German Pronunciation

For English speakers, the German alphabet is fairly easy to grasp. There's only one extra character (the esszett: ß), and three vowels can have an umlaut (two dots above the letter: ä, ö, ü), which changes their pronunciation.

What's usually more challenging is the phonology - learning to pronounce certain sounds that might be unfamiliar to us. In this lesson, we'll cover both the German alphabet and some key pronunciation rules. Let's start with the alphabet!

1. How To Pronounce The Alphabet

First, let's go over the basics by running through the alphabet, focusing on how each letter is pronounced. Click on the letters to hear their pronunciation.

Great! 🎉

Now, let's take a closer look at the letters that may be new or unusual to us.

2. The German Umlaut

In German, the vowels A, O, and U can be modified with an umlaut—a pair of dots above the letter. These umlauted vowels have a different pronunciation from their original forms.

das Gebäck

pastry

die Kröte

toad

der Müll

garbage

Additionally, there's an extra letter in the German alphabet called the esszett: ß, also known as the hard or double S.

die Straße

street

die Süßigkeiten

sweets

der Blumenstrauß

flower bouquet

3. Umlaut Pronunciation: Ä, Ö & Ü

Tap the letters below to hear the pronunciation of the umlauts compared to the original vowels.

Now give it a try! Say the letters out loud, using the notes below to guide you.

• The umlauted äsounds like the "e" in "kept" or "get."
• The öis like the "o" sound in "worm."
• To make the üsound, say "ee" (like in "meet") and, without moving your tongue, shape your lips into a tight O.

Here are some words with Ä, Ö, or Ü:

das Gebäck

der Bär

bear

die Kröte

die Kopfhörer

headphones

der Müll

die Süßigkeiten

4. Pronunciation Exercise: The Umlaut

Test your pronunciation by reading the sentences out loud. Compare your pronunciation with the audio recordings.

Pay close attention to how you pronounce the vowels and their umlauted versions.

Well done 🎉

Now that you understand umlaut pronunciation, let's move on to some tricky consonants.

5. Consonant Pronunciation: S/ß, R, Ch

Most German consonants are fairly easy to pronounce, but a few sounds can be tricky at first. In this section, we'll cover the German S/ß, R, and Ch sounds, each with both a hard and soft version.

The German S

So far, we've learned about the esszett (ß or SS) and the standard S in the German alphabet.

The esszett has a slightly sharper sound compared to the standard S.

ß Sound

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The German ẞ sound is similar to the hissing sound a snake makes.

Here are some words that include the letter ß.

The standard S often sounds like the English "Z".

However, in some cases, it can sound like an esszett, especially at the end of a word:

Additionally, when an S is positioned at the beginning or middle of a word, and just before a T or P, it is pronounced SHT, or SHP:

Lastly, when an S is followed by a CH, it is pronounced much like the English sound SH.

In summary:

• ß always has a hard S sound
• S can be soft or hard
• ST and SP at the beginning or middle of a word are pronounced SHT and SHP
• SCH sounds like the English SH

Pronunciation Exercise: The German S

Try this tongue twister. Read it to yourself, then listen to the audio recording.

Now try saying it out loud. Take your time and think about how each word should sound based on what you've learned.

Great work! 🎉 Now let's move on to the next consonant: the German R.

The German R

Like the S sounds, the German R has two variations: a hard R and a soft R. The hard R is the rolling R - one of the most recognizable sounds in German, like a revving engine:

R Sound

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The German R sounds a little bit like a car engine.

To practice, focus on making the sound from the back of your throat, as if you're gargling. This sound is used:

• at the beginning of a word
• after a consonant
• before a syllable

The second R sound is softer, similar to the English Asound in "tap." It's used:

• at the end of a word or syllable
• between a vowel and a consonant

Pronunciation Exercise: The German R

Slowly say the tongue twister out loud, paying attention to the R sounds. Then, compare it to the recording. Did it sound the same?

Great Job 🎉

Let's move on to the last tricky consonant: the German Ch.

The German Ch

Like the R and S sounds, the German Ch has both a hard and soft version. The soft Ch sounds like the hissing of a cat:

Ch Sound

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The German Ch sounds like the angry hissing of a cat.

This sound is used:

• at the beginning of words
• after the vowels I, E, Ä, Ö, Ü
• after R and L

The hard Ch, on the other hand, is similar to the hard Rbut made with the tongue against the roof of the mouth, rather than with the throat. It's used:

• after A, O, and U vowels.

Pronunciation Exercise: The German Ch

Try this tongue twister! Say it slowly and focus on the Ch sounds, then compare it to the recording.

Good job 🎉!

You have now learned the tricky German S, R and Chsounds! You're ready to move on to the next lesson: German nouns.