Signs

1. Entrada

   Entrance

   Usage

   The sign on a building or station entrance. In practice it is often written in German as Eingang, with Romansh sometimes alongside

   Grammar Note

   Entrada is feminine. It also means admission or entry

2. Sortida

   Exit

   Usage

   The sign for an exit. In German it is Ausgang. At stations follow the Sortida arrow to leave the platform area

   Grammar Note

   Sortida is feminine. It also means the outflow of a river or lake

3. Sortida da segirezza

   Emergency exit

   Usage

   The emergency exit sign. In German it is Notausgang. It usually comes with the green running-figure pictogram

   Grammar Note

   Literally "exit of safety"; da segirezza follows and qualifies sortida

4. Avert

   Open

   Usage

   The "we are open" sign on a shop or attraction. In German it is Offen / Geöffnet. For a feminine noun the form is averta

   Grammar Note

   Avert is an adjective and changes with gender and number (averta, avertas)

5. Serrà

   Closed

   Usage

   The sign when a shop or site is closed. In German it is Geschlossen. Small Swiss shops often close on Sundays and at midday

   Grammar Note

   Serrà is the past participle of serrar (to close) and changes with gender and number (serrada, serrads)

6. Umens

   Men

   Usage

   The sign for the men's toilets. Real doors usually show a pictogram or the German Herren

   Grammar Note

   Umens is the plural of um (man). Composed as a sign; native review recommended for how actual doors are labelled

7. Dunnas

   Women

   Usage

   The sign for the women's toilets. Real doors usually show a pictogram or the German Damen

   Grammar Note

   Dunnas is the plural of dunna (woman). Composed as a sign; native review recommended for how actual doors are labelled

8. Entrada scumandada

   No entry

   Usage

   A no-entry sign. In German it is Zutritt verboten. It often comes with a red circle and white bar, on staff doors and building sites

   Grammar Note

   Scumandà (forbidden) agrees with feminine entrada, giving scumandada. Composed as a sign; native review recommended

9. Scumond da fimar

   No smoking

   Usage

   A no-smoking sign. In German it is Rauchverbot. Smoking is banned in most indoor public places and on trains in Switzerland

   Grammar Note

   Scumond (ban) + da fimar (of smoking). Fimar is the infinitive "to smoke"

10. Stgalas

    Stairs

    Usage

    The sign pointing to the stairs. In German it is Treppe. Lifts have their own sign (Lift)

    Grammar Note

    Plural of stgala (staircase); stg is pronounced roughly "shtch". Composed here in the plural as a sign; native review recommended

11. Smatgar

    Push

    Usage

    The sign on a door telling you to push. In German it is Drücken. The opposite is Trair (pull)

    Grammar Note

    Signs use the bare infinitive. Smatgar means to push or press. Composed as a sign; native review recommended

12. Trair

    Pull

    Usage

    The sign on a door telling you to pull. In German it is Ziehen. The opposite is Smatgar (push)

    Grammar Note

    Signs use the bare infinitive. Trair means to pull or draw. Composed as a sign; native review recommended

13. Defect

    Out of order

    Usage

    The sign on a ticket machine, lift or toilet. In German it is Defekt / Ausser Betrieb. If a ticket machine is out of order look for another or a counter

    Grammar Note

    Defect is an adjective meaning broken. Composed as a sign; native review recommended

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