Austrian German: More Than Just a Dialect

1. History and Status

Austrian Standard German has been officially recognized since Austria joined the EU in 1995. A special protocol attached to Austria’s EU membership guarantees the use of 23 specifically Austrian expressions in EU documents, including food-related terms such as “Erdapfel” (instead of “Kartoffel” for potato) or “Faschiertes” (instead of “Hackfleisch” for minced meat). This demonstrates that Austrian German is not a deviation — it is an equally valid standard.

2. Vocabulary – The Biggest Differences

The most noticeable differences lie in everyday vocabulary. Many words commonly used in Germany are either unknown in Austria or have a different meaning. Conversely, Austrians use terms that Germans often need to look up. These differences mainly affect food, administrative language, and everyday objects.

3. Pronunciation – Typical Features

Austrian pronunciation differs mainly in intonation, vowel quality, and certain consonants. The “ch” sound in “ich” is pronounced like “sh” in many regions of Austria (the famous Viennese accent). The “s” before consonants remains voiceless. Many vowels are pronounced more openly and elongated than in northern Germany. These pronunciation features are part of Austrian linguistic identity and are fully standard-compliant.

4. Grammatical Peculiarities

There are also grammatical differences. In Austria, the perfect tense is used more frequently than the simple past — people say “ich habe gegessen” instead of “ich aß.” In spoken Austrian German, the simple past often sounds unnatural or overly formal. The genitive case is also used less frequently in informal contexts; the dative often takes over its function.

Tips for German Learners in Vienna

If you learn German in Vienna, you will encounter both levels: Standard German in class and Austrian everyday German on the streets, in cafés, and in supermarkets. Don’t let this confuse you. Your teacher will teach you neutral Standard German — understandable everywhere. At the same time, it is worth learning typical Austrian expressions: locals will immediately react more warmly if you ask for “Erdapfelpüree” instead of “Kartoffelbrei.”

Austrian German in Language Exams

Official Austrian language exams (ÖSD – Austrian German Language Diploma) explicitly use Austrian language standards. This means Austrian words, spelling, and expressions are not only accepted in these exams — they are expected. Anyone living in Austria and planning to take an exam here should therefore specifically learn Austrian Standard German, not only Standard German as spoken in Germany.