Introduction to German Pronunciation
1. The German Alphabet
Objective: Learn the German alphabet and the pronunciation of each letter.
The German alphabet consists of 26 letters, plus 4 additional characters: ä, ö, ü, and ß.
1.1. The German Alphabet
| Letter | Name | Pronunciation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Ah | [aː] as in “father” | Apfel (apple) |
| B | Beh | [beː] as in “bed” | Buch (book) |
| C | Tseh | [tseː] as in “cats” (before e, i) | Café (café) |
| D | Deh | [deː] as in “dog” | Deutsch (German) |
| E | Eh | [eː] as in “they” | Essen (food) |
| F | Ef | [ef] as in “fun” | Fenster (window) |
| G | Geh | [geː] as in “go” | Garten (garden) |
| H | Ha | [haː] as in “hat” | Haus (house) |
| I | Ih | [iː] as in “see” | Ich (I) |
| J | Yott | [jɔt] as in “yes” | Junge (boy) |
| K | Kah | [kaː] as in “key” | Kuchen (cake) |
| L | El | [el] as in “love” | Lampe (lamp) |
| M | Em | [em] as in “man” | Mutter (mother) |
| N | En | [en] as in “name” | Nacht (night) |
| O | Oh | [oː] as in “go” | Ofen (oven) |
| P | Peh | [peː] as in “pen” | Papier (paper) |
| Q | Kuh | [kuː] as in “quick” | Qualität (quality) |
| R | Er | [ɛʁ] (soft r) as in “butter” (German pronunciation is guttural) | Rot (red) |
| S | Es | [ɛs] as in “snake” | Sonne (sun) |
| T | Teh | [teː] as in “tea” | Tisch (table) |
| U | Uh | [uː] as in “boot” | Uhr (clock) |
| V | Fau | [faʊ] as in “vow” | Vogel (bird) |
| W | Veh | [veː] as in “vase” | Wasser (water) |
| X | Iks | [ɪks] as in “box” | Taxi (taxi) |
| Y | Üppsilon | [ʏpsilɔn] as in “yoga” (German y is rarely used and pronounced like the French u) | Yacht (yacht) |
| Z | Tset | [tsɛt] as in “pizza” | Zebra (zebra) |
| Ä | Äh | [ɛː] as in “care” | Äpfel (apple) |
| Ö | Öh | [øː] as in “bird” | Köln (Cologne) |
| Ü | Üh | [yː] as in “beet” | München (Munich) |
| ß | Eszett | [s] as in “sun” (used in place of “ss” in some cases) | Straße (street) |
1.2. Common Sounds and Pronunciation Rules
- Short vs. Long Vowels:
- Short vowels are pronounced quickly, e.g., Bett (bed) [ɛ].
- Long vowels are pronounced for a longer duration, e.g., Bett (bed) [eː].
- Umlauts:
- Ä (ä): Pronounced like [ɛː], as in Käse (cheese).
- Ö (ö): Pronounced like [øː], as in Höhle (cave).
- Ü (ü): Pronounced like [yː], as in München (Munich).
- The Letter “R”:
- In German, the letter “R” is often pronounced with a guttural sound, especially in the beginning of words, e.g., Rosa (pink) [ʁoːza].
- Consonant Combinations:
- Sch is pronounced [ʃ], as in Schule (school).
- Ch after “a”, “o”, or “u” is pronounced [χ], as in Buch (book).
- Ch after “e” or “i” is pronounced [ç], as in ich (I).
1.3. Practice Exercises
- Alphabet Practice:
- Repeat each letter of the German alphabet out loud.
- Write out words using each letter.
- Sound Practice:
- Read aloud common German words and focus on the pronunciation of vowels and consonants.
- Practice pronouncing the umlauts and special characters.
- Listening Practice:
- Listen to German audio or video clips and try to identify the pronunciation of different letters and sounds.
- Pronunciation Drill:
- Use online pronunciation tools to practice and compare your pronunciation with native speakers.
Summary:
- The German alphabet is similar to the English alphabet but includes additional characters (ä, ö, ü, ß).
- Common pronunciation rules involve understanding the sounds of vowels, consonants, and special characters.
- Practice exercises include repeating the alphabet, reading words, and listening to native pronunciation to build accuracy.