That’s because they are words from other languages like Cafeteria and Computer. While the alphabet pronunciation for C is tsay, most words that start with C are pronounced with a hard “k” sound. W = English V sound – Weg (way) sounds like “vegg” V = English F sound – Vielen Dank (thanks so much) sounds like “Feel-en Dank” J = English Y sound – Jogging sounds like “yogging” J, V, and W easily fool English-speakers because they are pronounced like different letters in English. If you’re trying out the greeting Guten Tag, then the G at the end of Tag becomes like a soft “k” sound, sounding a bit like “tahk”. Just like Mutter (mother) and Butter – R’s are soft!Īnother example of a consonant taking a softer ending is when G comes at the end of a word. If R is at the end of a word then it becomes even softer– almost inaudible– turning into an “uh” sound. If R is at the beginning of a word like Rad (wheel) then it has a stronger sound and can be rolled (some German dialects roll their R’s more, so you may hear various versions in different places!). The main thing to remember is that you need to soften your R sound in German, by moving it farther back in your throat. R is one of the most difficult German letters for English-speakers to get right. Ready for some tips and tricks on German alphabet pronunciation? If you’re up for a challenge, it’s also über cool to try writing the ß by hand! German alphabet pronunciation: Challenging letters for English-speakers In fact, Switzerland and Liechtenstein have completely done away with the ß and only use “ss”. When you’re typing it’s also completely acceptable to replace the ß with “ss”, so that Straße becomes Strasse. The best thing about this letter? It sounds exactly like the “s” sound in English! But it’s simpler than it sounds–it actually just means “ss”. The German letter ß is a ligature and is also called a “ scharfes s” (sharp s). The Eszett: ßĮver heard of a ligature? No, it’s not a medical term – a ligature is when two sounds or letters are put together to make a new letter. You can type schoen instead of schön (beautiful) and German-speakers will know exactly what you mean. If you don’t have a German keyboard, don’t panic – all umlaut vowels can be replaced with typing an E after the vowel instead. Don’t be afraid to look silly or exaggerate the sound! To create the Ü sound, start to make an “eww” sound as if something is disgusting, and then purse your lips like you are going to whistle. For Ö, start by forming the word “look” in your mouth, then purse your lips into an “O” shape. The Ö and Ü vowels are more challenging because their sounds don’t exist in the English language. The sound can be elongated in some words, but make sure it does not slide into an “ay” sound. Ä sounds like the short “eh” sound in the English word “head”. Ä is the umlaut vowel with the closest sound equivalent in English. While ä, ö, and ü are sounds we don’t typically use in the English language, your mouth can learn these sounds with just ein bisschen (a little) effort. The umlaut just means that the letter has its own sound, and is not pronounced the same as the normal vowel without the umlaut. What are the four extra letters in German? Vowels with Umlauts: Ä, Ö, and Üĭon’t let the extra vowels in German scare you away! These three letters are created by adding what’s called an umlaut – two dots – to the top of the vowels. Unlike English, it follows consistent phonetic rules and you can sound out the word according to the alphabet and get the right pronunciation in most situations. Thankfully the German language is very orderly – much like German society. Once you’ve given some attention to the extra vowels, it’s a matter of learning the letters that look the same as English but sound different. The main thing to remember is that if you know English, you already have 26 letters under your belt. If you count these, this brings the count up to 30 letters. While many say that the German alphabet has 26 letters just like English, there are also four additional letters in the German language: ä, ö, ü and ß. If you’re wondering about this question, you’re not alone! Even the experts can’t make up their minds, with some saying 26 while others say 30. Once you can recognize the letters that might trip you up, you’ll be ready to test your skills! How many letters does the German alphabet have? German has all the same letters as English, plus a few more thrown in for fun. The good news is that you already know more than you realize. Intimidated by the German alphabet? You might be tempted to skip it altogether and jump ahead to handy phrases, but taking the time to learn the basic German sounds will take you farther than you think.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |