Dialect comparison

Hochdeutsch vs Kölsch

Compare two dialects of German side by side — where they're spoken, what they're called, and how they relate.

Standard German · Standard High German · Schriftdeutsch

The codified standard variety of German used in education, media, and administration across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Based on the High German consonant shift and a written norm dating to Luther; the spoken standard is conventionally associated with the Hanover region of Lower Saxony.

Spoken in: Germany
Austria
Switzerland
Approximate centre: 52.37°, 9.73°

Kölsch

Cologne German · Ripuarian

A Ripuarian Central Franconian dialect spoken in Cologne and the surrounding Rhineland. Distinctive for its melodic intonation and rich local vocabulary.

Spoken in: Germany
Approximate centre: 50.94°, 6.96°

Keep exploring

Read the full picture of German and the dialects within it.

Open German →Hochdeutsch →Kölsch →