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.
Low German · Niederdeutsch · Plattdeutsch
The Low German varieties of northern Germany and the eastern Netherlands. Linguistically closer to Dutch and English than to Standard German in several core features.
Start with Hochdeutsch or Plattdüütsch based on the community, country, or media you expect to use most.
Shared language labels do not guarantee identical speech. Compare country coverage, aliases, and audio where available.
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