Do People Speak English In Switzerland? My Experience » Voices of Travel (2024)

I lived in Switzerland for 3 years and traveled extensively as a tourist before that. I know English and German, so I tried talking in each language to see how the Swiss people reacted.

English is widespread in Switzerland, and most locals speak the basics. So you won’t have any issues. Yet, I have some tips for you and things you must understand before traveling to Switzerland and speaking only English.

So in this article, I’ll give you my insights on this topic. Let’s get into it.

Do People Speak English In Switzerland? Answered!

Yes, most people in Switzerland speak at least the basics of English. About 45% of the Swiss population speaks English well. It’s one of the countries in Europe where you can get by and travel only by speaking English.

In the Swiss cities, most people are fluent in English. When you go to the mountains and remote areas, locals speak less English, but you can still communicate with them.

Traveling to Switzerland, you can communicate in English in hotels, trains, other transportation services, booking activities, and restaurants and bars.

Switzerland English Speaking Percentage

45% of people in Switzerland speak English, mainly in cities like Basel, Zurich, Lucerne, Bern, and other touristy areas like Jungfrau region, Zermatt, and Lake Lucerne region.

The least number of English-speaking people in Switzerland is in the Ticino Canton, in Lugano, where locals speak Italian.

Is It Rude To Speak English In Switzerland?

No, it isn’t rude to speak English in Switzerland. I found the locals were insulted when I spoke to them in German rather than Swiss German (this mostly happens in mountain villages).

But when you only speak English, they understand you’re a tourist and try to reply in English.

My Tips For Visiting Switzerland As An English-Speaking Person

If you’re traveling to Switzerland and only speak English, you won’t have any issues. But I have some tips for you that I also use when traveling in countries where English isn’t the first nor the official language.

My biggest tip is to speak slowly. While most people will understand, some might be intimidated when they hear a native English speaker talking to them. So speak slowly, give the person time to process your words, and show empathy.

Also, be prepared for the person to have some accent when he replies.

Here are my basic tips for you as an English-speaking person traveling to Switzerland:

💡 Speak slowly
💡 Use your body language
💡 Be aware of an accent
💡 Be nice
💡 Learn basic German/French/Italian – depending on which part of Switzerland you want to visit

Can You Work In Switzerland Speaking English?

Yes, you can work in Switzerland if you only speak English. I met many people who worked in the hospitality industry who only spoke English or had just the basics of German.

Common English Speaking Jobs In Switzerland

If you want to work in Switzerland and only speak English, look for jobs in tourism, hospitality, or computer science.

Here are the jobs you can apply for in Switzerland if you only speak English

✅ Waiter
✅ Hotel portier (doing manual jobs in and around a hotel if anything gets broken or needs to be fixed)
✅ Driver (ski shuttle driver in the winter, airport driver)
✅ Ski lift operator
✅ Tour Guide (for English-speaking guests)
✅ Ski instructor
✅ Paragliding instructor
✅ Outdoor sports instructor (rafting, jet boats, canyoning, kayaking)
✅ Website designer
✅ Web developer

👉 READ ALSO: Is Switzerland Expensive? – learn about the prices in Switzerland for tourists and also cost of living in Switzerland as an expact

Official Language In Switzerland

Switzerland has 4 official languages:

🔅 Swiss German
🔅 French
🔅 Italian
🔅 Romansh

🔅 Swiss German

Most of Switzerland speaks the German language. But it’s not the regular German you hear in Germany. They have strong accents and use slightly different German words. It’s officially called Swiss German.

Each canton also uses slightly different Swiss German, and some words are different. I speak German and have worked in 2 different cantons in Switzerland. I worked at the hotel front desk, so I got to speak to Swiss guests regularly.

I didn’t learn Swiss German because I didn’t want to dedicate the time to it. Most guests started speaking Swiss German to me. They adapted and kept talking to me in regular German when I replied in German.

However, some Swiss people got grumpy when I didn’t speak Swiss German. It only happened a few times, though. So generally, if you speak German, you have a big advantage in Switzerland as you can speak it in most parts of the country.

🔅 French

French is spoken in the French part of Switzerland around Lake Geneva. You won’t hear any German here as there is a high population of French people.

So you can either speak French or English around Lake Geneva.

🔅 Italian

Ticino is the only canton (southeastern part of Switzerland) that speaks Italian. Some people might reply when you speak German to them, but Italian or English are the main languages here.

