German grammar

Vowels.

Pronunciation of vowels:

- short a like in "father", but short a: fassen

- long a like in "father", but long : Sahne

- ai is pronounced like i in "like, Mike, mile" : Hain, Main

- au like ou in "house, mouse"

- short ä is pronounced like e in "red" or "tell" : Kälber

- long ä is pronounced like e in "red", but long: Mähre, Fähre

- äu like oy in "boy", "toy": Knäuel

- short e pronounced like e e in "red": kennst, eng

- long e is long and prounounced like ay in "way": Lehre

- e in unstressed syllables (especially ending syllables) is pronounced as a shwa ( weak, reduced ö ): wohne, Sahne

- ei like i in "like, spike": klein, mein

- eu like oy in "boy, toy": Europa

- short i like i in "pit, tick, tin": Spinne, Rinne

- long i is pronounced like ee in "meet, seen": Igel

- ie is pronounced like ee in "meet, seen":: Ziegel

- short o like aw in "dawn", but short : Hoffnung

- long o like aw in "dawn": Mohn

- ö is the sound similar to "ir" in girl (without any r pronounced) ; examples:

short ö: können, Frösche

long ö: gewöhnen

- short u like u in "put" : knurren

- long u is pronounced like oo in "moon" : Wuhne

- ü is pronounced with the tongue placed for pronunciation of i, and lips - for pronunciation of u; ü can be long or short; examples:

short ü: Büsche

long ü: fühlen

y is pronounced usually like ü.

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