Bavarian Vocabulary

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Sound like a true Münchener while you’re Prost-ing with your friends! Our vocabulary list contains the most important words and unique Bavarian expressions you’re likely to encounter while stumbling around the Oktoberfest. Enjoy, Gaudi!

Bavarian English
Bazi [batzee] good-for-nothing
biesln [beezln] to pee
  Bissgurn [Bisgooan] nag
Brezn [braytsn] pretzl
Bua [booa] boy
Buidl [boydl] picture
Busserl [bussal] kiss
Fuizl [foytzl] coaster
Gaudi [gowdy] fun
Gemma [gemma] Let's go
granteln [grandln] being grumpy
  Griaß di! [greeas dee] Hi! (to one person)
  Griaß eich! [greeas eyesh] Hi! (to more than one person)
Gspusi [shboosy] lover
Hoiwe [hoyva] half a beer
liab [leeab] lovely, sweet
 
Madl [model] girl
Mass [mas] a unit for drinks (e.g. 1 liter of beer)
  Musi [musi] music
no oans [no o'ans] another one
Noagerlzutzla [noagaltsuzla] someone who drinks the remnant of abandoned glasses
Ozapft is! [o'tsapft is] The beer keg is tapped!
oans, zwoa [o'ans, zwoa] one, two
  obandln [o'bandln] flirting
Oide [oidee] Old woman, wife
Oida [oidaa] Dude, old man, husband
  Pfiat di! [feeat dee] Bye! (to one person)
  Pfiat eich! [feeat eyesh] Bye! (to more than one person)
Prost! [proost] Cheers!
Ratschen [radchn] blabbermouth
schee [shay] pretty, nice
schiach [sheeash] ugly, bad
Schmarrn [shmarn] nonsense
 
Servus! [seavuss] A friendly greeting to say both “Hi!”  and “Bye!”
Spatzl [shpatzl] darling, sweetie
Spezl [shpezl] friend, pal
Wiesn [wisn] Oktoberfest

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