1. Course GENG 1.0.1.
The Alphabet – Das Alphabet (n.)
Letter Pronunciation in English Example
A, a aa [like a in class] Ampel (f.), die [traffic light]
B, b beh [like b in bus] Baum (m.), der [tree]
C, c tseh [ts] Celsius (no article) [degree Celsius]
D, d deh [like d in dance] Daumen (m.), der [thumb]
E, e eh [like e in elephant] Esel (m.), der [donkey]
F, f ef [like f in friend] Freund/in (m./ f.) der/ die [friend]
G, g geh [like g in go] Grund (m.), der [reason, ground]
H, h haa [like h in hotel] Haus (n.), das [house]
I, i ee [like i in India] immer [always]
J, j yott [like y in York] jeder [everyone]
K, k kaa [like c in car] Kino (n.), das [cinema]
L, l el [like l in like] Lust (f.), die [enjoyment]
M, m em [like m in mother] Mutter (f.), die [mother]
N, n en [like n in no] November (m.), der [November]
O, o o [like o in oven] Opa (m.), der [granddad]
P, p peh [like p in pencil] Pause (f.), die [break]
Q, q kuh [cw as in car + wool] Quark (m.), der [curd/ curd cheese]
R, r er [rolling or Scottish r] Raum (m.), der [room, space]
S, s ess [soft s like English z] Sonne (f.), die [sun]
T, t teh [like t in tea] Tee (m.), der [tea]
U, u uh [like oo in balloon] Uhr (f.), die [clock]
2. Course GENG 1.0.1.
V, v not wow but fow [like f in friend] Vogel, Vater (m.), der [bird, father]
W, w veh [like v in vessel] Wort (n.), das [word]
X, x ix [like x in xylophone] Xylophon (n.), das [xylophone]
Y, y upsilon [like i in India] Yoga (n.), das [yoga]
Z, z set [like s in snake] Zitrone (f.), die [lemon]
Umlauts – Umlaute (an Umlaut is a composition of vowels that has, over time, evolved
into a separate letter; the composition is still widely used in international communication
and can often be found in anglicised German surnames such as: Schröder – Schroeder,
Müller – Mueller)
Ä, ä {ae} aeh Ärmel {Aermel} (m.), der [sleeve]
Ö, ö {oe} pronounce o and pull lower lip back to form oee
Löffel {Loeffel} (m.), der [spoon]
Ü, ü {ue} pronounce u and pull upper lip back to form uee
über {ueber} [above, over]
ß {ss} eszet Straße {Strasse}, (f.), die [street]
A composition of vowels and consonants
ie ee example: siegen [to win]
ei i example: Ei [egg]
ai i example: Rainer [a name]
eu oi example: Leute [people]
au wow example: Haus [house]
ch (soft) Loch Ness example: Ich [I]
ch (hard) example: machen [to make, to do]
sch shoe example: Schuh [shoe]
3. Course GENG 1.0.1.
Memory Hook for German Vowels
German = English
e = eh
i, y = e
f, v = f
w=v
s=z
z=s
ie = ee
ei, ai = i