German pronunciation
Private lessons, group classes, tutoring and language courses (A1, A2, B2, B2, C1, C2)
Find a teacherOur teachers
Looking for a language tutor? Contact one of our teachers!
Sara K.
20.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Dewina L.
17.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Belinda W.
19.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Our offer
The basis of the German pronunciation is of course the German alphabet, which has a few letters more than the English one (ß, ä, ö, ü) and in which some letters are pronounced differently (w, v). This chapter introduces to you the most important rules for pronouncing German correctly
- What is a double vowel?
- What is the ß and when do you use it?
- How do you pronounce "sch" and "ch"?
- How do you pronounce "st" and "sp"?
- What is the difference in the pronunciation of J, V, and W in German to English?
- How to pronounce the German "Umlaute" Ä, Ö, Ü?
- What is the "stretching-h"?
Lesson outline
Hide1.) German double vowels
Double vowels are, like the name suggests, two vowels that come up together in a word. Some of these have special rules. For example "ei" sounds just like "ai", so like the English "I".
Additionally, the combination of "eu" sounds exactly the same as "äu". Like "Eule" (owl) and "Häuser" (houses). So when to use which? For that you just have to look at the word-stem. "Häuser" is the plural for "Haus" (house), in German the "a" always transforms to "ä" in plural, that's why you use "äu" in this case, instead of "eu"!
Here you have a table of the German double vowels, you can also listen to them to make sure you understand the pronunciation!
| Double vowel | Pronunciation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| au | like "ow" in "owl" | Auge (eye) |
| äu | like "oi" in "boiling" | Häuser (houses) |
| eu | same as "äu" | Eule (owl) |
| ei | like "I" in English | Eisen (iron) |
| ai | same as "ei" | Mai (may) |
| ie | a stretched "i" sound, like "ee" in "bee" | Fliege (the fly) |
Have a question?
Take online language lessons with a professional teacher
- Native & verified teachers
- Free trial lesson
- Learning materials included
Elena C. 
36.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Barbara Z.
22.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Özlem K.
20.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Heike M.
29.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Bernhard T.
25.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Carmen F.
15.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Letizia A.
30.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Marwa E. 
25.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Agnès R. 
15.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Carolin S.
25.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
2.) The German "ß"
The letter ß, also called "Eszett" (s + z) or "scharfes S" (sharp S), is a letter that today only exists in the German language. Its pronunciation is exactly the same as the "s" in "see".
So when is the double consonant "ss" and when is the sharp-S "ß" used? These are the rules for their uses:
| SS | ß | ß |
|---|---|---|
| follows vowels, that are pronounced shortly | follows vowels that are pronounced longer | also follows double-vowels |
| Fass (barrel), Fluss (river), Stress (stress), Pass (pass), Kuss (kiss) | Floß (float), Maß (the measure), Spaß (fun), Fuß (foot), Schoß (lap), Straße (street) | draußen (outside), weiß (white), reißen (to rip), scheußlich (horrible) |
3.) The German 'sch' and 'ch'
The German 'ch' poses often times a problem for German beginners, since there is no real equivalent in the English language. Also the pronunciation changes slightly, depending on which vowel proceeds it.
So for example in the word "Ich" (German for "I"), the pronunciation is soft, it can be compared t the 'h' in huge, or a variation of the English 'sh' sound (in fact, in some regions of Germany they actually pronounce it like 'sh').
On the other hand, if for example an 'a' proceeds the 'ch', like in the word "Bach" (brook), the pronunciation becomes much harsher. In this case you pronounce it in the back of your mouth
The German 'sch' sound is equivalent to the English 'sh' sound.
| ch | after "a,o,u,au" | harsher sound, pronounced at the back of your mouth | Bach (brook) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ch | after "e,i,eu,ei,ä,ö,ü,äu,ai", or consonant | similar to "h" in "huge", variation of 'sh' | Fichte (spruce) |
| sch | always the same | like the English 'sh' | Schachtel (case) |
4.) How to pronounce 'st' and 'sp'?
