Difference between revisions of "Language/German/Pronunciation/Alphabet-and-Pronunciation"
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'''The german alphabet and special sounds''', explained in english sounds. | '''The german alphabet and special sounds''', explained in english sounds. | ||
{| class=wikitable | {| class="wikitable" | ||
!Letter | !Letter | ||
|A a | |A a | ||
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|/t͡sɛt/ | |/t͡sɛt/ | ||
|} | |} | ||
{| class=wikitable | {| class="wikitable" | ||
!Letter | !Letter | ||
|Ä ä | |Ä ä | ||
| Line 73: | Line 73: | ||
|} | |} | ||
The | The German alphabet contains 26 Letters, as well as four more letters (but for some reason they are not part of the regular alphabet) | ||
It's really hard to describe it in letters, but I'll give it my best try. | It's really hard to describe it in letters, but I'll give it my best try. | ||
# A, this is like the a in garden. It's way more dark and deeper than the english a. | # A, this is like the a in garden. It's way more dark and deeper than the english a. | ||
# B, | # B, sounds like beh | ||
# C, sounds like tseh | # C, sounds like tseh | ||
# D, deh | # D, deh | ||
| Line 84: | Line 84: | ||
# F, eff | # F, eff | ||
# G, like Gordon | # G, like Gordon | ||
# H, ha, like the | # H, ha, like the English "huh?" sound, once more more open though | ||
# I, like in impress or "in", more open | # I, like in impress or "in", more open | ||
# J, the letter is called jot, pronounced as yot, the sound itself is y | # J, the letter is called jot, pronounced as yot, the sound itself is y | ||
| Line 91: | Line 91: | ||
# M, emm | # M, emm | ||
# N, enn | # N, enn | ||
# O, almost like | # O, almost like English o, but like the a before, more dark and deeper, it's not a swinging sound, it's pronounced kind of lazy, you don't say oh, but ooo | ||
# P, peh | # P, peh | ||
# Q, this has two used sounds, the first is kweh, the other is kuh, the u again a dark sound. Further explanation: The | # Q, this has two used sounds, the first is kweh, the other is kuh, the u again a dark sound. Further explanation: The German sound of "Q-Tip" would be Kjuh-Tip, if you skip that j in the middle, you got it | ||
# R, err, the | # R, err, the English R I'd write down phonetic as Rw. For example Richard sounds to German speakers like Rwicharwd. German doesn't have that w-swing, between words it bends more to an A than W. In the beginning its like rr, like a you do a horny sound. | ||
# S. ess | # S. ess | ||
# T, teh | # T, teh | ||
# U, as all the other vowels, it is deep and dark sounding, the | # U, as all the other vowels, it is deep and dark sounding, the German phonetic of the English U would be "juh", you must skip that j sound from the beginning | ||
# V, fau (au is a dipthong, a | # V, fau (au is a dipthong, a double sound, i explain further later) | ||
# W, weh | # W, weh | ||
# X, iks (a little bit like eeks, but the i does not equal ee entirely, it's a shorter and harder sound) | # X, iks (a little bit like eeks, but the i does not equal ee entirely, it's a shorter and harder sound) | ||
# Y, üpsilonn / ipsilonn (Ü | # Y, üpsilonn / ipsilonn (Ü explanation coming soon) | ||
# Z, tsett | # Z, tsett | ||
I heavily advice you to listen to the sounds in | I heavily advice you to listen to the sounds in YouTube videos. It's almost impossible to describe them properly. You must get a sense for it yourself. Nevertheless, here comes the four letters which are part of regular words, but aren't part of the alphabet. | ||
# ß, this one is like a | # ß, this one is like a double s, it does not have a big writing, it only exists in the small form, if you have to write it in big, you do SS instead. | ||
# ö, if you make an O sound, put your tongue more forward to your lower teeth and sharpen your lips a bit | # ö, if you make an O sound, put your tongue more forward to your lower teeth and sharpen your lips a bit | ||
# ü, probably the hardest one for | # ü, probably the hardest one for English speakers,try it the same way as explained in Ö | ||
# ä, this comes close to the | # ä, this comes close to the English a sound, but doesn't swing in voice so much, it's darker, it's almost like if you wondering "eeeehm?" The tongue does not go forward here, but rather a bit upward, not too much though | ||
Now we are coming to Diphthongs and special sounds, which are very important. If two or three certain letters come | Now we are coming to Diphthongs and special sounds, which are very important. If two or three certain letters come together, they form a new sound. | ||
# Sch, is exactly the same like | # Sch, is exactly the same like English sh. It is NOT like English "school", but it's like "shit" | ||
# Ch, this sound doesn't exist in | # Ch, this sound doesn't exist in English, it's a throaty one, imagine a cat making it's angry sound, like a cat roar/hiss, not so much pressure on it though | ||
# St, mostly becomes a spoken sch | # St, mostly becomes a spoken sch | ||
# ie, this only occurs in the middle of a word, never at beginning, it is called the "long i" or sometimes "mute e", so it's basically like a longer pronounced i | # ie, this only occurs in the middle of a word, never at beginning, it is called the "long i" or sometimes "mute e", so it's basically like a longer pronounced i | ||
# Ei, sounds a 100% like the | # Ei, sounds a 100% like the English i | ||
# Ai, again like i | # Ai, again like i | ||
# Au, is like a ow, like the sound you make if you hurt yourself | # Au, is like a ow, like the sound you make if you hurt yourself | ||
# Äu, is like oi | # Äu, is like oi | ||
# Eu, the same | # Eu, the same again, oi | ||
# ee, is a longer stretched | # ee, is a longer stretched German e sound | ||
# aa, is a longer | # aa, is a longer stretched German a sound | ||
Now for some | Now for some useful examples. | ||
*Das Haus (the house) sounds like dass hows | *Das Haus (the house) sounds like dass hows | ||
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*Die Straße (the street) sounds like dee shdrrahseh | *Die Straße (the street) sounds like dee shdrrahseh | ||
*Vier (four) sounds like fear (but the R comes close to an A, so it could also be described as | *Vier (four) sounds like fear (but the R comes close to an A, so it could also be described as German fia) | ||
Again, I strongly suggest you to watch various videos of it. I recommend you the | Again, I strongly suggest you to watch various videos of it. I recommend you the YouTube channel "Deutsch für euch". | ||
'''For example:''' | '''For example:''' | ||
Revision as of 11:33, 26 November 2018
The german alphabet and special sounds, explained in english sounds.
