as in "Mäderl" (little girl) or "Häuserl" (little house). In some parts of Austria, you can also find "-li", as in "Hündli" (little dog), reflecting an influence from Swiss German. In contrast, in most regions of Germany, "-lein" is used, such as "Häuslein" (little house).
Another difference is in the use of the auxiliary verb in the perfect tense for verbs that express a state. In Austria, as in the German-speaking parts of Switzerland and in southern Germany, verbs in this category tend to use "sein" as the auxiliary verb, as in "sitzen" (to sit), "liegen" (to lie), and, in parts of Styria and Carinthia, "schlafen" (to sleep).
The harsh German “ch” often gets replaced by other sounds or removed completely in Austrian German, consonants get toned down to M’s and A’s, and the frequent use of “oa” and “ia” creates the characteristic Austrian German sound. For example, the German pronoun "ich" gets shortened to a simple "i" in Austrian German. "Ich bin" (I am) becomes "I bin", and "ich habe" (I have) becomes "i hob".
Finally, there are also differences in the formal and informal ways of greeting someone in Austrian German and Standard German. In Germany, the standard greeting is "hallo" or "guten tag", whereas in Austria, people say "grüß gott" or "servus".
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Pronunciation and accent
Austrian German and Standard German have distinct accents and pronunciations. Austrian German has a slower pace and more musical intonation. Vowels are pronounced more openly, and the letter ""r"" is often rolled, influenced by Bavarian dialects. In contrast, Standard German has a more neutral and standardized pronunciation.
The Austrian accent is influenced by the Bavarian dialect and the Alemannic dialects of Austria. The Tyrolean accent, for example, adds extra consonants to Standard German words. "Gestern" (yesterday) in Standard German becomes "geschtern" or "ghesh-tern" in Tyrolean, and "du bist" (you are) becomes "du bissht". The vowel sounds also differ, with "musst" (must) sounding like "muascht" or "mooh-ahsht" in Tyrolean.
The Viennese dialect also has unique pronunciations and slang words, although these are fading over time. In Viennese, "ei" is pronounced as "a" or "ah", so "ich weiß" (I know) sounds like "i waß" or "ee vahs". Final consonants are sometimes dropped, so "Schule" (school) becomes "Schui" or "shoo-ee".
There are also differences in vocabulary between Austrian German and Standard German, particularly in culinary terms, administrative and legal language, and grammar. For example, Austrians say "Topfen" for "curd cheese" and "Marille" for "apricot". Austrians also use a different past tense, preferring "I have eaten" to the German "I ate".
Despite these differences, Austrians and Germans can generally understand each other well, as they speak variations of Standard German. Most Austrians code-switch between dialect and Standard German, and the different Standard Germans are very similar, with only slight pronunciation differences.
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Past tense formation
German has two past tenses: the simple past (Präteritum or Imperfekt) and the present perfect (Perfekt). The simple past is used mostly in written German, such as in newspapers, books, and formal reports, as well as in storytelling. The present perfect, on the other hand, is more common in spoken German and is used to talk about something that happened in the past.
The simple past is a one-word tense and is not a compound tense. It is used to express a series of events in chronological order. For a regular verb like 'arbeiten' (to work), the simple past form would be 'arbeitete'. The simple past requires learning specific past forms of verbs, which can be regular or irregular.
The present perfect, on the other hand, involves using an auxiliary verb (haben or sein) along with the past participle of the main verb. Most verbs use 'haben' as the auxiliary verb, but verbs indicating movement or change of state use 'sein'. For example, "Ich habe Pizza gegessen." (I have eaten pizza.) and "Wir sind nach Berlin gefahren." (We have gone to Berlin.). The present perfect is used for past actions that have a connection to the present.
It is important to note that the choice between these two past tense forms often depends on the region and context in which they are used. While the simple past is typically found in written language and formal speech, the present perfect is more common in everyday conversation. In the southern parts of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the present perfect is predominantly used, even in formal situations.
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Diminutive suffixes
Austrian German and Standard German are remarkably similar, as they both stem from the West Germanic family of languages. In essence, they are two variations of the German language. Most of the vocabulary is shared, and speakers of one can generally understand the other without much difficulty. However, there are some differences in local jargon, colloquial expressions, and special terms.
One of the differences between Austrian German and Standard German is the use of diminutive suffixes. In Standard German, the most common diminutive suffix is "-chen". For example, when you turn “Hund” (dog) into "Hündchen" (little dog). In Austrian German, the common diminutive suffix is "-erl". For example, "Mäderl" (little girl) or "Häuserl" (little house). In some parts of Austria, you can also find "-li", as in "Hündli" (little dog), reflecting an influence from Swiss German. The "-l" or "-erl" suffix can replace almost any usual German diminutive. For example, the standard word for 'girl' in German is "Mädchen", and while this is still used frequently in Austrian German, a more colloquial "cute" usage would be "Mädl", "Madl" or "Mäderl".
In Austrian German, an "-el" or "-l" has the same diminutive effect as "-chen" in Standard German. You’ll see this in words like "Semmel" (bread roll) and "Seidl" (small beer).
