Reading rules in German and the specifics of pronunciation

The rules of reading in the German language are quite specific, but not as complex as it may seem. In fact, it is only necessary to remember the pronunciation of some combinations of letters, and then simply apply them in practice.

Vowel sounds

The first thing to learn is the German alphabet. With pronunciation, there will be no problems if you initially practice with letters.

Perhaps you should start with the vowels. In this language, the letters relating to this species are divided into two types - short and long. Interestingly, the longitude depends on the interpretation of the word. For example, the words offen - ofen. In the first case, a short "o" is pronounced, in the second case it is prolonged. And the translation will be different, 1 - "open", 2 - "stove". As you can see, this is important.

It should be noted two vowel sounds, which in our language there. These are ö and ü, the points above which are called umlauts. Here everything is simple - in the first case, when pronouncing, something turns out between "o" and "e", and in the second - between "y" and "yu" respectively. In order to correctly pronounce these sounds, you need to slightly round your lips and make sounds not as usual, but as if deep down, closer to the palate. It is important to learn how to pronounce these sounds correctly. For example, if you do not say "du bist schön", but "du bist schon", then you will not get "you are handsome (ah)," but "you already".

Just remember that the rules of reading in German language are similar in principle to the Russian ones. Only in our country this is relevant in the case of stresses and gaps between words: "for work!" - "hurt", "lock" - "lock". By the way, there is also the letter "ä". It's simpler - it reads like "e". In general, it is worthwhile to learn the alphabet of the German language - with pronunciation then there will be less problems.

Consonant Sounds

It is worth noting that in German there is one consonant letter, which is not in the rest. ß - it is pronounced as "escet" in solo performance, and in words, as slightly elongated "c". Sometimes it is replaced by the lettering "ss". For example, both "fusball" and "fussball" translate as "football", and in both cases are correct. But this is not all that concerns consonants. Reading rules in German say that letters such as "p", "t" and "k" at the end should be accompanied by exhalation, or rather - aspirated. These are deaf consonants, and they will remain so in any word. But voiced at the end of syllables or words are completely deafened.

Endings and diphthongs

There are some other features that distinguish the German language. Pronouncing the endings is what you should pay special attention to. So, take, for example, the word "zwanzig". This figure is 20. The Germans pronounce the ending very gently. By the idea, the letter "g" = "g". But when it is put at the end of the word, it is pronounced as "h", but not clearly, but as if smoothing the ending. However, this already comes with language experience, and often people themselves do not notice how they begin to say so - just as a reduction, which in the Russian language is quite a lot. It is also worth mentioning diphthongs. This is a combination of two vowel letters that are pronounced in a very special way: ei (ay), au (ay), eu (oh). That is: nein [nain] - no, Frau [frau] - lady, neue [noe] - new, etc.

Pronouncing combinations of consonants

Some difficulty in learning German for foreigners is the lack of softness in it in consonants. Except for the above example, with the ending "g". Perhaps the most obstinate sound can be considered "c", which on the letter is designated as "ch". The rules of reading in German suggest that it be pronounced as something intermediate between such combinations as "sh" and "kh". This letter designation can be found after vowels with umlauts, and also after i. Other combinations of consonants cause some to suffer, especially when there comes such a topic as learning to read in German. And we are talking about "tsch", "tzsch" - "h" and "tsh". The fact is that in German there is no one letter that would be pronounced as one of the mentioned combinations. So, for example, "z" is read as "c", "s" - as "h", and "j" - generally as "d". The simplest way to remember the pronunciation of the combination "tsch" by the word "Deutschland" - "Germany". It quite often catches the eye, and even for all people, even if they do not learn German, everyone knows the Deutschland.

Dialects and conversational practice

In Germany there are 16 federal lands. And, I must say, the dialects spoken by the inhabitants of each of them differ from each other quite strongly. For example, it is difficult for Bavarians to understand people from Bremen, and Berliners have to strain to make out the speech of the residents of Stuttgart. For example, in the Berlin dialect, consonants such as t and d are pronounced, as in British English - alveolar. By the way, it should be noted one more nuance. German is characterized by an indistinct, soft pronunciation of this letter. For better understanding it is recommended to listen to real German speech - listen to audio lessons, songs, interviews with Germans. Only this way it will be possible to understand how to pronounce this letter, and lose sight of the unpleasant kartness. The German language, in fact, is very pleasant, but what is said about it is, in the overwhelming majority of cases, stereotypes. In general, to learn it is real. You just need to practice German regularly, learn the rules, train and, most importantly, read, practice.