Combination A.I. reads like AI.
Please note that at the end b reads like a deaf Russian p.
C - used extremely rarely and usually in words of foreign origin. It is most often used in the letter combination CH, which sounds like the Russian Х after the German vowels A, O, U and the diphthong (letter combination) AU, in other cases it is pronounced as Хь. It should be noted that German CH- very soft.
But there is still a difference from the Russian X. It is usually very faint and similar to English H. In Russian, a similar sound is observed in the word verse, fur.
In very few foreign words CH can be read as
Russian Sh or Ch.
Chef[chief]
boss, boss
Chic[chic]
chic
Letter C often used in German in words of foreign origin. It can be read like Russian K, but not always.
Сristus[christus]
Camping[campin]
The letter combination CK is read like Russian K.
Nota bene! You may be a little confused by so many possible readings, but almost always you will only encounter phrases CH And CK, which are read strictly according to the rules. Remember just one very commonly used word starting with the letter C in German.
Here we hear a voiced D at the beginning of a word and a voiceless T at the end of a word.
Sometimes you will come across the phrase -dt, it is usually read as a simple Russian T.
E - pronounced like a weak Russian E, although of course experts talk about something in between Russian E and I. The main thing when pronouncing this E Don't overdo it with emphasis. German E is always pronounced weakly, not at all like the Russian E in the word “this”, “era”.
| endlich | finally |
| eng | narrow |
In German there are also combinations of two vowels. The combination of two vowels in German is called a diphthong. We have already seen such combinations with the letter A — A.I., AU. But there they were read clearly and predictably. But there are also differences.
What is a diphthong? This is the pronunciation of two vowels one after another as a transition from one vowel to another. You pronounce the first vowel and, as if gradually, move on to the second.
Diphthong is a smooth transition from one vowel to another
So, diphthongs
EI - pronounced close to Russian AI. Remember - not HEY, but HAY!
BUT! Before the letter L, the diphthong EI is read as YAY. This is due to the peculiarities of the German letter L.
F - pronounced like Russian F.
H - reads like a Russian Х (only very dull, approximately like a simple exhalation) only at the beginning of a word, root syllables and
some suffixes. Try to pronounce this sound only with your throat, like a normal exhalation.
In all other cases, this letter is not readable, but after a vowel it indicates the length of the vowel. In the transcription we will indicate longitude with the colon symbol - :
The letter combination IE is read as a long Russian I.
Attention! The length of a vowel in German is very important because... this often changes the meaning of the word. Therefore, try to “stretch” long vowels longer.
K - reads like Russian K.
L - usually rendered as Russian L', although it is somewhat harder than the usual Russian L'. Those. This is a soft L. Look at the example with the word Liebe using IE as an example. Double LL is pronounced the same as single L.
Attention! Remember that doubling a consonant (LL, TT, MM) is an indication that the vowel sound preceding it is short.
M - reads like Russian M.
N - reads like Russian N. There is also the phrase NG, which is pronounced like a nasal N, G is not even close! Long, nasal Russian N.
O - reads like Russian O.
P - reads like Russian P. The letter combination PH is read like Russian F.
The letter combination PF is read as the diphthong PF. Those. a sound in which the letter P smoothly turns into the letter F.
Q - ALWAYS used as a letter combination QU, which is read like Russian KV.
| Quark | cottage cheese |
| quer | across, transverse |
R - and here we have big problems. This letter is still read differently. I will give my interpretation.
So! At the beginning of a word or before a vowel, the German R is read as a voiceless R. NO Russian R! Remember burring Lenin if you find it difficult
imagine it. But after a vowel, the German R is actually not pronounced, although it is heard. Press your tongue against your lower teeth and WITHOUT THE HELP of your tongue, try to QUIETLY pronounce R with your throat only. This will be approximately what you need.
The letter combination RH is read like the usual German R.
There are also phrases -AR, -ER, -OR, -IER. Remember a simple rule.
At the end of a word/syllable, the R sound drops out and the vowel sound becomes more open. In the middle of a word/syllable, the sound R is pronounced like a regular German R. And in the case of -ER, at the end of the word/syllable, we hear a subtle guttural A.