| Letter | A a | B b | C c | D d | E e | F f | G g | H h | I i | J j | K k | L l | M m | N n | O o | P p | Q q | R r | S s | T t | U u | V v | W w | X x | Y y | Z z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPA of Name | /aː/ | /beː/ | /t͡seː/ | /deː/ | /eː/ | /ɛf/ | /ɡeː/ | /haː/ | /iː/ | /jɔt/; /jeː/ | /kaː/ | /ɛl/ | /ɛm/ | /ɛn/ | /oː/ | /peː/ | /kuː/; /kveː/ | /ɛʁ/ | /ɛs/ | /teː/ | /uː/ | /faʊ̯/ | /veː/ | /ɪks/ | /ˈʏpsilɔn/; /ʏˈpsiːlɔn/ | /t͡sɛt/ |
| Letter | Ä ä | Ö ö | Ü ü | ẞ ß |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPA of Name | /ɛː/ | /øː/ | /yː/ | /ɛsˈt͡sɛt/, /ˈʃaʁfəs ɛs/ |
The German alphabet contains 26 Letters, as well as four more letters (but for some reason they are not part of the regular alphabet)
It's really hard to describe it in letters, but I'll give it my best try.
- A, this is like the a in garden. It's way more dark and deeper than the english a.
- B, sounds like beh
- C, sounds like tseh
- D, deh
- E, an e like in "enter", but a little longer and more open pronounced
- F, eff
- G, like Gordon
- H, ha, like the English "huh?" sound, once more more open though
- I, like in impress or "in", more open
- J, the letter is called jot, pronounced as yot, the sound itself is y
- K, kah
- L, ell
- M, emm
- N, enn
- O, almost like English o, but like the a before, more dark and deeper, it's not a swinging sound, it's pronounced kind of lazy, you don't say oh, but ooo
- P, peh
- Q, this has two used sounds, the first is kweh, the other is kuh, the u again a dark sound. Further explanation: The German sound of "Q-Tip" would be Kjuh-Tip, if you skip that j in the middle, you got it
- R, err, the English R I'd write down phonetic as Rw. For example Richard sounds to German speakers like Rwicharwd. German doesn't have that w-swing, between words it bends more to an A than W. In the beginning its like rr, like a you do a horny sound.
- S. ess
- T, teh
- U, as all the other vowels, it is deep and dark sounding, the German phonetic of the English U would be "juh", you must skip that j sound from the beginning
- V, fau (au is a dipthong, a double sound, i explain further later)
- W, weh
- X, iks (a little bit like eeks, but the i does not equal ee entirely, it's a shorter and harder sound)
- Y, üpsilonn / ipsilonn (Ü explanation coming soon)
- Z, tsett
I heavily advice you to listen to the sounds in YouTube videos. It's almost impossible to describe them properly. You must get a sense for it yourself. Nevertheless, here comes the four letters which are part of regular words, but aren't part of the alphabet.
- ß, this one is like a double s, it does not have a big writing, it only exists in the small form, if you have to write it in big, you do SS instead.
- ö, if you make an O sound, put your tongue more forward to your lower teeth and sharpen your lips a bit
- ü, probably the hardest one for English speakers,try it the same way as explained in Ö
- ä, this comes close to the English a sound, but doesn't swing in voice so much, it's darker, it's almost like if you wondering "eeeehm?" The tongue does not go forward here, but rather a bit upward, not too much though
Now we are coming to Diphthongs and special sounds, which are very important. If two or three certain letters come together, they form a new sound.
- Sch, is exactly the same like English sh. It is NOT like English "school", but it's like "shit"
- Ch, this sound doesn't exist in English, it's a throaty one, imagine a cat making it's angry sound, like a cat roar/hiss, not so much pressure on it though
- St, mostly becomes a spoken sch
- ie, this only occurs in the middle of a word, never at beginning, it is called the "long i" or sometimes "mute e", so it's basically like a longer pronounced i
- Ei, sounds a 100% like the English i
- Ai, again like i
- Au, is like a ow, like the sound you make if you hurt yourself
- Äu, is like oi
- Eu, the same again, oi
- ee, is a longer stretched German e sound
- aa, is a longer stretched German a sound
Now for some useful examples.
- Das Haus (the house) sounds like dass hows
- Der Baum (the tree) sounds like dare bowm
- Das Tier (the animal) sounds like dass teer
- Der Mais (the corn) sounds like dare mice
- Das Paar (the pair) sounds like dass pahr
- Der Bär (the bear) sounds like dare bare (but the R sound is heavier)
- Die Straße (the street) sounds like dee shdrrahseh
- Vier (four) sounds like fear (but the R comes close to an A, so it could also be described as German fia)
Again, I strongly suggest you to watch various videos of it. I recommend you the YouTube channel "Deutsch für euch".
For example: