10 things foreigners (mistakenly) believe about the Swiss
There are many things foreigners may assume about the Swiss before moving to Switzerland, like their love for punctuality, privacy, and all things cheese – but some are not quite true.
Money talk is off the table
While this is true for salaries (which you should not ask about unless you are very, very close acquaintances) and one’s net worth, the Swiss are actually more than happy to discuss other finance topics, such as budgeting, pensions, insurance, and even debt – as long as you don’t ask them about theirs.
Every Swiss is multilingual
It is true that Swiss schools are instructed to teach their pupils a second "Swiss" language in addition to the one spoken in their region. However, not every student goes on to use said language later in life and hence, fluency generally differs from individual to individual.
The reality is that the Swiss are far more likely to speak English as a second language rather than another "Swiss" language.
It is regularly spoken by 45 percent of the population in Switzerland although it is more prevalent in German parts of the country than French and Italian. It is also more widely spoken in Switzerland's big cities such as Geneva and Zurich.
Whatever region of Switzerland you are in, you will most likely find people willing to speak English than the other national language(s).
READ MORE: How did Switzerland become a country with four languages?
Punctuality is taken seriously
When it comes to old, plain punctuality, trust that it is in fact taken very seriously by the Swiss – but even people as timely as the Swiss aren’t wholly unreasonable.
Though punctuality is ‘the’ trait to have in Switzerland, a five-minute window either side of the agreed time is generally accepted.
Every Swiss citizen is swimming in a pool of money
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Switzerland is considered one of the world’s wealthiest countries (and gets richer every year), but that alone doesn’t make every citizen Jeff Bezos.
In fact, every twelfth person living in Switzerland is considered poor and every sixth person is at risk of poverty. In 2021 (income 2020), 8.7 percent of the Swiss population, so around 745,000 residents, were affected by income poverty.
They all live in the mountains
While postcards and travel adverts may fool foreigners into thinking that every Swiss lives a life akin to Heidi, this is not true.
In reality, only 10 percent of Switzerland’s total population lives in the Alps and most Swiss traverse the mountains for the sole purpose of hiking, trekking, or to partake in winter sports – just like tourists.
The Swiss are cold and difficult to befriend
A common perception of a typical Swiss (if such a stereotype actually exists) is that they are aloof and unfriendly, especially toward foreigners. But while this may appear to be the case at first glance due to their innate sense of privacy, most Swiss are in fact not unfriendly or suspicious of foreigners.
They simply approach friendships the same way they do everything else: slowly and cautiously whether you happen to be a Swiss citizen or foreigner. But if you hang in there and are patient, the Swiss are worth the upheaval and like to maintain friendships for life.
READ MORE: How hard is it to make friends in Switzerland?
…and yet remain neutral
This is true for politics, but that doesn’t mean the Swiss are entirely without opinion (as you will notice when you finally manage to befriend one).
They also vote all the time
Switzerland’s political landscape is known for its high level of voting participation be it federal, cantonal, or communal initiatives. However, not every Swiss citizen exercises their right to vote each time a referendum pops up (and it does that many times a year).
For instance, only around 42.5 percent of the Swiss population voted on the three proposals presented in the country’s last referendum from June 18th, 2023, which addressed the climate and innovation act, minimum taxation, and the Covid-19 law.
But while voting in most Swiss cantons is entirely up to the individual, the canton of Schaffhausen is the only canton where voting is mandatory. If you live in the canton and fail to do so, you will be expected to pay a (small) fine.
Small talk is never welcome
Foreigners living in Switzerland might be (rightfully) nervous to strike up a random conversation with Swiss people, because they are often stereotyped as being quite reserved. Yet - unlike often wrongly assumed - there are many scenarios where small talk is welcome, such as in lifts, at festivals, bars, and even playgrounds.
If you’re wondering when and where small talk is not appropriate, The Local has covered the topic in more detail here.
Cheese dishes are eaten all year-round
While the Swiss enjoy many types of cheese whenever hunger strikes, two if its most popular cheese-based dishes, fondue and raclette, are considered winter dishes - unless you live in the canton of Valais.