🔅 Romansh

Romansh is an ancient language that is used in Graubunden, the largest Swiss canton (Grisons). It was created when the Romans conquered the Grisons region. As soldiers used vulgar Latin language, it got mixed with a local Grisons language, and that’s how Romansh was involved.

Nowadays, a few people still speak Romansh, mostly in the villages in Grinsons and mountain towns. Some people also learn it in schools so the language isn’t forgotten.

👉 READ ALSO: Does Switzerland Use The Euro? All You Need To Know

Basic German Vocabulary For Your Swiss Trip

You might know how much I love learning languages. I’m a big believer that knowing a few words of a foreign language will help you as a traveler to have a better and more enjoyable travel experience. You’ll connect with locals, and traveling gets much easier.

That’s why I’ve created a list of the most common German words and phrases I recommend you learn before traveling to Switzerland.

Learn some and enjoy your travels in Switzerland even more:

Where Can You Learn Swiss German

I recommend to start learning normal German. I think it’s the best language to learn if you want to travel to Europe. Only after you know some German can you start learning Swiss German.

It only has different words and a slightly different accent, but the base is still regular German. So it’ll be easier to learn Swiss German if you know regular German.

I teach my clients how to learn languages for travel. Go to my German language section and see how you can learn German vocabulary.

Also, get my tips on how to learn German for travel in these 7 basic steps:

Afterward, you can use these YouTube videos to learn Swiss German. Then it’s best to spend some time in Switzerland (German-speaking part), surround yourself with locals, or even find a job in Switzerland and practice your Swiss German skills.

I worked on a Swiss cheese farm for 14 days, an amazing opportunity to spend time with Swiss people, learn about their traditions, and hear Swiss German. So you can do a similar thing.

You can find such exchange opportunities In Switzerland via Agriviva website.

➡ Practice German/Swiss German with native speakers via iTalki here.

FAQs

I’ve also answered some frequently asked questions about the topic. Check out my answers below:

Does Switzerland Speak German?

Yes, most of Switzerland speaks German, but it’s not a regular German language you hear in Germany.

Locals in Switzerland use Swiss German, which has a different accent and a few different words from regular German.

Do They Speak English In Zurich Switzerland?

Yes, many people speak English in Zurich, so you won’t have any problems. Zurich is one of the cities that speaks English the most.

It has a high population of expats, so it’s a great base for you if you want to live in Switzerland.

Do People Speak English In Geneva?

Yes, people speak English in Geneva. It’s one of Switzerland’s financial and luxury hubs that receives many tourists. I visited Geneva many times and only spoke English. I didn’t have any issues.

Can You Survive In Switzerland With English?

Yes, you can survive in Switzerland with English only. People are nice, and most speak at least the basics of English. Most of the signs are also in English when you travel.

Do Restaurants In Switzerland Speak English?

Yes, restaurants in Switzerland speak English well. You can order everything in English, and the menus are also translated into English. Switzerland is used to tourists and has adapted so that you can communicate in English everywhere.

Do Restaurants In Zurich Speak English?

Yes, Zurich is one of the most visited cities in Switzerland, and all restaurants speak English. Their menus are also in English, so you won’t have issues ordering food and drinks.

Can You Live In Zurich Without Speaking German?

Yes, you can live in Zurich without speaking German. While speaking at least a few German words will help to integrate better, Zurich has a high population of expats.

So it’s one of the best places to live in Switzerland without speaking German.

Which Swiss City Is Best For English Speakers?

Basel speaks the most English in Switzerland. It’s a city with many expats, as many people from Germany and France commute to Basel for work.

WRAP-UP: Do People Speak English In Switzerland?

As you can see, you will be fine speaking English when you travel to Switzerland. Especially as a tourist, you’ll be fine as all the people working in the hospitality and tourism industry speak English.

If you want to work in Switzerland without speaking German, base yourself in bigger cities with more English-speaking job opportunities and more expats. It’ll be easier to integrate at first. Then I recommend you learn at least the basics of German.

If you have any questions or need help learning languages for travel, contact me at info(at)voicesoftravel.com. I’ll gladly help you.

Happy language learning & travels!

About the author: Nicolettais a travel enthusiast and passionate language learner. While traveling, she loves to connect with locals using her language skills to learn about new cultures. Look for her skiing, hiking in the mountains, or exploring new destinations as she designs travel itineraries for her clients.