The pronunciation of 'st' and 'sp' is handled as if it was 'sch + t/', so it's a combination of 'sh' and t/p. This is always the case, if those two consonants stand in the beginning of the word. However, does this combination occur in the middle or end of the word, it is pronounced simply as 's + t/p' (so for example like the 'st' in "street).
| 'St/Sp' as 'Sht/Sht' | Normal pronounciaton of 'St/Sp' |
|---|---|
| Straße (street) | Gast (guest) |
| Stein (stone) | Liste (list) |
| Spiel (game) | Samstag (saturday) |
5.) The different pronunciation of the German 'J', 'V', and 'W'
The three letters 'J', 'V' and 'W' are pronounced a little differently in German than in English.
| Pronunciation of J | Pronunciation of V | Pronunciation of W |
|---|---|---|
| like the English 'Y', as in "yes" | always pronounced like 'F' | always pronounced like the English 'V', as in "video" |
| example: jung (young) | example: Vogel (bird) | example: Wein (wine) |
6.) How to pronounce the German "Umlaute" 'Ä', 'Ö' and 'Ü'?
The "Umlaute" (or "altered sound") are letters in the German language, that are marked by the two dots on top of them. Their pronunciation is somewhat similar to their origin vowels (A, O, U), yet you need to learn their pronunciation separately. Being able to pronounce these words is very important, since their are used very frequently, for example of the plural: Haus - Häuser (house - houses).
This table provides you with an explanation of how to pronounce the altered sounds and gives you also examples to listen to:
| Ä | pronounced similar to the 'a' in apple or 'ai' in "air" | Ärmel (sleeve) Äpfel (apples) |
|---|---|---|
| Ö | pronounced similar to the 'i' in "girl" | König (king) Öfter (more often) |
| Ü | no English equivalent | Übung (exercise) Müde (tired) |
If you don't know how to write these letters, it is also common In German to express the "Umlaute" like this: ae = ä ; oe = ö ; ue = ü
7.) The German stretching-h
The stretching-h indicates that a vowel in a word needs to be pronounced longer. It usually occurs in the middle of the word. However there are a few exceptions. Here is a good way to remember when to use the stretching-h and when not to.
| Stretching-h | No Stretching-h |
|---|---|
| Before the consonants l, m, n, r | Words that begin with q, sch, sp or t |
| Examples: das Mehl (the flour), die Wahl (the election), die Bahn (the track), die Bühne (the stage) | Examples: die Schule (the school), sparen (to save), quälen (to torture), der Ton (the tone) |
Normally there is no stretching-h following au, äu, ai, eu and ei. Except for these exceptions: verzeihen (to forgive), Weihnachten (christmas)
Now that you know the most important rules for the German translation, practice your knowledge with the following free exercises!
What our students say
Unlike in other platforms, all our teachers are manually verified by our professional team. Trust in the experiences of our students.
Hi, I'm Irish, have been living Milan for 30 years. I have a strong business background in sales and marketing. I have lived in USA, UK and done business in Far East. I teach private students and in global corporates and universities. If you're looking to improve your English quickly I have developed my interactive communication method. A great lesson is based on understanding your needs, planning, content, your involvement, feedback, correction, repetition. My experience in theatre helps me to organise, conduct role plays, followed by constructive feedback. I prepare students for EU exams. Qualities; ability to listen, empathy, patience, motivating, energetic, open to feedback, positive outlook, value sharing, abilty to focus on long and short term objectives, relationship building. Look forward to 'partnering' with you.
Vittoria F.
Emer is a very professional and experienced teacher. She is very motivated and really cares about her students' success. Highly recommended!!
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a screening interview.
Emer G.
Thanks to many years of experience, I offer you professional language instruction via Skype.
I am a native speaker (bilingual German and English) and have been working with Skype for over 9 years. The courses are optimally tailored to your language level and job description. Arrange a trial lesson.
Proficient handling of everyday German, leading to various certificates (Goethe Certificates, DaF etc.), specific courses for the professional field (hotel, tourism, law, medicine - FACHSPRACHENPRÜFUNG MEDIZIN, technology, business.....).
Sergey B.
I'm learning German with Belinda (currently B1) and I am trying to do a final push, so i can finally start speaking. Classes are very well prepared and structured. The book/ books used in the class have exercises that actually make your brain work and are not always easy to do ( this is for people who had experience with easy and boring grammar materials). We play dialogues, we have conversations through which the teacher understands where I am with my level and is trying to make adjustments to the program. And there's a lot of homework (when you ask for it) !!! : )
Belinda W.