In Austrian German, diminutives in the form of suffixes turn the gender of a noun to neuter, regardless of their original gender. For example, "der Hund" (the dog, masculine) becomes "das Hündchen" or "das Hündli" (the little dog, neuter) when a diminutive suffix is added.
In varieties of West Low German, spoken in the east of the Netherlands, diminutives occasionally use the umlaut in combination with the suffixes "-gie(n)". In Northern Low Saxon, the "-je" diminutive is rarely used, and is usually substituted with "lütte", meaning "little", as in "dat lütte Huus" (the small house).
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Slang and colloquialisms
Austrian German and Standard German are largely similar, but there are some noticeable differences in slang and colloquialisms. The Austrian national language is German, but Austrians on their first visit to Berlin ordering a "Weißen Spritzer" ("wine spritzer") and wanting to pay with "Bankomat" ("ATM") will receive puzzled looks.
In their day-to-day lives, most Austrians speak their regional Austrian German dialects, which differ from mainstream Austrian German. Some native Austrians report that it is difficult to understand Austrian dialects from other regions. For example, people from Vienna might struggle to understand Tyroleans, who live on the other side of the country. Most Austrians speak a Bavarian dialect. This dialect family is part of the High German group of dialects. Bavarian speakers tend to soften, drop, or swallow final consonants, and tight vowel sounds often get broader in Bavarian. Unlike Standard German, Bavarian dialects use double negatives.
The Austrian Hochdeutsch ("high" German) used in writing and formal contexts is fairly similar to German Hochdeutsch, but there are significant differences in the way German is spoken in everyday life. The so-called Mundart (vernacular) is strong and exists in many different forms, varying from region to region. Austrians in the rural west adapt German words in a way that makes them very hard for speakers of Hochdeutsch (standard German) to comprehend. They leave bits out, add bits in, and have a wide array of their own unique and poetic vocabulary. They emphasize specific vowel sounds, pronouncing them differently from the way a German (or even a Viennese Austrian) would.
Even in the present tense, Austrian German verbs can be different. Austrians prefer to use "haben" (to have) in place of "sein" (to be) as a helping verb with certain verbs in the past perfect tense. Austrian German also uses some verbs that are different from Standard German, including "schauen" (to see) instead of "sehen", "hackeln" (to work) instead of "arbeiten", and "hernehmen" (to take) instead of "nehmen". Austrians also tend to sound a bit more vague and ambiguous, and Austrian German is also a bit more ironic, which occasionally leads to small misunderstandings.
Some examples of Austrian slang and colloquialisms include:
- "Grüß Gott" instead of "Guten Tag", which Germans tend to use more often. "Grüß Gott" translates to "greet God".
- "Servus" or "Servas/Seas" is charming and works better with younger Austrians.
- "Griaß di" (or "Griaß enk/Griaß eich" in the plural) is the best choice when hiking or outside the city.
- "Hallo" and "Guten Tag" are becoming more common in Austria every year.
- "Morgen" is often pronounced as "Moagn".
- "Guten Morgen" can be shortened to "Morgen".
- "Hallo", "Servus", or "Grüß dich" can be used in informal contexts.
- "Auf Wiedersehen" or "Auf Wiederschauen" is the formal version of goodbye.
- "Eine Halbe Bier", or in dialect "A Hoibe", stands for "half a liter of beer" and is equivalent to the German "Grosses Bier".
- "I hätt gern a Hoibe, bitte!" ("I'd like a large beer, please"!)
- "Reperaturseidl" is an Austrian word describing a small beer consumed after a long night out to prevent hangovers.
- "Topfenstrudel mit Schlagobers" and "Palatschinken" are Austrian desserts that are sometimes even eaten instead of lunch.
- "Jausenbrot" is the Austrian word for "bread", and "das Schwarzbrot" means "black bread".
- "Bussi" means a greeting peck on the cheek, and the corresponding verb is "abbusseln".
- "Bussi Bussi Gesellschaft" is a term describing the socialite class, derived from the above.
- "Masn ghabt" is an example of a Yiddish expression used in colloquial German.
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Frequently asked questions
Austrian German and German German are two variations of German. They are mutually intelligible, but there are some notable differences. Austrian German has a smaller vocabulary than Standard German and uses different pronunciation rules, resulting in a distinct Austrian accent.
Some examples of different vocabulary used in Austrian German and German German include:
- "Erdapfel" (Austrian German) vs. "Kartoffel" (Standard German) for "potato"
- "Paradeiser" (Austrian German) vs. "Tomate" (Standard German) for "tomato"
- "Pfannkuchen" (Austrian German) vs. "Plätzchen" (Standard German) for "pancakes"
Yes, there are some differences in the past tense of Austrian German and German German. In Austrian German, the past perfect ("Perfekt") may use a different auxiliary verb than in Standard German. For example, certain verbs are used with "sein" (to be) or "haben" (to have) in Austrian German, which may differ from Standard German.
Austrian German and German German differ in their prosody, or the rhythmic and stress patterns in spoken language. Additionally, there are differences in how certain vowels are pronounced or emphasized.
While most German language resources teach Standard German, it is possible to find some materials specifically for Austrian German. Additionally, if you are travelling to Austria, it may be easier to pick up some Austrian slang and expressions by interacting with locals.
