German pronunciation: every sound, umlaut and stress rule, with audio
German pronunciation follows its spelling closely: once you know the rules, you can read almost any word aloud. The work for English speakers is a handful of new sounds — ü, ö, the two ch sounds and the back-of-the-throat r — plus long versus short vowels, b/d/g turning into p/t/k at the end of a word, and stress on the first syllable of the stem.
- Every vowel comes long or short, and length changes the word (Stadt vs. Staat)
- ü and ö are "ee" and "eh" said with tightly rounded lips
- ch is soft after e, i, ä, ö, ü (ich) and raspy after a, o, u (Buch); r is made in the throat
- w = v, v = f, z = ts — and a final b, d, g sounds like p, t, k
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ich
The ch is a soft hiss with the middle of the tongue high, like a whispered "y" — or the h of "huge" said with more air.
I
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German vowels: long, short and umlauts
German has eight vowel letters — a, e, i, o, u and the umlauts ä, ö, ü — and almost every one comes in a long and a short version. Long vowels are tense and held; short vowels are lax and clipped. The difference changes meaning (Stadt "city" vs. Staat "state"), so treat length as part of the word.
Long e and o are pure: unlike English "say" and "go", they never glide into a y or a w at the end.
a, e, i, o, u
| Spelling | IPA | Sounds like (US English) | Examples — tap to hear |
|---|---|---|---|
| a, aa, ah (long) | /aː/ | The a of "father", held long. | Tag[taːk] · dayVater[ˈfaːtɐ] · father |
| a (short) | /a/ | The same a, short — never the a of "cat". | Mann[man] · manStadt[ʃtat] · city |
| e, ee, eh (long) | /eː/ | The "ay" of "say" with no y-glide: lips spread, tongue still. | Beet[beːt] · flower bedgehen[ˈɡeːən] · to go |
| e (short) | /ɛ/ | The e of "bet". | Bett[bɛt] · bedessen[ˈɛsn̩] · to eat |
| e (unstressed) | /ə/ | The a of "sofa". In -en it is often swallowed: haben [ˈhaːbn̩]. | bitte[ˈbɪtə] · pleasehaben[ˈhaːbn̩] · to have |
| i, ie, ih (long) | /iː/ | The "ee" of "see", long, with no glide. | Liebe[ˈliːbə] · loveihr[iːɐ̯] · you (pl.); her |
| i (short) | /ɪ/ | The i of "bit". | ist[ɪst] · isKind[kɪnt] · child |
| o, oo, oh (long) | /oː/ | The o of "go" without the w at the end: round the lips and hold. | Sohn[zoːn] · sonBoot[boːt] · boat |
| o (short) | /ɔ/ | The o of "sort" without the r, short, lips rounded — not the a-like o of American "hot". | Sonne[ˈzɔnə] · sunkommen[ˈkɔmən] · to come |
| u, uh (long) | /uː/ | The "oo" of "food", lips tightly rounded. | gut[ɡuːt] · goodBuch[buːx] · book |
| u (short) | /ʊ/ | The oo of "book". | Mutter[ˈmʊtɐ] · motherund[ʊnt] · and |
The umlauts: ä, ö, ü
ö and ü are front vowels with rounded lips — the tongue says "e" or "ee" while the lips say "o" or "oo". English has nothing like them. ä is simply an e sound.
| Spelling | IPA | Sounds like (US English) | Examples — tap to hear |
|---|---|---|---|
| ä, äh (long) | /ɛː/ | The e of "bet", held long. Many speakers say it exactly like long e /eː/. | Käse[ˈkɛːzə] · cheesespät[ʃpɛːt] · late |
| ä (short) | /ɛ/ | The e of "bet" — the same sound as short e. | Männer[ˈmɛnɐ] · menÄpfel[ˈɛpfl̩] · apples |
| ö, öh (long) | /øː/ | Say a pure "ay" (as in "say", no glide), then round your lips forward without moving the tongue. Drill it → | schön[ʃøːn] · beautifulhören[ˈhøːʁən] · to hear |
| ö (short) | /œ/ | The e of "bet" with rounded lips. Drill it → | können[ˈkœnən] · can; to be ablezwölf[tsvœlf] · twelve |
| ü, üh, y (long) | /yː/ | Say "ee" as in "see", then round your lips tightly as for "oo" — keep the tongue where it was. Drill it → | über[ˈyːbɐ] · over; aboutTür[tyːɐ̯] · door |
| ü, y (short) | /ʏ/ | The i of "bit" with rounded lips. Drill it → | fünf[fʏnf] · fiveGlück[ɡlʏk] · luck; happiness |
Diphthongs: three glides
German has only three diphthongs. ei and ie are the classic trap: say the SECOND letter — ei is "eye", ie is "ee".
