Swiss Etiquette: How to Be Polite in Switzerland

Street behavior

Swiss people have created rules and customs on how people should behave in public. Through them, the Swiss want to ensure they’re maintaining a safe space where people don’t harm or disturb others.

When meeting someone for the first time in Switzerland, a handshake will do. You deliver the handshake while maintaining eye contact with that person. Breaking eye contact is considered to be very rude. However, if you’ve met someone more than one time, the greeting is more informal. Now, you can kiss them lightly on the cheek three times.

When talking to someone you’ve never met, you should approach them with the family name, or use the formal pronoun (Sie). You’ll continue this formal approach until they tell you otherwise.

When in the street or in the shops, you should greet everyone. This applies to small towns and villages where everyone knows everybody. Swiss people really appreciate this. They’ll make you feel welcome for as long as you’re respectful to them. In which language they’ll greet you depends on which canton you are. Usually, the most used greetings are “Grüetzi,” “Salü,” “Hoi,” or “Ciao.” You can certainly try to speak in English.

Respect for Rules and Order

Following Rules: Swiss society is very rule-oriented, and people are expected to follow laws, even the small ones (e.g., not speaking too loudly, not jaywalking, etc.).
Quietness in Public: Be mindful of noise levels in public places, including on public transport, in restaurants, and on the streets. Swiss people generally prefer a calm and quiet atmosphere.
Trash Disposal: Switzerland is known for its cleanliness. Dispose of trash in the correct bins and be mindful of recycling protocols.it’s unacceptable to litter and throw garbage on the streets. It’s also a punishable act by the law.

In Swiss society, Respect older people

Elderly people are highly respected in this country. Therefore, Swiss people require the same from you and other foreigners. You should always respect the elderly by giving them your seat.

Don’t chew gum

If you’re in the mood for gum, try not to chew it while in public. It’s considered a rude and irritable act by the Swiss.

Switzerland has four official languages (German, French, Italian, and Romansh), so the region you are in will affect the language used. It's polite to greet someone in the local language, but if you're unsure, asking if they speak English is generally accepted.

German-speaking: Use "Grüezi" or "Hallo" for a greeting.
French-speaking: Use "Bonjour" or "Salut."
Italian-speaking: Use "Ciao" or "Buongiorno."

Respecting Dialects: While you don’t have to master the local dialect, making an effort to learn a few words in the local language can go a long way in building rapport.

Gift-Giving:

Occasions for Gifts: Giving gifts is common on special occasions (e.g., birthdays, Christmas, or when visiting someone’s home), but it’s not necessary for casual social interactions.
How to Present Gifts: If you’re invited to someone’s home, it’s thoughtful to bring a small gift, such as a bottle of wine, flowers, or a box of chocolates. If you bring flowers, make sure they are in odd numbers (even numbers are for funerals).
Gift Wrapping: It’s customary to present a gift wrapped in a neat, attractive way. Avoid extravagant wrapping.

Punctuality is Key

Be on Time: In Switzerland, punctuality is considered a sign of respect. Being late, even by a few minutes, can be seen as rude or unprofessional. Always aim to arrive a little early, whether for social or business meetings.
Appointments: If you’re running late, it’s courteous to inform the person in advance.

Greetings

Handshakes: A firm, but not overly strong handshake is the common greeting, especially in business settings. In more casual settings, a friendly wave or a nod may also suffice.
Salutations: When greeting someone, use titles (Herr, Frau) followed by their last name, unless invited to use first names. This applies particularly in business contexts.
Kissing on the Cheek: In some regions (like French-speaking areas), it’s common to greet close friends with one or two kisses on the cheek. However, it’s always best to follow the lead of the locals.

It’s a no-brainer that Switzerland is the business hub of Europe considering its economy and the discipline of Swiss businessmen. In case you want to be taken seriously by these people, you need to follow their rules.