S - problems again. But it's quite easy to remember. Before and between vowels - pronounced like Russian Z, at the end of a word - like Russian S. Double SS is read like short Russian S, sometimes it is displayed as the letter es-tset (ß) - which is similar to the small capital Russian letter V in writing.
The letter combination SCH is read like the Russian Ш
T - reads like Russian T (a little aspirated). The letter combination TH is read like a regular German T. The letter combination TSCH is read like Russian
H, but a little harder.
| Traum | dream |
| Deutsch | German) |
U is read like Russian U.
W - reads like Russian V.
X - reads like Russian KS. A rather rarely used letter in the German language.
Y - read like Russian I or Yu - is used extremely rarely, only in words of foreign origin.
Letters with umlaut.
Ä - closest to the Russian letter E. This is a more open E, but still pronounced more with the throat than the tongue.
Ö is closest to the Russian letter Ё, but still closer to the nasal Russian O.
Ü is closest to the Russian letter Yu, but is still pronounced closer to the throat U
ß - letter Eszett, double
Transcription in German is used much less frequently than in English, since the overwhelming number german letters have constant sound correspondences. However, there are still certain cases when it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the transcription for correct pronunciation words being studied. To learn how to use German transcription, you must first become familiar with the signs used in it and the sounds corresponding to them:
The German vowel system includes three diphthongs (ei [ai] - dein, au [au] - grau, eu/äu [ᴐy] - beugen, läuft) and fifteen monophthongs. German vowels can exhibit longness and shortness by forming corresponding pairs, for example: long and short [u]. However, in addition to the pair long [е:] - short [ɛ], there is a second long sound [ɛ:], which performs a special semantic distinguishing function, for example: leer [lе:ɐ], Abwehr [apve:ɐ], but: gären [gɛ :rən], Währung.
Long vowels in German are vowel sounds in open syllables under stress. Open syllables are defined as syllables ending in vowels followed by subsequent syllables beginning with consonants, for example: Do-se[do:zə], lö-sen [løzen], Sa-ge[za:gə].
The German language has words with so-called conditionally closed syllables. In such words, the root vowels demonstrate longitude even with a closed syllable, since when the forms change they become open, for example: wag-te [wa:ktə] (conditionally closed - long) - wa-gen [va:gən] (open - long ), grün [gry:n] (conditionally closed - long) – grü-ne [gry:nə] (open - long).
The length of German vowels can be expressed as follows:
- through doubling the corresponding vowels, for example: Aa l [a:l], Paar [pa:ɐ],
- using an unreadable “h” after the corresponding vowel, for example: kühl - [ky:l], bohren [bo:rən], lehren [le:rən],
- through the use of the letter combination “ie”, which serves to indicate the length of the vowel “i” - [i:], for example: wieder [vi:dəɐ], Sieg [zi:k], Wiege [vi:gə].
When syllables end in single, double, triple, etc. consonants, they are considered closed. In such syllables, the vowels show brevity. The vowels before the letter combinations “ck” and “tz” of the next syllable will also always be short, for example: Glück [glyk], trotz [trots], pflücken [pflykən], etc. At the same time, we should not forget that the German language has a truly large number of exceptions to the above phonetic rules.
The sound “e” in unstressed syllables and in unstressed prefixes “ge-” and “be-” is characterized by reduction, for example: bewegen [bəve:gən], gebraten [gəbra:tən]. Basic vowels are not reduced, but only move from long to semi-long, for example: Ra -ke-te [rak:tə], po-si-ti-ve [poziti:və], etc. For syllables beginning with vowels, they are typically pronounced with a so-called hard attack. In German you can find rounded sounds – the vowels “ü” and “ö”, which have no analogues in Russian.
German consonant system
The German consonant system includes 23 sounds. German consonants, with rare exceptions, remain attached to certain sounds that correspond to the names of German letters in the existing alphabet, for example: N - [n], K - [k], T - [t], etc. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule, and they relate to foreign borrowings that have retained a pronunciation close to the language source.
Some German consonant sounds are represented by letter combinations widely used in the language, for example: tsch -, sch - [ʃ], etc.
In terms of intensity of pronunciation, German consonants are noticeably more tense than Russian ones, they never soften, and voiced consonants are somewhat less voiced than Russian ones. At the end of words and individual syllables, voiced consonants are deafened, for example: Abfall - [apfal], Hund [hunt], Bund [bunt]. In German, there is such a thing as consonant aspiration, which means pronouncing them with a characteristic aspiration. Consonants doubled in writing are always pronounced as one sound, for example: Kasse [kasə], lassen [lasən], etc.
