How to Pronounce Words in German
- 1
German vowels can vary in pronunciation depending on how they are used. Long vowels occur when they are followed by a single consonant, are written as double letters, are followed by a silent "h," or come at the end of a word (except for "e"). The letters "ie" are also usually pronounced as a long "i". - 2
Vowels are usually short when followed by two consonants and when they precede "ck". The long vowel sound is retained regardless of the situation if the word root originally had a long vowel sound. - 3
There are combinations of vowels in the German language that have varying sounds when used together. These diphthongs have a set of rules to follow and can sound similar to other vowel sounds. - 4
Many consonants have the same sounds as in English. The others have a set of rules that show how and when to pronounce them in a word in various situations. - 5). Once you have the basics down, the best way to improve your pronunciation is through practice. Audio programs can be useful for listening and repeating.