Safe conversations:

There are a number of topics you can choose from to make a conversation with your Swiss colleagues. From world politics and economics to Swiss cuisine, to sports and positive aspects of Switzerland. However, some are suggested to avoid, such as Switzerland neutrality, military, and personal questions

Table Manners: Wait until everyone is seated and the host starts the meal before beginning to eat. Keep your hands visible (resting on the table, not in your lap).
Use of Utensils: The Swiss use cutlery in a formal manner—fork in the left hand and knife in the right. Don’t cut food into small pieces before eating; instead, cut as you go.
Saying "Enjoy Your Meal": It’s polite to say "Guten Appetit!" or "Bon Appétit!" before starting a meal.
Drinking: Always make eye contact and offer a toast before taking the first sip of your drink. A simple "Prost!" (German-speaking), "Santé!" (French-speaking), or "Salute!" (Italian-speaking) is common.
Tipping: Tipping is not mandatory, but it is appreciated. A 5-10% tip in restaurants is standard, and rounding up the bill is also common.

Be on time:

First and foremost, you should go and be there on time. You can go there earlier but no later than 15 minutes. You shouldn’t take this invitation for granted because if you miss one or two dinners, they’ll remove you from their invitation list.

Wait for the others:

When you’ve sat down at the dinner table and fixed your plate, you should make sure that everybody there has also set their plate. Before you start eating, you should say, “Guten Appetit.” In the case of the wine, you should wait for the host to begin the toast before you drink. When toasting, you should look everybody in the eyes.

Mind your manners at the table:

It’s essential to be careful with your behaviors at the dinner table, from how you put your hands on the table to how you eat and what cutlery you use.

While eating, keep your wrists on the table and make sure your elbows are hanging from them.

Also, you should sample everything that is handed to you during the dinner and finish whatever you have on your plate. Doing otherwise is considered impolite in Swiss culture.

When you’re finished, put the knife and fork on the plate side by side to form a 5:25 clock position. In that way, you inform the hostess that you’re done, and she doesn’t have to put you more food.

Leave early and invite your hosts back:

An unspoken Swiss rule is that the guests should leave before midnight. If by chance you’re invited to a dinner, keep this in mind. You should give the hosts the space to put things in order. Leave by thanking them and asking them for dinner at your place. Swiss people expect the same efforts from you.

Every country and culture has different traditions when it comes to weddings. However, Swiss traditions aren’t that different from those of other European countries.

Wedding ceremony:

The type of wedding one will have depends on the couple. However, they can choose from two kinds of them. The first is the civil ceremony, where the couple and their witnesses go to the city hall and get legally married. The other is the church ceremony, where the couple invites family members, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances and gets married in a religious institution.

Dress code:

Swiss wedding dress code is similar to other cultures. The bride wears a white gown, while she puts a traditional crown or a wreath on the head. The crown or the wreath symbolizes her youth and purity. After the exchange of the vows, the wreath is removed and burned. If the wreath burns easily, she is regarded as a lucky woman.

On the other hand, the groom puts on a suit, a white shirt, and a tie. The same outfit is worn by the male guests. Whereas female guests put on gowns of every color aside from white.

Wedding superstitions:

After the ceremony is over, the reception starts. Usually, the bridesmaid guides guests towards the reception place, and then the bride comes and gives them a handkerchief. The guests have to give the bride a coin for the handkerchief. According to the Swiss belief, this handkerchief means good luck.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds plant a pine tree. The tree symbolizes fertility and luck. The guests may bring old porcelain to the wedding, which they throw on the floor. They believe the broken glass brings good luck to the couple.

Wedding entertainment:

The guests’ entertainment is in the hands of the best man and the maid of honor. They compile a program that will amuse the guests and fill the time between the ceremony and reception.

Swiss people like to play games at their weddings. One of the most frequently played games is the kidnapping of the bride. This game focuses on the groom, who will have to find the bride or chop a block of wood.

Another game is the “Spalier Stehen.” This game is played after the officiating ceremony. The friends of the couple are separated into two rows between which the couple will walk. They wear matching outfits and keep sports equipment in their hands, depending on the hobbies of the couple. This game symbolizes the challenges that await the newlyweds and how they can overcome them together.

As you can see, Switzerland has a number of customs that are similar to other cultures but also different in their own way. If you want to feel like you’re part of Swiss society or you want to be respectful in their presence, you need to get used to these customs.