Skip to content
Dialect comparison

Hochdeutsch vs Plattdüütsch

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

Hochdeutsch

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.

Approximate centre
52.37°, 9.73°
Plattdüütsch

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.

Approximate centre
53.55°, 9.99°

Keep exploring

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