| Spelling | IPA | Sounds like (US English) | Examples — tap to hear |
|---|---|---|---|
| ei, ai (ey, ay) | /aɪ̯/ | The "eye" of "eye". | mein[maɪ̯n] · myzwei[tsvaɪ̯] · twoMaiMay |
| eu, äu | /ɔʏ̯/ | The "oy" of "boy". | neu[nɔʏ̯] · newheute[ˈhɔʏ̯tə] · todayHäuser[ˈhɔʏ̯zɐ] · houses |
| au | /aʊ̯/ | The "ow" of "how". | Haus[haʊ̯s] · houseFrau[fʁaʊ̯] · woman; Mrs.auch[aʊ̯x] · also |
Long: doubled vowel, vowel + h, ie, or one consonant after
A doubled vowel (Boot), a silent h after the vowel (Sohn, Kuh), ie (Liebe) and, in most words, a single consonant after a stressed vowel (gut, Tag) mark a long vowel. ß also follows long vowels and diphthongs (Fuß, heißen).
Short: double consonant or a cluster after
A double consonant (Bett, Mutter, Wasser) or two or more consonants (Kind, fünf) usually mean a short vowel. A few short words break the rule (das, mit, in, ob are short).
German consonants, letter by letter
Most German consonants are English ones with different spellings: w is a v, v is usually an f, z is "ts", and s before a vowel is a z. The genuinely new sounds are the two ch sounds and the r. Unlike English, German spells these consistently, so one rule covers every word.
Familiar sounds, different letters
| Spelling | IPA | Sounds like (US English) | Examples — tap to hear |
|---|---|---|---|
| w | /v/ | Always the v of "very" — never the w of "way". Drill it → | Wasser[ˈvasɐ] · waterWein[vaɪ̯n] · winewie[viː] · how |
| v | /f/ (loanwords /v/) | Usually the f of "far". In loanwords from Latin or French it is a v. | Vater[ˈfaːtɐ] · fatherviel[fiːl] · muchKlavier[klaˈviːɐ̯] · piano |
| z, tz | /ts/ | The ts of "cats" — even at the start of a word. Also -tion is [tsi̯oːn]. | Zeit[tsaɪ̯t] · timezehn[tseːn] · tenKatze[ˈkatsə] · cat |
| s (before a vowel) | /z/ | The z of "zoo" at the start of a word or syllable before a vowel. Elsewhere, including at the end of a word, an s. | Sonne[ˈzɔnə] · sunsagen[ˈzaːɡn̩] · to sayRose[ˈʁoːzə] · rose |
| ß, ss | /s/ | A hissed s, as in "see". ß follows long vowels and diphthongs; ss follows short vowels. | Straße[ˈʃtʁaːsə] · streetheißen[ˈhaɪ̯sn̩] · to be calledWasserwater |
| sch | /ʃ/ | The sh of "shoe". | Schule[ˈʃuːlə] · schoolFisch[fɪʃ] · fish |
| sp, st (start of word or stem) | /ʃp/, /ʃt/ | "shp" and "sht" at the start of a word or word stem. Inside or at the end of a stem they stay sp and st (Fenster, ist). | Sport[ʃpɔʁt] · sportsprechen[ˈʃpʁɛçn̩] · to speakverstehen[fɛɐ̯ˈʃteːən] · to understandFenster[ˈfɛnstɐ] · window |
| j | /j/ | The y of "yes" — not the j of "jam". | ja[jaː] · yesJahr[jaːɐ̯] · yearjung[jʊŋ] · young |
| pf | /pf/ | p and f in one quick sound, as in "cupful" said fast — even at the start of a word. | Apfel[ˈapfl̩] · applePferd[pfeːɐ̯t] · horseKopf[kɔpf] · head |
| qu | /kv/ | "kv", not the "kw" of "quick". | bequem[bəˈkveːm] · comfortableQualität[kvaliˈtɛːt] · quality |
| ng | /ŋ/ | The ng of "singer" — never the "ng-g" of "finger". | singen[ˈzɪŋən] · to singFinger[ˈfɪŋɐ] · fingerlang[laŋ] · long |
| h (after a vowel) | (silent) | At the start of a syllable h is an English h. After a vowel it is silent and only marks the vowel as long. | sehen[ˈzeːən] · to seeKuh[kuː] · cow |
The sounds English does not have: ch and r
Which ch you use depends only on the sound before it, so you never have to memorize it word by word.
