Roti Rösli - Red Roses | Mama Lisa's World Blog

“Roti Rösli – Red Roses” – A Swiss Song with it’s English Translation

Wednesday, March 8th, 2006

Julie Steiner has been kind enough to answer the request I posted a few days ago for the Swiss song Roti Rösli (Red Roses). Here it is in the original language, with an English translation…

Roti Rösli
(Swiss German Dialect)

Roti Rösli im Garte,
Maieriesli im Wald
Wänn de Wind chunt choge blase
so verwelked si bald

Chlini Fischli im Wasser,
grossi Fische im Meer
Hei lueg wie si gumped
und schwümed juhee

Liebi Sunne chum füre,
liebi Sune chum bald
Das mir chönd go spaziere
über Wiese und Wald

Red Roses
(English)

Red roses in the garden,
Lilies of the valley in the wood
When the wind comes blowing
They’ll fade soon.

Small fishes in the lake,
Big fishes in the sea
Hey look how they jump
And swim, yuhee!

Dear sun come forth,
Dear sun come soon
That we can go walking
Over meadow and wood.

Julie sent me the English translation. Here’s what she wrote about the dialect…

The dialect printed here is from Zurich, but it actually exists in all dialects (the words vary a little).

I know this because my mum and dad are originally from Bern and so my brother and I spoke the Bernese dialect until we went to school. As we lived in Zurich, we obviously learned the other dialect as well.

Normally there is no difficulty in understanding the different dialects (besides the ones they speak in the mountain regions, these are difficult to understand (even for Swiss people!). I don’t know exactly how many dialects of Swiss German exist, there are 21 cantons* in which German is spoken, but the dialects can differ even within one canton.

*Cantons are states or political divisions in Switzerland.

Many thanks to Julie for the translation and the interesting commentary!

-Lisa

Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World Switzerland Page for more Swiss Songs.

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