Austrian German vs. Federal German
Austrian German is a distinct variety of the German language — not a "dialect," but an equal standard language with its own grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Since joining the EU in 1995, 23 Austrian terms have even been recognized in EU law as official variants (the famous "Protocol No. 10").
The Most Important Word Differences
| Austrian | Federal German |
|---|---|
| Erdäpfel | Potato |
| Paradeiser | Tomato |
| Karfiol | Cauliflower |
| Fisolen | Green beans |
| Marille | Apricot |
| Ribisel | Currant |
| Obers | Cream |
| Topfen | Quark |
| Schlagobers | Whipped cream |
| Semmel | Roll |
| Palatschinke | Pancake |
| Faschiertes | Minced meat |
| Stiege | Stairs |
| Kasten | Wardrobe |
| Sessel | Chair |
| Jänner | January |
| Feber | February |
| heuer | this year |
| Bim | Tram |
| Trafik | Kiosk / Tobacco shop |
Grammar Differences: In Austria, the potato is feminine ("die Teller"... no: "das E-Mail" instead of "die E-Mail"), they say "bin gestanden" instead of "habe gestanden", "bin gesessen" instead of "habe gesessen". And the perfect tense is used much more frequently than the preterite — Austrians almost never say "ich ging", but "ich bin gegangen".
💡 Tipp
Never say "Brötchen," "Quark," or "Sahne" in Austria — you'll immediately out yourself as a Piefke (Austrian for: German, slightly derogatory). "Semmel," "Topfen," and "Obers" are the correct words. And: It's "Jänner," not "Januar"!
