The letter w in German is pronounced the same as the letter v in English. The letter v in German is pronounced the same as the letter f in English. The letter j in German is pronounced the same as the letter y in English. However, the j or hard g sound that exists in English is present in German. It is represented by the consonant cluster dsch, as in Dschungel, the German word for “jungle. “[3] X Research source The letter z in German is pronounced the same as the letters ts in English.
The letters ch represent a sound that doesn’t exist in American English. It’s similar to the Scottish guttural sound in words such as “loch. " The ch sound found in the English word “check” is represented in German by the consonant cluster tsch. For example, the German name for the Czech Republic is Tsechechische Republik. The letters sp sound like shp. If you’re familiar with the word spiel, which is a German word that has found its way into English, you know that it’s actually pronounced “shpeel. " Similar to sp, you add an h sound to the combination st as well to pronounce it sht. It sounds a bit like if you say the words “push to” without a pause between the words. If the letters ts appear next to each other in a German word, such as in the word tschüss (which means “goodbye), you pronounce it like the tz in the English word quartz. [5] X Research source The letters th typically only appear together in foreign words. Because there isn’t an h sound in German like the h in English, th is simply pronounced like a t. [6] X Research source
A vowel is long if it’s the first letter of a word and is followed by an h. If a vowel comes before a cluster of consonants, it is short. If you see double vowels in a word, pronounce a long vowel.
The long A sound is similar to the a sound in the English word “harm. " The short A sound is similar to the u sound in the English word “cut. " The long E sound is similar to the a sound in the English word “say. " The short E sound is similar to the e sound in the English word “set. " The long I sound is similar to the ee sound in the English word “feet. " The short I sound is similar to the i sound in the English word “sit. " The long O sound is similar to the uar sound in the English word “quarter. " The short O sound is similar to the o sound in the English word “hot. " The long U sound is similar to the oo sound in the English word “moon. " The short U sound is similar to the u sound in the English word “bush. " However, you’ll want to round your lips a little more than you would when speaking English to get the sound right.
To make a long ö sound, keep your lips rounded and tense while making the u sound in the English word “burn. " The short ö sound is the same sound as the long ö sound, it just isn’t voiced as long. The long ü sound is a bit like the ew in the English word “pew,” but more rounded. It’s closer to the u sound in the French word une. The short ü sound is exactly the same as the long ü sound, it’s just clipped. To make a long ä sound, try making a long A sound in English, as in the English word “say. " Then open your mouth as wide as you can and stick your tongue out while continuing to make that sound. This is the sound you want to make for a long ä (although preferably without the extreme facial expression). A short ä sounds roughly like the e in the English word “get. "
The combination ei is pronounced like the ie in the English word “lie. " Note that this is the exact opposite order of the same letters. The combination ie is pronounced like the ei in the English word “perceive. " Like the ei combination, this is also the opposite order of the same letters to represent a similar sound. The combination au is pronounced like the ow in the English word “plow. " The combinations eu and äu are pronounced like the oy in the English word “toy. "
For example, you’re likely familiar with a Dachshund. In English, you probably pronounce the u with a short vowel sound similar to the word “hunt. " However, in German, the dog breed’s name is pronounced dahks-hoont. “Hund” is German for “dog” and a “Dachs” is a European badger, so the Dachshund is literally a “badger dog. " Some other German loan words that appear in English include Fahrenheit, kindergarten, hamburger, poltergeist, angst, and pilsner.
If you’re watching a video of native speakers, pay attention to the way their mouths move as they talk. Try to mimic that movement when you speak and notice how it changes your pronunciation. It can be a good idea to record yourself and listen back to how you sound. Naturally, most people don’t like the way they sound on a recording, but no one has to hear it but you. Compare the pronunciation on your recording to the video or audio you have of native German speech.
For example, if you move your mouth when you speak German the same way you move it when you speak American English, you’ll sound like an American speaking German. If you want to try to get rid of your foreign accent as much as possible when you speak German, you’ll have to alter the way you move your mouth. Generally, Germans have more tension in their jaws when they speak, relative to speakers of English or Latin languages such as French and Spanish. Practice clinching your jaw and opening your lips only as much as necessary when you speak.
