Upper German (German: Oberdeutsch [ˈoːbɐdɔʏtʃ] ^ⓘ) is a family of High German dialects spoken primarily in the southern German-speaking area (Sprachraum).

In the Old High German time, only Alemannic and Bairisch are grouped as Upper German. In the Middle High German time, East Franconian and sometimes South Franconian are added to this. Swabian splits off from Alemannic due to the New High German diphthongisation (neuhochdeutsche Diphthongierung).

Upper German proper comprises the Alemannic and Bavarian dialect groups. Furthermore, the High Franconian dialects, spoken up to the Speyer line isogloss in the north, are often also included in the Upper German dialect group. Whether they should be included as part of Upper German or instead classified as Central German is an open question, as they have traits of both Upper and Central German and are frequently described as a transitional zone. Hence, either scheme can be encountered. Erzgebirgisch, usually lumped in with Upper Saxon on geographical grounds, is closer to East Franconian linguistically, especially the western dialects of Erzgebirgisch.

Upper German is divided roughly in multiple different ways, for example in:

or:

or:

or writing dialects (Schriftdialekte, Schreibdialekte) in the Early New High German times:

In English there is also a grouping into: