HochdeutschStandard 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.
BairischBavarian · Bavarian-Austrian
A large Upper German dialect group spoken across Bavaria and most of Austria, with distinctive vowel shifts and vocabulary far removed from Standard German.
SchwäbischSwabian
An Alemannic dialect spoken across Baden-Württemberg and parts of Bavaria. Recognisable for its diminutive "-le" suffix and softened consonants.
SächsischSaxon · Upper Saxon
An East Central German dialect spoken in Saxony around Dresden and Leipzig, characterised by softened plosives and a distinctive intonation.
BerlinerischBerlin German · Berlinisch
The urban dialect of Berlin and surrounding Brandenburg. Mixes Low German substrate with Standard German, famous for its dry humour and clipped delivery.
PlattdüütschLow 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.
HessischHessian
A Central German dialect group covering Hesse around Frankfurt. The Frankfurt variety is widely recognisable from German television and theatre.
KölschCologne German · Ripuarian
A Ripuarian Central Franconian dialect spoken in Cologne and the surrounding Rhineland. Distinctive for its melodic intonation and rich local vocabulary.
WienerischViennese
The urban Bavarian dialect of Vienna, layered with Yiddish, Czech, and Italian loanwords from the city's long Habsburg history.
Namibian GermanNamdeutsch · Namibisches Deutsch · Namibia-Deutsch
The German variety of Namibia, maintained by a long-standing German-speaking minority and shaped by contact with Afrikaans, English, and Namibian languages such as Oshiwambo, Otjiherero, and Khoekhoegowab. It remains visible in schools, churches, media, tourism, and everyday community life, especially around Windhoek and the coast.
HunsrikBrazilian German · Riograndenser Hunsrückisch · Hunsrückisch
A German-derived minority variety spoken by descendants of nineteenth-century settlers in southern Brazil, especially Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and Paraná. It descends mainly from Hunsrück Franconian and has developed under long contact with Brazilian Portuguese.
Pennsylvania DutchPennsylvania German · Deitsch
A West Central German minority language maintained especially by Amish and Old Order Mennonite communities in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Ontario, and related settlements. Despite its name, it is Germanic rather than Dutch.
Texas GermanTexasdeutsch
An endangered German enclave variety spoken by descendants of nineteenth-century German settlers in central Texas, especially around New Braunfels, Fredericksburg, and the Hill Country. It preserves older German features while reflecting long contact with American English.