Hi! I am Maaike, a Dutch primary school teacher. Every day I'm doing by best to teach the Dutch language well to the childeren, but also other languages such as English and Spanish.
I have more than 12 years of experience as a teacher, in the Netherlands and abroad, to young and old!
In the Netherlands I have experience in each grade, so I know exactly how the Dutch language is given in primary education. This can certainly help children, but also adults who want to learn the Dutch language in a correct way, having a good basic knowledge is the most important part of learning a new language.
I lived in Spain for 3 years where I taught English to Spanish children and adults. During that period I also followed an intensive language course to learn the Spanish language. Currently I am learning Nepali through Skype. I know what it is like to learn a new language, what it involves and how the learning process works.
I will first discuss with you what you would like to achieve by following the language lessons and what your needs are. Maybe it's just speaking skills, or grammar or listening skills, or a combination. In addition, I want to use my creativity to apply methods that work best for you, personalized language classes. :)
My goal is to give you the feeling after each class that you've come one step closer to your personal goal!
Feel free to request a trial class, so we can see what I can do for you and if my way of teaching suits you. See you soon! :)
Mary-jo R.
The best language teacher my daughter has had! She is a kind and friendly teacher. I feel like she keeps the lesson pace going and focused. Highly recommend Maaike. :-)
Maaike R.
I'm a German language teacher with a Master's degree in German. Since I was born and lived over 12 years in Switzerland and grew up in a bilingual family, I speak also Swiss German and Croatian on a native level :)
I started to teach German in 2016, but since I love languages I work also as professional translator and became sworn translator for the German language.
– ABOUT THE CLASS –
I offer standard German language lessons for A1, A2, B1, B2 level, they include grammar, speaking, writing and reading exercises.
This is ideal for students who want to improve their fluency and communication skills through conversations by actively participating in the class and to learn new words, to improve their vocabulary by reading texts and listeninng audios on various topics and learn the grammar.
All learning materials and exercises are FREE and will be provided before or during the lesson.
If you wish to have only conversational lessons, I can arrange this also for you :)
– WHAT DOES 1 LESSON INCLUDE –
- 60 minutes long lesson
- materials and exercises are included
- homework is included
- you will get also the results after each lesson
- consultation with the teacher
My teaching method is to adapt to every student differently depending on their needs and language level. You can always feel free to express your wishes :)
* INFO: coLanguage shows only my general availability :)
As always, her lessons are great! She takes time to prepare in advance the lesson and pesonalised material for your needs.
Mihaela S.
My name is Tim Grundl and I have been teaching languages professionally for over 15 years. By using modern methods and a personal approach, the lessons become sustainable and motivating. The fun of learning should not be neglected, because learning is only possible in a relaxed atmosphere.
Book a free trial lesson and form your own opinion.
Whatever your goals are, conversation training, writing letters or emails, etc., together we will create a goal-oriented, individual plan to achieve these goals as stress-free as possible.
I would be happy to work with you.
Mary-jo R.
My husband has really enjoyed the lessons he's had with Tim. The material is rigorous and in-depth. Even after previous lessons, Tim has been able to push my husband and keep his confidence up.
Tim G.
Spanish Lessons For Native German Speakers, Learn GERMAN Easily
Nasser A.
For me, learning German was a nightmare and I was certain that I will never learn the language. Sara sure did prove me wrong. With her, learning German became fun. I always wait with excitement for our next session. She drastically imporved my skills in a few months and most importantly, I made a good friend along the way. Ich kann mit Sicherheit sagen, dass Sara die Beste ist
Sara K.
INSEGNANTE DI TEDESCO
Michele C.
What about Fiorina ..... person available, prepared and always sunny ... for those who want to learn German I recommend studying with her.
Fiorina D.
Italian teacher
Ana S.
This teacher has experience, a great variety of learning materials for different objectives and speaks spanish fluently.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a screening interview.
DENIS B.
German lesson
Corinne T.
Micaela is an excellent teacher, prepared and above all organized and awake. My lerning experience has been more than positive!
Micaela C.
Hello!