The consonant “r” is characterized by vocalization when it is at the end of “-er”, in unstressed prefixes “zer-”, “er-”, “ver-” and after long vowels, for example: Flur - [fluɐ], ergriffen [əɐgrifən ], verstehen [fəɐʃte:ən], zerfallen [tsəɐfalən], etc. For some German consonant letters there are no analogues in Russian at all: [r], [ɳ], [x], [h], [ҫ].
Features of reading consonants:
1) The letter h at the beginning of a word or root is read as an aspirated x: Herz (heart). In the middle and at the end of words, it is not read, but serves to lengthen the previous vowel: fahren (to ride), froh (cheerful, joyful).
2) The letter j is pronounced like y, and in combinations ja and ju the Russian ear hears ya and yu: Jahr (year), Juni (June).
3) The letter I always softens when reading: Blume (flower).
4) The sound g is pronounced by most Germans with a burr: Regen (rain).
5) The letter s before or between vowels is read as z: Sonne (sun), lesen (read).
6) The letter ß is read as s: groß (big).
7) Consonants k,p, t are pronounced with some aspiration: Park (park), Torte (cake), Ko†fer (suitcase).
8) The letter v is pronounced like f: Vater (father). Only in rare cases (most often in borrowed words) is it pronounced as in: Vase (vase).
9) The letter w is read like the Russian sound in: Wort (word).
10) Double consonants are read as single consonants, but at the same time they shorten the vowel in front: Sommer (summer), Mutter (mother).
In German, not every consonant sound has a corresponding letter. In some cases, they resort to letter combinations:
1) The letter combination sp at the beginning of words and roots is read as sp: Sport (sport).
2) The letter combination st at the beginning of words and roots is read as pc: Stern (star).
3) The letter combination ck is read as k: backen (oven).
4) The letter combination chs is read as ks: sechs (six).
5) The letter combination ch is read as x: Buck (book), machen (to do).
6) The letter combination sch is read as sh: Schule (school), Schwester (sister).
7) The letter combination tsch is read as h: deutsch (German).
8) The letter combination qu is read as kv: Quark (cottage cheese).
The German alphabet has specific letters with two dots on top (Umlaut):
1) The letter ä is closest to the Russian e: Mädchen (girl).
2) The letter ö is read approximately like ё: schön (beautiful).
3) The letter ü is read almost like yu: Mull (garbage).
Vowel letter combinations:
1) The letter combination ie is read as long and: Bier (beer).
2) The letter combination el is read as ay: Heimat (Homeland).
3) The letter combination reads like oh: heute (today).
4) The letter combination äu is read as oh: Bäume (trees).
5) Doubling a vowel indicates the length of the sound: Tee (tea), Raag (pair), Boot (boat).
In some ways, the German language is similar to Russian. In German, voiced consonants at the end of words are also muted during pronunciation, despite possible misunderstandings. So, for example, it is impossible to distinguish a (Rad) wheel from a (Rat) tip by ear.
Features of reading at the ends of words:
1) The ending -er is pronounced rather slurred in some regions of Germany: Kinder (children).
2) At the end of words -ig is read as their: wichtig (important).
Accent Features:
1) The stress in German usually falls on the first syllable: Ausländer (foreigner), aufmachen (to open). The exception is words borrowed from other languages: Computer. There are quite a lot of such borrowings in the German language.
2) If a word has an unstressed prefix (be-, ge-, er-, ver-, zer-, ent-, miss-), then the stress shifts to the next syllable: verkaufen (to sell), bekommen (to receive).
3) The suffix -tion (read as tion) always pulls the emphasis onto itself: Kommunikation (communication, connection).
Exercise 1
Practice pronouncing the following words and learn their meanings at the same time:
Strand (beach), Reise (travel), Leute (people), Zeit (time), Frühling (spring), Herbst (autumn), Fleisch (meat), Fisch (fish), Wein (wine), Kaffee (coffee), Zwieback (cracker), Radieschen (radish), richtig (correct), Schule (school), Volk (people)
