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Are Austrian and German languages the same thing? At their core, yes, they are both the German language. The alpine country of Österreich (Austria) is known for its beautiful landscapes, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s music, and its own distinct variety of the German language.
There’s quite a lot that differentiates Österreichisch (Austrian) from the German spoken in Germany. Whether you’re learning German and planning a trip to Austria or just curious, we have compiled some common questions and Austrian words to help you speak like a local.
Is Austrian a language?
Austrian is a variety of the German language, meaning that it isn’t its own language—but it isn’t just a regional dialect either. This is similar to how US English is a variety of the English language. There are some notable differences in both vocabulary and grammar between Austrian and standard German, but the Austrian and German languages are still the same language.
The Austrian German language isn’t a single dialect either. Specifics can vary between different regions of Austria, but there are some characteristics they all have in common.
How many people speak Austrian German?
Austria’s population is about 9.1 million people, and the country’s only official language is German. There are some regions in Austria where languages such as Hungarian, Slovakian, or Croatian are spoken, and these languages are recognized minority languages in Austria. However, the vast majority of the population speaks Austrian German as their first language.
Main differences between Austrian and Standard German languages
While there isn’t one singular Austrian German dialect, there are a few things that characterize Austrian German.
Austrian and German language pronunciations are different
Most notable are probably the differences in pronunciation, as they can be quite drastic. You’ll notice that one of the main differences between the Austrian and German languages is that the former is a bit softer.
The harsh German “ch” often gets replaced by other sounds or removed completely, consonants get toned down to M’s and A’s, and the frequent use of “oa” and “ia” creates the characteristic Austrian German sound.
- The German pronounIch gets shortened to a simple I (ee) in Austrian.
- Ich bin. => I bin. (I am.)
- Ich bin. => I bin. (I am.)
- German A’s often get replaced by O’s or “oa” in Austrian.
- Ich habe. => I hob. (I have.)
- Was? => Woas? (What?)
- Words ending on “-r” in standard German end on an “-h” or “-a” in Austrian.
- Bier => Biah (beer)
- Wir => Wia (we)
- If a word begins with “ge-,” in Standard German, it gets shortened to “g-” in Austrian.
- Geschmack => Gschmack (taste)
- Geschichte => Gschichte (story)
- German Ü’s sometimes get replaced by “ia.”
- Grüß dich! => Griaß di! (“Greet you,” a common greeting)
- Gemütlich => Gmiatlich (cozy)
- The word ending “-erl” is a very common diminutive in Austrian German. In standard German the diminutives are “-chen” and “-lein.”
- Ein bisschen. => A bisserl. (A little bit.)
- Kätzchen => Katzerl (kitten/little cat)
- If a word ends in “-ben” (which is common when conjugating verbs in German) it is replaced by “-m” in Austrian.
- Wir haben. = Wia hom. (We have.)
- Sie geben. = Se gem. (They give.)
How often you’ll encounter these differences in the written language depends on where you are in Austria and the context of the text. Menus in restaurants frequented by German tourists may be written with those in mind, but in Austrian circles on social media, you’ll often see the dialect written out.
Austrian greetings are different from Standard German
As you learn common German phrases, saying “Hello” is one of the first to tackle. To greet another person in Austria, you can say Servus (“Hello”), a greeting that’s also used in the German state of Bavaria. Other common greetings are Griaß di (“Greet you,” Grüß dich is the Standard German greeting) to greet a singular person and Griaß eich (“Greet you,” Grüß euch in Standard German) for multiple people.
The verb haben (to have) is conjugated differently in Austrian
A good example to show the most common differences between German and Austrian is the verb “to have.” This table shows the different pronouns and German verb conjugations for haben (to have) in both standard German and Austrian German.
| Standard German | Austrian German | English |
| Ich habe | I hob | I have |
| Du hast | Du host | You have |
| Er/Sie/Es hat | Ea/Sie/Es hod | He/She/It has |
| Sie Haben | Se hom | You have (polite form) |
| Wir haben | Wia/Mia hom | We have |
| Ihr habt | Ia hobt | You have |
| Sie haben | Se hom | They have |
The pronoun “we” has two different forms: It can either be Wia or Mia in Austrian German.
Basic Austrian German words to learn
Austriazismen (Austriazisms) is the term for words that are unique to the Austrian German language.
Here’s a list of some of the most common ones you’ll encounter when visiting Austria:
- Erdapfel is the Austrian word for Kartoffel (potato). Translated literally, it means “earth apple” and is similar to the French word pomme de terre (“apple of the earth”).
- Paradeiser is the Austrian variety of Tomate (tomato). The word is derived from the term Paradeisapfel (paradise apple.) Note how the Austrian word Paradeis (pah-rah-dice) is closer to the English word “paradise,” as is the standard German Paradies (puh-ruh-deez).
- Heuer means Dieses Jahr (this year) in Austrian German and is a nice, short term that neither standard German nor English has.
- Obers is a word you’ll encounter when exploring Vienna’s famous café culture as it means Sahne (cream). A common variety of this word is Schlagobers (whipped cream).
- Bussi is Austrian German for Kuss (kiss). Though it is commonly used the same as “peck” in the English language, it can also be used as a form of “goodbye” when talking to loved ones on the phone or via text.
- Schwammerl means Pilz (mushroom) in Austrian. It’s derived from the German word Schwamm (sponge) because of a mushroom’s spongy texture. The ending “-erl” is also a diminutive word ending, so the literal translation of Schwammerl would be “little sponge.”
- Schmarrn is a nifty Austrian phrase meaning “useless,” “idiotic,” or “nonsense.” It is also a popular dessert meal you’ll find in many Austrian restaurants. Schmarrn is best described as a pancake with raisins, almonds, and powdered sugar that has been torn to bits.
The Austrian word Oida!
Oida! Is a word you’ll often hear in Austria. It’s the Austrian equivalent of the Standard German Alter!, which can be translated as “old one.”
- Ein junger Mann schafft das, aber ein alter nicht mehr. = A young man can do it, but an old one can’t.
In both Austrian and Standard German, this word is used the same as “Dude!” might be in English.
- You want to get a friend’s attention? Ey, Oida!
- You’re surprised by something? Oida!
- You’re slightly exasperated by a problem? Oida…
If you say Mei Oida (my old one), you can use this word to talk about your husband.
Frequently asked questions about Austrian German
Learning the nuances of Austrian German can help you speak more confidently when you visit Austria.
Is Austrian the same as German?
Austrian is a variety of the German language. It has a lot of hallmarks that differentiate it from the Standard German spoken in Germany. Austrian has both words and grammar rules that are unique to this variety of the German language.
Is Austrian German different from Swiss German?
While they may appear similar at first glance, Schweizerdeutsch (Swiss German) and Austrian German aren’t the same. Swiss is another language variety of German with its own rules and influences.
A few examples of Swiss German words are:
| Swiss German | Standard German | English |
| Mäntig | Montag | Monday |
| Schwyzerdütsch | Schweizerdeutsch | Swiss German |
| Velo | Fahrrad | bike |
If you know French, you’ll notice that the last example is the same as the French vélo (bike). There are many examples of Swiss German being influenced by French and Italian, as these languages are also both official languages in Switzerland.
Do Austrians identify as German?
Austrians share a language with Germans, and there are some cultural similarities between Austria and southern Germany—such as the Lederhosen (leather pants) that you may see when celebrating Oktoberfest—but they don’t identify as Germans. Austrians have their own national identity that isn’t tied to Germany.