Chapter 1: Introduction to German
1. What Is the German Language?
German (Deutsch) is a major world language from the Germanic language family.
It is known for:
- Clear pronunciation rules
- Logical grammar
- Strong connection to English
- Wide usage in Europe
German is useful for travel, study, career, and culture.
2. Where Is German Spoken?
|
Country / Region |
Status |
|
Germany 🇩🇪 |
Official language |
|
Austria 🇦🇹 |
Official language |
|
Switzerland 🇨🇭 |
One of the official languages (German-speaking regions) |
|
Liechtenstein 🇱🇮 |
Official language |
|
Luxembourg 🇱🇺 |
One of the official languages |
|
Belgium 🇧🇪 |
Official language in one region (Eupen–Malmedy) |
|
Worldwide communities |
USA, Canada, Brazil, Namibia, Eastern Europe |
German is the most spoken native language in Europe.
3. German Alphabet Overview (Das deutsche Alphabet)
German uses the 26 Latin letters (A–Z) plus 4 special letters.
German Alphabet Table
|
Letter |
Pronunciation |
Letter |
Pronunciation |
|
A a |
ah |
N n |
en |
|
B b |
beh |
O o |
oh |
|
C c |
tseh |
P p |
peh |
|
D d |
deh |
Q q |
kuh |
|
E e |
eh |
R r |
air (rolled lightly) |
|
F f |
eff |
S s |
ess |
|
G g |
geh |
T t |
teh |
|
H h |
hah |
U u |
oo |
|
I i |
ee |
V v |
fau (sounds like F) |
|
J j |
yot (sounds like Y) |
W w |
veh (sounds like V) |
|
K k |
kah |
X x |
ix |
|
L l |
ell |
Y y |
ypsilon |
|
M m |
em |
Z z |
tset (ts sound) |
Extra German Letters (Important!)
|
Letter |
Name |
Pronunciation |
Example |
|
Ä ä |
A-Umlaut |
“eh” |
Bär (bear) |
|
Ö ö |
O-Umlaut |
rounded “er” |
schön (beautiful) |
|
Ü ü |
U-Umlaut |
rounded “ee” |
fünf (five) |
|
ß |
Eszett |
sharp “ss” |
Straße (street) |
4. Letter Pronunciation Basics
4.1 Vowel Pronunciation
|
Vowel |
Sound |
Example |
Meaning |
|
A |
ah |
Apfel |
apple |
|
E |
eh |
Essen |
food |
|
I |
ee |
Kind |
child |
|
O |
oh |
Opa |
grandpa |
|
U |
oo |
Uhr |
clock |
4.2 Umlauts (Ä, Ö, Ü)
|
Umlaut |
Sound |
Example |
Meaning |
|
Ä / ä |
“eh” |
Mädchen |
girl |
|
Ö / ö |
rounded “er” |
schön |
beautiful |
|
Ü / ü |
rounded “ee” |
über |
over/about |
4.3 Consonant Special Cases
|
Consonant |
Pronunciation |
Example |
Sounds Like |
|
V |
like F |
Vogel |
fogel |
|
W |
like V |
Wasser |
vasser |
|
J |
like Y |
Junge |
yunge |
|
Z |
“ts” |
Zeit |
tsait |
|
CH |
soft or hard H |
ich / Bach |
“h” / “kh” |
|
SCH |
“sh” |
Schule |
shule |
|
ß |
“ss” |
heiß |
heiss |
4.4 Quick Pronunciation Tips
|
Rule |
Explanation |
|
German pronunciation is consistent |
Every letter is pronounced clearly |
|
S at the beginning before p/t → “sh” |
Spiel → “shpeel” |
|
Vowels are not blended |
Each vowel has its own clear sound |
|
No silent letters |
Unlike English |