Would I be able to communicate in Vienna in German?
I'm planning a trip to Vienna. Since I know German quite well, I didn't foresee any problems... but after reading Wikipedia articles about dialects in Austria, especially about Bairisch dialect, I'm a bit worried. If everyone there speaks Bairisch and not standard German, I wouldn't be able to understand.
So what is the situation like? Should I expect to be able to communicate in standard German (Hochdeutsch) in hostels, shops, railway stations, museums, restaurants and so on? If I start to speak standard German, would I be responded to in standard German, or in dialect?
Best Answer
In Vienna they speak Viennese, which is their city dialect of standard German (Hochdeutsch). However they have no problem in speaking or communicating with you in Hochdeutsch. You will be perfectly fine .
In addition most young Austrians speak English, so if the German were to play up (although highly unlikely) you can always communicate in English.
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Do you have to speak German in Vienna?
Standard German is most commonly and frequently used in formal as well as informal settings in Austria's capital, Vienna. Here, people of all generations speak Standard German and even those, who slip into their regional dialects will understand the standard variation perfectly fine.What dialect of German is spoken in Vienna?
Viennese German (Bavarian: Weanarisch, Weanerisch, German: Wienerisch) is the city dialect spoken in Vienna, the capital of Austria, and is counted among the Bavarian dialects. It is distinct from written Standard German in vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.What language do they Soeak in Vienna?
The national language in Austria is actually German.Can you live in Austria with only English?
Yes, in most cases, Austrians not only speak English, they speak excellent English. To the point that my running joke about Austrians in Vienna and English is that many will tell you \u201cMy English isn't very good\u201c, and then will proceed to have a long, involved conversation with you about politics or social issues.Why you need to learn Viennese-German, not German-German when living in Vienna
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Answer 2
Yes.
Because it is capital and largest city, people living there come from many different regions. I would argue, that only a fraction will speak real Viennese dialect. Also, big chance that anyone you meet will be speaking German with foreign accent. According to Wikipedia, nearly 40% of population is not Austrian.
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