My name is Tahereh and I'm a resident of Spain. I have a degree in Hispanic Philology and I am also accredited in DELE C2. I have a Master's degree in Latin American Studies and I am currently finishing a PhD in Cultural Studies at the University of Santiago de Compostela.
I am an accredited DELE examiner at levels A1 and A2; B1 and B2; C1 and C2 by the Instituto Cervantes. I have taken teacher training courses in ELE (Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language) given by the Instituto Cervantes and other Spanish academic institutions and I hold the title of certified teacher of Spanish as a Foreign Language.
I specialise in EFE (Teaching Spanish for Specific Purposes) and I am a certified teacher by the Instituto Cervantes as well as other Spanish universities.
I have more than 7 years of experience as a Spanish teacher both at university and in language schools.
I use modern learning methodologies based on a previous analysis of my students' needs. I make use of all kinds of interactive, didactic materials with a cultural component, making the class dynamic as well as fun and above all adapted to the interests and needs of the student.
My mother tongue is Persian (Farsi) and I also speak English (B2), Portuguese (A2), Galician (B1) and Arabic (A1).
I invite you to a free 30-minute trial lesson.
I hope to meet you soon and to help you improve your language skills.
Ana S.
Tahereh is a Spanish teacher who is ready to take you to the next level. She has good quality learning materials, great certifications and lots of experience with all kinds of audiences.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a screening interview.
Tahereh A.
Do you want to increase your language proficiency in English or Afrikaans? Then I am just the teacher for you!
I specialize in teaching students 14 years and older, as well as adults. My focus is on teaching business English and Afrikaans, as well as academic and diplomatic style language. Whether you want to improve your English and Afrikaans speaking, listening, reading or writing skills, I'll assist you to determine your specific needs and develop bespoke lesson plans for you. I use different teaching methods and materials which include written lesson plans, videos, fun quizzes, conversation and whatever else takes our fancy to keep you interested, motivated and learning at your own pace!
I am also a certified business coach and can assist you with any issue in your working or study environment. Let's look at your career prospects, develop a winning resumé (CV), coach you on that important job interview or teach you how to write a great email or have that vital telephone conversation.
I am a published author (English language) internationally and in South Africa and can assist you with writing your business documentation or writing creatively (i.e. short stories, articles and opinion pieces).
I have over 30 years' experience in the world of work at senior management level and have worked on projects involving, inter alia, the USA, UK, Australia, Asia and Africa.
My qualifications include:
- TEFL level 5 certificate in teaching English as a foreign language
- Certificate in teaching business English
- Master's Degree in Business Administration (MBA)
- B.Com. (Hons) Degree in Economics
- Coaching Certificate
- Native English and Afrikaans speaker
Let me assist you with your learning journey and let's also have fun while we learn!
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Ana S.
Madi is an English teacher from South Africa. She has had a lot of experience teaching English, especially at the business level. She counts with learning materials for different needs but only within the business level.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a screening interview.
Madi H.
Hello, my name is Katerina und I’m a qualified German teacher with 8 years teaching experience.
I would like to help you to master the German language. You will get your personal online lesson via Skype.
If you are interested in learning this world language, just contact me –
I’m looking forward to getting to know you!
Edivania P.
A very nice and motivated teacher. Thank you Katerina for your support with the German language.
Katerina B.
Dear Edivania, thank you for the nice words. It is a pleasure to work with you.
Hi, I am Christin!
After training as a pastry chef and studying business administration, I traveled a lot and discovered my interest in languages. To find out more about teaching languages, I decided on further training at the Goethe Institute and completed it. During the Goethe Institute "Learn to teach German" course I was able to give individual language lessons and actively support the examination preparation for the Goethe certificate.
My lessons are needs-oriented. That means that learning goals are discussed with you and based on your level of knowledge. Whether grammar, sentence structure, pronunciation, expression or the practice of communication situations: German as a foreign and second language classes are flexible and take place in a group or one-to-one lessons with individual support and are based on your wishes and requirements. The teaching of content and topics takes place according to the respective language level. Building vocabulary, grammar and means of speaking are structured and conveyed logically building on each other. Let's get to know each other in a free trial class. I am looking forward to meeting you!
Claire R.
Christin is a great teacher. We are talking about very interesting and different topics. Lots of material to learn. She is also very flexible. I'm very satisfied.
Christin E.