| Spelling | IPA | Sounds like (US English) | Examples — tap to hear |
|---|---|---|---|
| ch after e, i, ä, ö, ü, ei, eu, l, n, r; -chen | [ç] | The "ich-Laut": the h of "huge" or "hue" with more air — a whispered y. Not k, and not sh. Drill it → | ich[ɪç] · Inicht[nɪçt] · notMilch[mɪlç] · milkMädchen[ˈmɛːtçən] · girl |
| ch after a, o, u, au | [x] | The "ach-Laut": the ch of Scottish "loch" — a raspy scrape where you say k. Drill it → | Buch[buːx] · bookNacht[naxt] · nightdoch[dɔx] · yes (contradicting); after all |
| -ig (end of word) | [ɪç] | Final -ig is said with the soft ch: "ich". (Before a vowel the g returns: Könige.) | König[ˈkøːnɪç] · kingzwanzig[ˈtsvantsɪç] · twentywenig[ˈveːnɪç] · little; few |
| chs | /ks/ | "ks", as in "box". | sechs[zɛks] · sixFuchs[fʊks] · fox |
| r (before a vowel) | [ʁ] | Made at the back of the mouth, close to the French r: a soft gargle where you say g. The tongue tip stays down. Drill it → | rot[ʁoːt] · redRad[ʁaːt] · wheel; bikeBrot[bʁoːt] · bread |
| -er, and r after a long vowel | [ɐ] | The r turns into a vowel: a short, open "uh", like the a of "sofa" with the jaw a little lower. No r at all. Drill it → | Vater[ˈfaːtɐ] · fatheraber[ˈaːbɐ] · buthier[hiːɐ̯] · hereUhr[uːɐ̯] · clock; o'clock |
| (word-initial vowel) | [ʔ] | A tiny catch in the throat before a vowel, like the break in "uh-oh". See the glottal stop rule below. Drill it → | Arbeit[ˈʔaʁbaɪ̯t] · workein Ei[ʔaɪ̯n ˈʔaɪ̯] · an egg |
Final devoicing and the glottal stop
Two rules shape how German words begin and end. Both are automatic for native speakers, and both are invisible in the spelling — which is why English speakers miss them.
Final b, d, g become p, t, k (Auslautverhärtung)
At the end of a word or syllable, b, d, g and the z sound of s lose their voice: b → p, d → t, g → k, z → s (Häuser [z], Haus [s]). Add an ending that starts with a vowel and the voiced sound comes back: Hund [hʊnt] but Hunde [ˈhʊndə].
Same sound, different spelling
Because of devoicing, Rad (wheel) and Rat (advice) sound identical: [ʁaːt]. The same rule applies inside compounds and before consonant endings: Kindheit is [ˈkɪnthaɪ̯t].
A vowel at the start of a word gets a glottal stop
German words and stems that begin with a vowel start with a small catch in the throat [ʔ]. Words are not linked the English way ("an apple" → "a-napple"): "ein Ei" stays two clean beats.
