Intro2German.com
 
German Alphabet & Pronunciation Guide
 
 
©RCAguilar
OBJECTIVE:
Learn how to pronounce German correctly, ... and as much as possible without an accent!
TASK:
LISTEN & REPEAT!!!
PERPLEXED?
Have you tried Chinese?
WHERE TO NEXT?
Look yonder ->
For the convenience of YOU, the learner, you'll find an alphabet box in the upper corner of the right column on many pages, just so you can practice spelling words ... over & over again!
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Figure out which letters you need to work on ... and get to work!

So you want to learn German! Well, this page provides an over-all view of what you need to learn to pronounce words correctly. The drop-down menu above provides direct links to more information concerning different sounds and groupings.

Don't try to learn everything on this page at one sitting. You can refer back to this page over & over again, so you can take off into the Internet in any direction (from anywhere) and when you want to figure out a particular sound, come back to this page and LOOK FOR THE SOUND IN QUESTION.

... unless of course you're somewhat anal retentive and have to know everything at one time. Of course you are welcome to attack the whole alphabet at once, then go on to sing it.
BOTTOM LINE: If you had been born in Köln THAT SAME MOUTH wouldn't have any problem speaking 100% absolutely, totally, completely, and utterly AKZENTFREI ... You would NOT have an accent. Period. So, ... how much you gonna practice? OK ... so you would speak "Kölsch."
Which letter do you want to work on?
 
     
 
VOWELS
      
Special cases
A
  
Normal
Sounds shorter before a double consonant.
Vowel sounds are lengthened when followed by an H.
         
Ä
  
Normal
Sounds shorter before a double consonant.
Vowel sounds are lengthened when followed by an H.
         
E
  
Normal
Sounds shorter before a double consonant.
Vowel sounds are lengthened when followed by an H.
Becomes "uh" at end of word
         
I
  
Normal
Sounds shorter before a double consonant.
Vowel sounds are lengthened when followed by an H.
         
O
  
Normal
Sounds shorter before a double consonant.
Vowel sounds are lengthened when followed by an H.
         
Ö
 
Normal
Sounds shorter before a double consonant.
Vowel sounds are lengthened when followed by an H.
         
U
  
Normal
Sounds shorter before a double consonant.
Vowel sounds are lengthened when followed by an H.
         
Ü
  
Normal
Sounds shorter before a double consonant.
Vowel sounds are lengthened when followed by an H.
   
For groupings of vowels (diphthongs) or double vowels go to this page.
Consonants
        
B
 The letter B sounds no different from the English B, with the exception of when it's the last letter of a word: then it sounds like a P.
initial
final letter
Job Korb gelb grob  
         
C
 The letter C is a strange character in German. Very few words begin with C, yet when it comes into play ... it's very different!
initial
ts
 Cäser financieren    
almost k
 Chaos Charakter Chronik  
almost sh
Chance charmant Champignon  
almost ch
 Check Charter Cello  
heavy h
 Chemie China Chirurg  
 
         
guttural CH
heavy H
-ck
Rock Blick Stück    
sch
dsch
Dschungel    
tsch
         
D
The letter D sounds no different from the English D, with the exception of when it's the last letter of a word: then it sounds like a T.
normal
final letter
blöd Kind Mund    
         
F
The letter F sounds no different from the English F.
 
Fahne Fell finster Form Fuchs
         
G
  
normal
-ig
sometimes like k
         
H
The letter H sounds no different from the English H, when it makes a sound. If it precedes a vowel, the vowel is lengthened and the H is silent.
         
initial
         
J
 The German letter J most frequently sounds Y. When found in words that are obviously of foreign origin, the J sound may be maintained.
 
         
K
The German letter K sounds no different from the English K. Even when it combines with a C (forming -ck) it sounds the same.
normal
-ck
Rock Blick Stück    
kn
Knie Kneule Knall    
         
L
The German letter L sounds no different from the English L.
 
         
M
The German letter M sounds no different from the English M.
 
         
N
The German letter N sounds no different from the English N.
 
         
P
The German letter P sounds no different from the English P.
normal
pf
ph
         
Q
The German letter Q must be in combination with a U (as in English), and sounds KV together.
 
         
R
The German letter R is a "gargled" sound. Put a drop or two of water in your throat and gargle it. The result will be the same as the German R. In Austria, the R is often trilled with the tongue like the Spanish R.
normal
final
         
S
 The German S sounds like a Z in the initial position and frequently in other positions as well. Pay close attention to the "consonant combinations" requiring the letter S.
normal
Ast ernst öfters Lust finster
initial
Sofa Sattel Söhne    
initial st
initial sp
ss
sch
dsch
Dschungel    
tsch
         
T
The German letter T generally sounds no different from the English T.
normal
sounds TS in -tion
Nation Portion
         
V
 The German letter V generally sounds like the English F.
normal
-vieren
reservieren renovieren promovieren
         
W
 The German letter W generally sounds like the English V.
normal
         
X
 The German letter X generally sounds like the English X (ks).
normal
Hexe Text      
       
Y
 The letter Y in German sounds like the EW in the California version of "dewd." This letter doesn't seem to occur in "German" words.
 
Xylofon Ypsilon
         
Z
The German letter Z always sounds like the English TS.
 
         
ß
 The German ß represents a double SS occurring within one syllable, and can never occur at the beginning of a word.
 
         
 
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