What language is spoken in Switzerland?
Switzerland has four national languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh. German is the most widely spoken, used by about 60 percent of the population.
The language people speak depends largely on the region. German is spoken in the north, center and east, in cities like Zurich, Basel and Bern. French is spoken in the west, including Geneva and Lausanne. Italian is spoken in the south, mainly in the canton of Ticino. Romansh, a language descended from Latin, is spoken by a small number of people in the canton of Graubünden.
Swiss Germans usually speak dialects called Swiss German in daily life, which can be hard for Germans to understand, but they write in standard German. Many Swiss people speak two or more languages, and English is also widely used in business and tourism.
Multilingual country
Swiss banknotes, laws and official documents appear in multiple languages. The country's Latin name, Confoederatio Helvetica, is used on coins and stamps and gives it the abbreviation CH, avoiding the need to choose one language.
Did You Know?
Switzerland does not have one official capital city in its constitution. Bern is called the federal city and serves as the seat of government.