Follow up your hallo with Wie gehts? This means roughly “How are you?” If the other person asks first, respond with Mir geht es gut, danke and you’ve just said “I’m doing well, thank you” in German. Use ich heisse followed by your name to introduce yourself. More than likely, the person will tell you their name in return, at which point you can say es freut mich, dich kennen zu lernen, which means “pleased to meet you. " If you want to carry on the conversation, ask the person questions that encourage them to talk about themselves or their own interests. Then you can jump in when you want to know more or have something to add. For example, you might ask them Was machst du beruflich? (“What do you do for work?”) or Was machst du ausserhalb der Albeit? (“What do you do after work?”)
Alles klar (literal translation “all clear”) is the German equivalent of “alright” in English. Genau means “right” or “exactly” and is very common in native German speech. It’s used similar to the way English speakers might pepper their conversations with “right” or “sure. " Stimmt is a good response if someone’s said something you agree with. It’s typically used in situations where someone has reminded you of something you haven’t thought of before, kind of like how you might say “Oh! That’s right!” in English.
If you’ve agreed upon something, such as a date to meet, you can say gebongt sein, which essentially means the thing has been decided. The verb bongen refers to ringing up a transaction on a cash register, so the phrase means the transaction (or future plan) has been settled. Was geht ab? is a more casual slang expression that essentially means “What’s up?” If someone asks you this, respond with nicht viel (“not much”) or alles gut (“everything’s good”). If a native German comes up to you and says Na? they’re saying “hello” and asking after your well-being all in one short word. If you reply naaa it implies that you’re doing okay.
For example, if you enjoy watching soccer, you’re in luck, because Germans love soccer. Look for Bundesliga games in German – if you can’t find them on your favorite streaming service or through your cable provider, you may be able to find them streaming online.
For example, you might say Danke, Ich spreche ein bischen Deutsch, which means “Thank you, I only speak a little German. "
You can also change the default language on some apps and websites, including social media apps. While doing this won’t necessarily change posts into German, it will change the menu and messages from the app into German.
Couch/sofa: das Sofa Chair: der Stuhl Nightstand: der Nachttishe Dresser: die Kommode Bed: das Bett Table: der Tisch Bookcase: das Bücherregal
To find German music you like, go to YouTube and search for “German” with the name of a genre. You’ll find some videos to get you started. Electronic music is popular in Germany, but there are also many popular German rappers and hip hop artists. Even if you’re not that into rap, listening to a German rapper will teach you a lot of German slang. It’s worth noting that German rap is typically a lot tamer than American rap.
Film dialogue also typically mimics a natural conversation, so you can get a sense for the rhythm of the language and the way Germans communicate with each other.
If you’re just beginning to learn German, try Nachrichtenleicht (https://www. nachrichtenleicht. de/), a site designed for language learners. Articles are written in simple German, and each article includes a podcast so you can listen to the article being read by a native speaker. Der Spiegel (https://www. spiegel. de/) and Deutsche Welle (https://www. dw. com/de/themen/s-9077) are major news sources in Germany. Although the language can be more complex, you’ll also find photos and videos that can help with your comprehension. Deutsche Welle also has a section specifically geared towards language learners at https://www. dw. com/de/deutsch-lernen/s-2055.
For example, in English, you would use two words – “dining room” – to refer to the room in your house that you eat in. In German, you use one word – Esszimmer – which is made up of the verb ess, which means “to eat,” and the noun zimmer, which means “room. " Quite literally, it is the room where you eat. Likewise, the word for “bedroom” in German is Schlafzimmer (literally, “sleep room”). [25] X Research source That first part can also be an adjective or an adverb. For example, if you purchased illicit or unlicensed goods on the Schwarzmarkt (black market), you might worry about getting caught by the Staatspolizei (state police). You can also add a prefix to a noun to describe or intensify it. For example, if you add ober (which means “over”) to a noun, it generally indicates that the noun is extreme or over the top. So oberpeinlich means “extremely embarrassing. "
