Consonants |
|
|
|
Examples |
English approximation |
DE |
AT |
CH |
b |
bei[1] |
ball |
ç |
ich, durch; China (DE) |
hue |
d |
dann[1] |
done |
f |
für, von |
fuss |
ɡ |
gut[1] |
guest |
h |
hat |
hut |
j |
Jahr |
yard |
k |
kann, Tag[2] |
cold |
l |
Leben |
last |
l̩ |
Mantel |
bottle |
m |
Mann |
must |
m̩ |
Atem |
rhythm |
n |
Name |
not |
n̩ |
beiden |
suddenly |
ŋ |
lang |
long |
p |
Person, ab[2] |
puck |
pf |
Pfeffer |
roughly like cupful |
ʁ |
r |
reden[3] |
DE: French rouge
AT, CH: red (Scottish) |
s |
lassen, Haus, groß |
fast |
ʃ |
schon, Stadt |
shall |
t |
Tag, und[2] |
tall |
ts |
Zeit, Platz |
cats |
tʃ |
Matsch |
match |
v |
was[1] |
vanish |
x |
nach |
loch (no lock–loch merger) |
z |
Sie, diese[1] |
hose |
ʔ |
|
beamtet[4]
([bəˈʔamtət]) |
the glottal stops in uh-oh! |
Non-native consonants |
dʒ |
Dschungel[1][5] |
jungle |
ʒ |
Genie[1][5] |
pleasure |
Stress |
ˈ |
Bahnhofstraße
([ˈbaːnhoːfˌʃtʁaːsə]) |
as in battleship |
ˌ |
|
Vowels |
|
|
|
Examples |
English approximation |
DE |
AT |
CH |
Monophthongs |
a |
alles[6] |
man (Scottish, or RP and Irish but slightly more backed), cot (American) or cut (Australian) |
aː |
aber, sah[6] |
bad (RP, Irish but slightly more backed), mark (Northern England, Australian)
bod (American)
|
ɛ |
Ende, hätte |
bet (American, Irish, or RP but more open) |
ɛː |
spät, wählen[7] |
bed (American, Irish or RP but more open)
square (Australian, but more open)
|
eː |
eben, gehen |
mate (Irish, Scottish, close to American but undiphthongised)
square (Australian but tenser and less open)
|
ɪ |
ist, bitte |
sit (American, Australian, Irish, Scottish, RP) |
iː |
liebe, Berlin |
meet (American, Irish, or RP but undiphthongised) |
ɔ |
Osten, kommen |
lot (Australian, Scottish, and RP but slightly more closed)
law (Irish and American if without cot-caught merger)
|
oː |
oder, hohe |
law (Australian, or RP but slightly more closed)
stone (close to American but undiphthongised, Irish, Scottish)
|
œ |
öffnen |
like met but rounded (American, Irish)
also somewhat close to RP hurt but more fronted
|
øː |
Österreich |
like mate but rounded (American undiphthongised, Irish, Scottish)
also somewhat close to RP herd but more fronted, Australian nurse but more rounded
|
ʊ |
und |
push (Irish, American, Australian, RP but more backed) |
uː |
Hut |
food (Irish, American but undiphthongised, and RP but tongue more backed) |
ʏ |
müssen |
like hit but rounded
also somewhat close to Scottish shoot
|
yː |
über |
like heat but rounded
also somewhat close to shoes (Scottish, Australian but with tongue further forward)
|
Diphthongs |
aɪ |
ein |
bite (American, RP, Irish) |
aʊ |
auf, Haus |
DE: shout (American, RP) |
ɔʏ |
Euro, Häuser |
like point but rounded even at the end |
Reduced vowels |
ɐ |
ər |
immer[3] |
DE, AT: roughly like fun
CH: butter (Scottish) |
ə |
Name |
ago |
Semivowels |
ɐ̯ |
r |
Uhr[3] |
DE, AT: roughly like idea
CH: far (Scottish) |
i̯ |
Studie |
yard |
u̯ |
aktuell |
would |
Non-native vowels |
ãː |
Gourmand[8] |
chanson (French pron., but long) |
ɛ̃ː |
Pointe[8] |
vingt-et-un (French pron., but long) |
ɛɪ |
Mail[9] |
late (RP) |
õː |
Garçon[8] |
chanson (French pron., but long) |
ɔʊ |
Code[9] |
goat |
œ̃ː |
Parfum[8] |
vingt-et-un (French pron., but long) |
œːɐ̯ |
øːr |
O2 World[10] |
roughly like herd |
Shortened vowels |
a |
Kalender[6][11] |
man (Scottish, or RP and Irish but slightly more backed) or con (American) |
ã |
engagieren[8] |
chanson |
ɛ̃ |
impair[8] |
vingt-et-un |
e |
Element[11] |
Australian dress
mate (Irish, Scottish, close to American but undiphthongised)
|
i |
Italien[11] |
teach |
o |
originell[11] |
force (Australian) |
õ |
foncé[8] |
chanson |
œ̃ |
Lundist[8] |
vingt-et-un (traditional French pronunciation) |
ø |
Ökonom[11] |
like mate but rounded (Irish, Scottish, American but undiphthongised) |
u |
Universität[11] |
truth (Irish, American but undiphthongised, and RP but tongue more backed) |
y |
Psychologie[11] |
like meet but rounded |
|