Inside a word, too
The catch also appears after a prefix when the stem starts with a vowel: be-antworten, ver-ein. It keeps the parts of the word audibly separate.
Reading about a sound is not the same as making it. The TonePerfect app gives you a short daily German session built from your own weakest sounds, and scores every take.
Word stress: the first syllable of the stem
German stress is stronger than Spanish or French stress, and it usually falls on the first syllable of the word stem. Most of the work is knowing which prefixes count as part of the stem and which do not.
Native words: stress the first syllable of the stem
Simple words and their endings keep the stress at the front.
Inseparable prefixes are never stressed
be-, ge-, er-, ver-, zer-, ent- and emp- stay unstressed; the stress moves to the stem right after them.
Separable prefixes are always stressed
an-, auf-, aus-, ein-, mit-, zu- and the other prefixes that split off in a sentence ("ich rufe dich an") take the stress.
Compounds stress the first part
In a compound noun the first word carries the main stress: BAHN-hof, KÜHL-schrank.
Loanwords often stress the end
Words from Latin, French or Greek usually keep the stress late: -ität, -ion, -ie, -ieren and -ei are stressed.
Unstressed syllables still keep their vowels
German reduces unstressed e to a schwa, but a, i, o, u and the umlauts keep their quality even without stress. Do not turn the u of "Musik" into "uh".
The 8 mistakes English speakers make in German
- 1
Saying "oo" for ü and "uh" or "er" for ö
ü is not "oo" and ö is not the "er" of "her". Both keep the tongue forward, as for "ee" and "eh", while the lips round. Mutter (mother) and Mütter (mothers), schon (already) and schön (beautiful) are different words.
MütterschönBücher - 2
Turning ch into k or sh
ich is not "ick" or "ish", and Buch is not "book". Use the soft [ç] after front vowels and consonants, and the raspy [x] after a, o, u and au. Kirche (church) and Kirsche (cherry) differ only in ch versus sch.
ichKircheBuch - 3
Using the American r — and pronouncing the r in -er
German r is made in the throat, not with the tongue curled back. At the end of a syllable it is not a consonant at all: Vater ends in a short "uh" [ɐ], not "fah-ter" with an American r.
rotVaterBruder - 4
Gliding the long e and o
English "say" and "go" end in a y or w glide. German See [zeː] and so [zoː] stay pure from start to finish. A glide makes Beet sound almost like "bait".
SeeBootTee - 5
Reading w, v, z and st the English way
w is v (Wasser), v is mostly f (Vater), z is ts (Zeit), and st or sp at the start of a stem is "sht" or "shp" (Stadt, Sport). These are spelling rules, not exceptions — they apply in every word.
WasserZeitStadt - 6
Keeping b, d and g voiced at the end of a word
Final b, d, g are p, t, k: Hund is "hunt", Tag is "tahk", gelb is "gelp". A buzzed final d is one of the clearest signs of an English accent.
HundTagKind - 7
Ignoring vowel length
Length is part of the word. Staat (state) has a long a; Stadt (city) a short one. Beet (flower bed) and Bett (bed), Höhle (cave) and Hölle (hell) work the same way. Hold long vowels noticeably longer.
StaatStadtHöhle - 8
Running words together over vowels
English links "an egg" into "a-negg". German starts a vowel-initial word with a small glottal catch, so "ein Ei" is two separate beats. Smoothing it over sounds slurred to German ears.
ein Eiam Abend
Minimal pairs: words that differ by one sound
Each pair differs in one sound — an umlaut, a vowel length or a single consonant — and means something different. Listen to both, then say them. If you can hear and produce the difference, that sound is under control.
Short u versus short ü: same tongue height, but ü keeps the tongue forward.
Long o versus long ö: round lips in both, tongue back for o, forward for ö.
Short a versus long a — the only difference is length.
Soft ch [ç] versus sch [ʃ]: for ch the lips stay spread and the tongue tip down.
Short open e versus long closed e (with no "y" glide).
Short open ö versus long closed ö.
Short ü versus long ü — the h only marks length.
