Ways to say it
| Swiss German | Note |
|---|---|
| Tante | |
| Base | older, regional, can also mean female cousin |
Tante is the word used in everyday speech across German-speaking Switzerland, said directly to an aunt or when talking about her. The older word Base survives in some regions but can also mean 'female cousin' there, so it is less exact.
What does it mean word for word?
Tante is borrowed directly from Standard German. Base is an old Germanic kinship word that originally covered several female relatives of around the same generation.
Which one should you use?
Tante is unambiguous and works everywhere. Base is traditional and regional, and whether it means 'aunt' or 'cousin' can depend on the speaker's dialect, so it is worth asking if you hear it.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both words are neutral and used the same way regardless of formality.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Base for 'aunt' survives mostly in older or rural speech in some cantons, while Tante has become the common word almost everywhere.
How does it change in a sentence?
Tante takes the article d before it in a sentence, as in d Tante chunnt hüt, 'the aunt is coming today'.
How do you pronounce it?
The a in Tante is short, and the final e is barely pronounced, closer to 'Tant' with a light trailing vowel.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Using Base with a younger speaker from a region where it means 'cousin' can cause confusion. Tante avoids that problem entirely.
Did you know?
- Base, the older Swiss German word for 'aunt', can mean 'female cousin' instead in some dialects, which is why Tante is now the safer everyday word.
- Swiss German kinship words like Base and the matching Vetter for 'uncle' or 'male cousin' go back to a time when the distinction between an aunt and a cousin mattered less in everyday speech.
Examples in context
- Mini Tante wohnt i Bern.My aunt lives in Bern.
- Chunnt dini Tante au a Fäscht?Is your aunt also coming to the party?
- Ich han mini Tante hüt agrüefe.I called my aunt today.
Example conversation
Livia tells her friend Marco about a family visit.
- LiviaAm Samschtig chunnt mini Tante z Bsuech.On Saturday my aunt is coming to visit.
- MarcoDie vo Luzern?The one from Lucerne?
- LiviaGenau, die mit em Hund.Exactly, the one with the dog.
- MarcoAh, die mag ich.Ah, I like her.
