Swiss and Chips - Your British guide to Switzerland

Dialect struggles nobody talks about Swiss German is a spoken language first and foremost, shaped by dialect and regional differences. From the absence of autocorrect to the liberal sprinkling of diminutives, communicating in Swiss German comes with some hard struggles that need talking about, gäll? Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips: Your British Guide to Switzerland 00:00 - Intro 01:27 - L...

Don’t forget to send us your feedback, questions or topic suggestions: Write us an email to hello@swissandchips.com , a text message or a voice message to play on the show +41 76 282 67 66. Switzerland's handcrafted delights for children In this episode we talk about some traditional Swiss toys that are not only fun to play with, but have also withstood the scrutiny of different generations o...

The unspoken rule of giving a tour of your home when guests come over When guests visit where you live in Switzerland, the host almost always offers them a look around. In this episode, we talk about this unspoken rule in Switzerland and why it led to some confusion in our home. Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips: Your British Guide to Switzerland 00:00 - Intro 01:22 - Listener messages 08:2...

Switzerland's weekend mountain ritual Why do the Swiss regularly abandon foggy cities for the mountains? That’s the question we get into in this episode. Beyond this beloved autumn and winter weekend pastime, we take a look at your messages, our latest poll results, Swiss bytes, and we even pack in a fresh “Learning Swiss German” segment. We’d love to hear from you! Send your feedback, questi...

What acceptance looks like amongst the Swiss Moving to Switzerland as an expat is definitely challenging and it can feel hard to be accepted. But what does being accepted really mean anyway? In this very personal episode, Jo talks about what fitting in means to her and we discuss integration from a very Swiss perspective, including their ongoing interest in expats.  Notes on this episode of Swiss...

In this episode of Swiss and Chips - Your British Guide to Switzerland, it's all about our listeners’ voices. We asked what annoys you about Switzerland or what you would change, and you replied! From the pain of exchange rates to supermarket stress (again), Mexican food and laundry room drama (again). Also, don’t forget to vote in our listener poll. Feedback, questions or topic suggestions?...

There is no listener poll this week, but a listener survey: What's the one thing you would change about Switzerland if you could? Send us an audio message or text to +41 76 282 67 66 or email hello@swissandchips.com . Notes on this episode of Swiss and Chips: Your British Guide to Switzerland 00:00 - Intro 01:08 - Listener Feedback Niesenbahn, the longest stairs in the world Marzili-Bahn, the...

There is no listener poll this week, but a listener survey: What's the one thing you would change about Switzerland if you could? Send us an audio message or text to +41 76 282 67 66 or email hello@swissandchips.com . Notes on this episode 00:00 - Intro 01:09 - Listener Feedback 09:40 - Coming to a restaurant, be ready to order 16:20 - Swiss bytes: As an expat, if you could change only one th...

Let the sunshine (and fresh air) in!  In this episode we talk about the Swiss ritual that plays out daily in homes, offices, and schools across the country: Lüften . It’s the practice of throwing windows open wide and letting fresh air circulate through rooms and buildings. But why is Lüften so important to the Swiss mindset? As always, we’ll give you some insights, but mostly personal experiences...

Not everything is as glossy as it seems Many thanks to all the listeners who reach out to us! Today’s episode is for you. If you have questions or thoughts you want to share with us and the other listeners, let us know ! In this episode, we talk specifically about Jonathan’s feedback and his experiences of visiting Switzerland. It inspired us to talk about some other surprises and controversial as...

A journey to Fahy and the history of Tête de Moine cheese. In today’s episode of Swiss and Chips , we’re taking you on a journey across the Swiss-French border on foot! Join us as we explore the charming town of Fahy, visit the House of the Tête de Moine cheese, and dive into the history behind this delicious Swiss cheese. We’ll also share our experience of crossing the border and why many people...

Tips, passes, and resort advice for newbies on the pistes In today’s episode of Swiss and Chips, we’re talking about how to enjoy a ski day when you’re ready to move beyond your first slope but you’re not ready to hit a “red” yet. We discuss some basics, like choosing the right ski pass or picking a resort, and skiing etiquette. But mainly Jo shares her personal experience.  00:00 - Introduction t...

