German Sounds A–Z
How each letter and letter combination is actually pronounced, with real example words. Reference only — nothing here is graded or tracked.
A
Pronunciation of A| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| a | ah | Mann |
| aa | long ah | Haar |
| ah | long ah | fahren |
Ä
Pronunciation of Ä| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| ä | e | Mädchen |
| äh | long e | ähnlich |
| äu | oy | Häuser |
B
Pronunciation of B| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| b | b | Ball |
| b (end of word) | p | ab → ap |
C
Pronunciation of C| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| c | k (mostly foreign words) | |
| ch | two sounds — see CH | |
| ck | k | |
CH
Very important — the two CH sounds depend entirely on the preceding vowel.
Pronunciation of CH| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| ch (after a, o, u, au) | kh | Buch |
| ch (after e, i, ä, ö, ü, ei, eu) | soft "h" (Ich-Laut) | ich |
| chs | ks | sechs |
D
Pronunciation of D| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| d | d | Hund |
| d (end) | t | Hund → Hunt |
E
Pronunciation of E| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| e | eh | Bett |
| ee | long eh | Tee |
| eh | long eh | gehen |
| er (end) | uh | Lehrer |
EI family
All four spellings sound identical.
Pronunciation of EI family| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| ei | eye | mein |
| ai | eye | Mai |
| ay | eye | Bayern |
| ey | eye | Meyer |
EU family
Pronunciation of EU family| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| eu | oy | heute |
| äu | oy | Häuser |
F
Pronunciation of F| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| f | f | Fenster |
G
Pronunciation of G| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| g | g | gut |
| g (end) | k | Tag |
H
Pronunciation of H| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| h | h | Haus |
| vowel + h | silent (lengthens vowel) | fahren |
I
Pronunciation of I| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| i | short ee | ich |
| ie | long ee | sie |
| ih | long ee | ihm |
J
Pronunciation of J| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| j | y | Ja / Junge / Jahr |
K
Pronunciation of K| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| k | k | Kind |
L
Pronunciation of L| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| l | l | Leben |
M
Pronunciation of M| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| m | m | Mutter |
N
Pronunciation of N| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| n | n | Name |
NG
Pronunciation of NG| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| ng | ng | singen / bringen |
NK
Pronunciation of NK| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| nk | nk | danke / Bank |
O
Pronunciation of O| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| o | o | kommen |
| oo | long o | Boot |
| oh | long o | wohnen |
Ö
Pronunciation of Ö| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| ö | "ir" with rounded lips | schön |
| öh | long ö | fröhlich |
P
Pronunciation of P| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| p | p | Papier |
PH
Pronunciation of PH| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| ph | f | Philosophie |
Q
Pronunciation of Q| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| qu | kv | Quelle |
R
Pronunciation of R| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| r | throat r | rot |
| er (end) | uh | Vater |
S
Pronunciation of S| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| s (start, before vowel) | z | sagen |
| s (between vowels) | z | lesen |
| s (end) | s | das |
| ss | s | Wasser |
| ß (written as "ss" in this app) | s | Straße → Strasse |
| sch | sh | Schule |
| sp (start) | shp | Sport |
| st (start) | sht | Stadt |
SCH
Pronunciation of SCH| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| sch | sh | Schule / schön / schnell |
SP
Pronunciation of SP| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| sp (start of word) | shp | Sport / Spiel / sparen |
| sp (middle of word) | normal sp | Wespe |
ST
Pronunciation of ST| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| st (start of word) | sht | Stadt / Stein / Strasse |
| st (middle/end) | normal st | ist / Fenster |
T
Pronunciation of T| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| t | t | Tag |
TSCH
Pronunciation of TSCH| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| tsch | ch (as in chair) | Tschüss / Deutschland |
TH
Pronunciation of TH| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| th | t (usually) | Theater |
U
Pronunciation of U| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| u | oo | und |
| uh | long oo | Uhr |
Ü
Pronunciation of Ü| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| ü | "ee" with rounded lips | über |
| üh | long ü | früh |
V
Pronunciation of V| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| v (German words) | f | Vater |
| v (foreign words) | v | Video |
W
Pronunciation of W| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| w | v | Wasser / Winter / Wein |
X
Pronunciation of X| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| x | ks | Taxi |
Y
Pronunciation of Y| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| y (German words) | ü | |
| y (foreign words) | y | |
Z
Pronunciation of Z| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| z | ts | Zeit / Zimmer / Zoo |
ß (not used in this app)
This app writes ss instead of ß everywhere (the same convention used in Switzerland). Standard German outside Switzerland still uses ß — worth recognizing it if you see it elsewhere, even though you won't type it here.
Pronunciation of ß (not used in this app)| Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|
| ß → ss | s | Straße/heißen/Fuß in standard German → Strasse/heissen/Fuss here |
Worth learning next
Advanced combinations, once the basics above feel comfortable.
Advanced endings and combinations| Ending | Sound | Example |
|---|
| -ig | "ich" sound at the end of many words | richtig, wenig |
| -tion | tsion | Information |
| -tional | tsional | international |
| -ieren | ee-ren | studieren |
| -lich, -isch, -eur, -ette | common endings worth learning after the basics | |