In Valais, the summer months were traditionally spent with the cattle on the Alp where fresh milk was processed into cheese and left to ripen in the Alpine air over the winter to be eaten the following summer.
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Money talk is off the table
While this is true for salaries (which you should not ask about unless you are very, very close acquaintances) and one’s net worth, the Swiss are actually more than happy to discuss other finance topics, such as budgeting, pensions, insurance, and even debt – as long as you don’t ask them about theirs.
Every Swiss is multilingual
It is true that Swiss schools are instructed to teach their pupils a second "Swiss" language in addition to the one spoken in their region. However, not every student goes on to use said language later in life and hence, fluency generally differs from individual to individual.
The reality is that the Swiss are far more likely to speak English as a second language rather than another "Swiss" language.
It is regularly spoken by 45 percent of the population in Switzerland although it is more prevalent in German parts of the country than French and Italian. It is also more widely spoken in Switzerland's big cities such as Geneva and Zurich.
Whatever region of Switzerland you are in, you will most likely find people willing to speak English than the other national language(s).
READ MORE: How did Switzerland become a country with four languages?
Punctuality is taken seriously
When it comes to old, plain punctuality, trust that it is in fact taken very seriously by the Swiss – but even people as timely as the Swiss aren’t wholly unreasonable.
Though punctuality is ‘the’ trait to have in Switzerland, a five-minute window either side of the agreed time is generally accepted.
Every Swiss citizen is swimming in a pool of money
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Switzerland is considered one of the world’s wealthiest countries (and gets richer every year), but that alone doesn’t make every citizen Jeff Bezos.
In fact, every twelfth person living in Switzerland is considered poor and every sixth person is at risk of poverty. In 2021 (income 2020), 8.7 percent of the Swiss population, so around 745,000 residents, were affected by income poverty.
They all live in the mountains
While postcards and travel adverts may fool foreigners into thinking that every Swiss lives a life akin to Heidi, this is not true.
In reality, only 10 percent of Switzerland’s total population lives in the Alps and most Swiss traverse the mountains for the sole purpose of hiking, trekking, or to partake in winter sports – just like tourists.
The Swiss are cold and difficult to befriend
A common perception of a typical Swiss (if such a stereotype actually exists) is that they are aloof and unfriendly, especially toward foreigners. But while this may appear to be the case at first glance due to their innate sense of privacy, most Swiss are in fact not unfriendly or suspicious of foreigners.
They simply approach friendships the same way they do everything else: slowly and cautiously whether you happen to be a Swiss citizen or foreigner. But if you hang in there and are patient, the Swiss are worth the upheaval and like to maintain friendships for life.
READ MORE: How hard is it to make friends in Switzerland?
…and yet remain neutral
This is true for politics, but that doesn’t mean the Swiss are entirely without opinion (as you will notice when you finally manage to befriend one).
They also vote all the time
Switzerland’s political landscape is known for its high level of voting participation be it federal, cantonal, or communal initiatives. However, not every Swiss citizen exercises their right to vote each time a referendum pops up (and it does that many times a year).
For instance, only around 42.5 percent of the Swiss population voted on the three proposals presented in the country’s last referendum from June 18th, 2023, which addressed the climate and innovation act, minimum taxation, and the Covid-19 law.
But while voting in most Swiss cantons is entirely up to the individual, the canton of Schaffhausen is the only canton where voting is mandatory. If you live in the canton and fail to do so, you will be expected to pay a (small) fine.
Small talk is never welcome
Foreigners living in Switzerland might be (rightfully) nervous to strike up a random conversation with Swiss people, because they are often stereotyped as being quite reserved. Yet - unlike often wrongly assumed - there are many scenarios where small talk is welcome, such as in lifts, at festivals, bars, and even playgrounds.
If you’re wondering when and where small talk is not appropriate, The Local has covered the topic in more detail here.
Cheese dishes are eaten all year-round
While the Swiss enjoy many types of cheese whenever hunger strikes, two if its most popular cheese-based dishes, fondue and raclette, are considered winter dishes - unless you live in the canton of Valais.
In Valais, the summer months were traditionally spent with the cattle on the Alp where fresh milk was processed into cheese and left to ripen in the Alpine air over the winter to be eaten the following summer.
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