German Consonants

3.4: German Consonants

Many German consonants are pronounced similarly to our English language. There are a few differences however. At the end of a word, some consonants are pronounced sharper than usual. In those cases the letter "b" is pronounced like a "p", “g” is pronounced like “k” and "d" is pronounced like a "t". There are also a few others.

Pronunciation of some grouped consonants in a little bit different as well. A couple of the "ich" and/or "ach" sounds in German may be troublesome for you. They are tricky to pronounce at first but once you understand them, it becomes second nature to you. Just remember a few simple rules. The "ch" can be pronounced in two different ways. If it follows a, o, u and au it is pronounced like in the Scottish word “loch”, otherwise it is pronounced in the front of the mouth. There is no sound like that in English. The Rocket German course is a great help to master German pronunciation. See for yourself today how it can help you!

The “h” can be silent or pronounced. But the rule for that is easy: if the h follows a vowel, it’s silent (like in “leihen” (borrow), pronounced LY-EN). If it precedes a vowel, it’s pronounced (like in “Hut” (hat), pronounced HOOT)

Do not try to pronounce everything as you would in English. This is the German language, not the English language. Try not to pronounce certain consonants heavily, such as the letter "r". If you keep these things in mind and follow the Rocket German course, you will be speaking the language in no time at all.

This may seem like a lot to take in, but it really isn't. Just try sounding off the words with the pronunciation techniques you learned in the German alphabet.

German Vowel Pronunciation >>

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