Long e versus long ö: keep the tongue still and only round the lips.
A note on the score: the recorder scores each sound against the word you were asked to say, so a ü said as "oo" shows up as a low score on the ü — but it cannot tell you which vowel you said instead. Use the audio to compare.
Now say the pairs — get a score for each word
Same free recorder, same daily limit. Hold long vowels long and keep the umlauts forward.
Mütter
Short ü: say the i of "bit" and round the lips. The -er is a short "uh".
mothers
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Standard German vs. regional accents
This guide describes Standard German (Hochdeutsch) as it is taught and broadcast in Germany. Southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland speak the same standard with a few audible differences. You will be understood with either; pick one model and stay consistent.
Final -ig: "ich" or "ik"
Standard German says -ig as [ɪç]. Much of southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland say [ɪk]: König as "KÖ-nik".
The r: throat or tongue tip
The throat r [ʁ] is standard in most of Germany. A tapped or rolled tongue-tip r is common in parts of the south, Austria and Switzerland. The English r is never used.
s before a vowel: z or s
Northern and central speakers say Sonne with a z sound. In the south, Austria and Switzerland it is often a voiceless s.
Long ä: "eh" or "ay"
Careful standard speech keeps long ä [ɛː] apart from long e [eː]. Many northern speakers say both as [eː], so Ähre (ear of grain) and Ehre (honor) sound alike.
The recorder on this page scores against Standard German as described above.
German pronunciation FAQ
Is German pronunciation hard for English speakers?+
Less than it looks. German spelling is far more regular than English, and most consonants exist in English. The hard parts are specific: ü and ö, the two ch sounds, the throat r, long versus short vowels, and final b/d/g said as p/t/k.
Is German pronounced the way it is written?+
Mostly, yes. Once you know a few rules — ei is "eye", ie is "ee", w is v, z is ts, sp/st at the start of a stem are "shp"/"sht", final b/d/g are p/t/k — you can read almost any native word correctly. Loanwords are the main exception.
How do you pronounce ü and ö?+
For ü, say "ee" and round your lips tightly without moving your tongue. For ö, say a pure "ay" (no glide) and round your lips. Both have long and short versions: über, fünf; schön, können.
What is the difference between the two ch sounds?+
After e, i, ä, ö, ü, ei, eu, after l, n, r and in -chen, ch is the soft [ç] of ich — like the h in "huge" with more air. After a, o, u and au it is the raspy [x] of Buch, like Scottish "loch".
How do you pronounce the German r?+
At the start of a syllable, standard German uses a soft r made in the throat [ʁ], close to the French r. At the end of a syllable and in -er it becomes a vowel [ɐ], like a short "uh". A tongue-tip r is also heard in the south, Austria and Switzerland. Never use the American r.
Why does d sound like t at the end of German words?+
Final devoicing: at the end of a word or syllable, b, d and g are said as p, t and k. Hund is [hʊnt], Tag is [taːk]. Add a vowel ending and the voiced sound returns: Hunde, Tage.
Which syllable is stressed in German?+
Usually the first syllable of the stem (VA-ter, AR-bei-ten). The prefixes be-, ge-, er-, ver-, zer-, ent- and emp- are never stressed (be-SU-chen); separable prefixes always are (AN-ru-fen). Many loanwords stress the end (Mu-SIK, U-ni-ver-si-TÄT).
Can I check my German pronunciation online for free?+
Yes — the recorder on this page. Say the word, and each word and each of its sounds gets a score out of 100, weakest first. It runs in your browser and needs no account; the TonePerfect app has the full course.
Keep going
- How to pronounce the German umlauts ü and ö →Tongue and lip positions, with practice words.
- The German ch sound: ich vs. ach →Which one to use, and how to make each.
- How to pronounce the German R →
- German final devoicing →Why Hund ends in a t.
- German sound chart →All 44 sounds with audio.
- Free German pronunciation test →5 words, a score for each.
- German accent test →
- German pronunciation checker →
Practice German pronunciation every day
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Last reviewed 2026-10-31. Take the free German pronunciation test →