Learn German - Lesson 4 - Pronunciation practice:

Im Konsulat


(photo by  Snappy used under terms of Creative Commons license.)
American consulate in Munich


  

 




A. The German ich-sound

 

Whisper English "yes". Prolong the initial sound, as if you were stuttering: "yyyes". Whisper the name "Hugh" and prolong the initial sound in the same way: "Hhhhugh". Feel the air friction alone, like a long drawn out, whispered hy- cornbination. Now try the German words with your instructor. If you have difficulty with them whisper English "yyyes" and "Hhhhugh" again for a moment and try to get the air friction sound here distinctly. The same kind of air friction will occur in all of the following German words:

 

Practice 1.


 

ich

König

Milch

leicht

mich

wenig

welch

nicht

weich

wichtig

solch

echt

Pech

endlich

durch

recht

 

Practice 2.


 

sicher

Fächer

weichen

München

siechte

nächste

gezeichnet

Häschen

Küche

Löcher

Seuche

Rippchen

Tücher

höchste

leuchte

Söckchen

 

 

 

 

B. The German ach-sound

 

There is no sound in English similar to German -ch in ach. Pronounce English "knock" and ask your instructor to pronounce German nach. Notice the difference in the final sounds of the two words. In the English word the back of the tongue is pressed against the back part of the roof of the mouth stopping the flow of air. If you don't stop the flow of air entirely but let some of it through by lowering the back part of your tongue just a little, you should approximate the German sound. This air friction or spirant sound is not the same as the one described under A. It is a lower frequency sound, because it is produced farther back in the mouth cavity. Practice until your instructor is satisfied with your pronunciation of the following words.

 

Practice 3.


 

doch

Docht

kochen

Tochter

auch

taucht

fauchen

hauchte

nach

macht

lachen

dachte

Tuch

sucht

buchen

suchte

Bruch

Sucht

 

Buchten

 

Practice 4 - the ich-sound and the ach-sound compared.


 

Nacht

Nächte

Loch

Löcher

schwach

schwäche

Tochter

Töchter

auch

euch

Buch

Bücher

fauchte

feuchte

Sucht

süchtig