It’s been a while, but we’re back - and we’re diving straight into a topic that’s Swiss and surprisingly sensitive: the (unspoken) rules of the shared washing room. We’ll share some personal stories of washing room drama and tell you what you need to know when searching for a new flat. 00:00 - Intro 02:42 - Swiss Bytes Most popular Swiss songs in the 1980's Cow song: Link to the cow video 06:...

“Especially in times of the pluralisation of lifestyles, there is a need to know how things should be done correctly. Because manners provide security in how to shape interactions positively. They simplify interactions and prevent misunderstandings.” This is a quote from the ‘Swiss Knigge’, a book about good manners and behaviour in Switzerland.  Though often associated with formal manners, Knigge...

Let's dive into another episode about Swiss German through the lens of the traditional Swiss radio game ‘ABC SRF 3’. We' haven’t laughed so much in an episode yet; we’ll let you decide if that’s a good thing. And we introduce two new segments. First, we address user questions and feedback, featuring Cathy, who proudly participates in Swiss traditions. Second, get ready for the brand new...

Swiss National Day is coming up! Let’s talk about what happens on the big day and what it means to the Swiss. We’ll help you figure out how to mark the occasion even if you haven’t been in Switzerland for long. We also have some new features in our podcast for you: “Swiss bytes”, listener feedback and our survey. 00:00 - Intro 01:58 - Listener Feedback 03:14 - Swiss Bytes US Marine reacts to Why t...

How do you cope with the chaos, confusion, and frequent frustration of queuing in Switzerland? In this episode, we explore Swiss queuing culture and share our experiences and advice on how to survive and possibly thrive in the chaotic queuing land of the Alps. We have some horror stories to share that you might be able to identify with. Whether you’re a newcomer, a visitor, or a long-time resident...

Switzerland, a country known for its linguistic diversity, is home to the unique dialect of Swiss German. It has many variations around the country, with words, sounds and phrases changing by city or valley. Here, we dive into a very specific topic of Swiss German - the use of nicknames. In this episode of ‘Decoding Swiss German Nicknames’, we aim to unravel the meanings, origins, and usage of nic...

Discovering animal sounds in Swiss German: A fun exploration at the Dählhölzli Petting Zoo Come with us on a stroll through the famous Dählhölzli petting zoo in Bern where we talk about the different animal noises in English and Swiss German . A special welcome and thanks to all our super early subscribers: Samir, Julian, Nuclei, Alicia, Nicholas, Joee and many more - we really appreciate the earl...

The experience of going to see a film in Switzerland has some quirks. The first question you’re probably going to ask yourself when trying to catch a new release is what language it’s going to be shown in and secondly, how much the pleasure is going to set you back.     In this episode, we talk about which kind of cinema typically shows films in which languages, how dubbing or subtitles come into...

After 13 years of living in Switzerland, Jo is finally allowed to have her say in her new home country and participate in the democratic process. The Swiss elections are coming up and after becoming Swiss, this might be the second most exciting day for a new citizen. The papers have arrived (a long time ago) and are ready to be explored. Let's do the unboxing together and talk about the speci...

The Swiss can't get enough of it: Rivella is the Alpine nation's traditional soft drink of choice. But there's an unusual ingredient hiding beneath the bubbles of this thirst-quenching liquid. Any idea what it is? In this episode, we'll introduce you to the delights of Switzerland's weird and wonderful fizzy refreshment, and Simon takes a blind Rivella taste test to find o...

If you're looking for Christmas magic, put Colmar, France on your list of must-see places. A beautiful city at any time of year, it is decorated and lit up to perfection every Christmas. The city's cobbled streets are flanked by Medieval or Renaissance-period buildings and small canals run alongside the main thoroughfares. There are six different markets to see, each with a different foc...

It can take time to figure out what the useful websites are when you move to a new country. What are the most-popular car-sharing, price comparison, weather and buy-and-sell sites in Switzerland? We crowdsourced a list of the must-know websites in Switzerland from our Facebook group, Switzerland for English Speakers . In this episode we explain why they're useful and what we personally think...

Warning: this episode is a rollercoaster! We try to navigate our way through a traditional Swiss kitchen, and explain the classic items you'll find in any Swiss kitchen cupboard. From flavourings to implements, we lift the table cloth on the secrets of Switzerland's home dining habits - and we reveal a few foody preferences of our own along the way. Plus: what's missing in a standar...