Ways to say it
| Swiss German | Note |
|---|---|
| merci vielmal | |
| merci vilmal | spelling variant |
| danke vielmal | same meaning |
merci vielmal is the everyday way to thank someone more strongly than a plain merci. danke vielmal means exactly the same and is heard just as often.
What does it mean word for word?
vielmal joins viel, 'much', and mal, 'times', so the phrase literally means 'thanks many times'.
Which one should you use?
merci vielmal and danke vielmal are fully interchangeable. Choosing between them is mostly a matter of personal habit, not meaning.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both versions work in formal and informal settings. The pronoun around them changes with formality, for example merci vielmal für dini Hilf to a friend and merci vielmal für Ihri Hilf to someone formal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Spelling varies, and you may see vielmal, vilmal or viumau depending on the region, especially in Bern.
How does it change in a sentence?
To name what you are thankful for, add für: merci vielmal für d Blueme, 'thank you very much for the flowers'.
How do you pronounce it?
vielmal is said quickly as one unit, closer to 'fielmal' than two separate words.
What mistakes should you avoid?
In formal written Swiss German, switching to Standard German vielen Dank is more common than writing merci vielmal, which stays mostly spoken.
When do people say it?
Swiss people often thank someone twice in one short exchange, starting with a quick merci and following up with merci vielmal once the favour becomes clear.
Did you know?
- merci vielmal mixes a French word with a German one, a pairing that is completely normal in Swiss German and raises no eyebrows.
- Because Swiss German has no fixed spelling, the same word for 'many times' can be written vielmal, vilmal or, in Bern, viumau.
Examples in context
- Merci vielmal für d Blueme.Thank you very much for the flowers.
- Danke vielmal, das wär nid nötig gsi.Thank you very much, that was not necessary.
- Merci vielmal, Sie hend mir sehr gholfe.Thank you very much, you have helped me a lot.
Example conversation
Theo thanks his landlady, Frau Keller, for fixing the heating quickly.
- TheoMerci vielmal, dass Sie so schnell cho sind.Thank you very much for coming so quickly.
- Frau KellerGärn gscheh, das isch mis Job.You are welcome, that's my job.
- TheoJetzt isch es wieder warm im Zimmer.Now the room is warm again.
- Frau KellerSuper, sägs mir, falls öppis isch.Great, let me know if anything comes up.
