Consonants (Konsonanten or Mitlaute) f, k, l, m, n, p, t, x, are identical in usage and pronunciation to English b ch d dt g h j q r s sch tsch v w z is p at the end of words, b like

e in boat elsewhere is hissed like a heavy h before e,i, and between consonans; it's rasped like Scottish loch is t at the end of words, d like in do elsewhere e.g. in Stadt = town is t is always hard like in goat ( goat = Ziege) when after a vowel, is silent and lengthens the vowel: Huhn = chicken = [hu:n] is pronounced like consonental English y (as in yes) is only seen with -u (Qualle = jellyfish); it is pronounced qv; very similar to the use in queer is rasped like in French (in some areas also rolled like in Spanish); please don't use that infamous hitlerish rrrrr is sh before radical p or t: Spitze = peak = [shpitse]; stehen = to stand = [shte'en] is s before proper nouns or words with foreign roots and loanwords: Statistik (statistics), Sparta, spongiform (spongelike) is sh like in Sssh!: Schaufel = shovel = [shaufel] not to confuse with beta (), is a ligation of s and z; it's spelled like s. You find it after diphtongs (ei, au, eu) it practically indicates long vowels (gro = large = [gro:s] is like the -g- in large or -tch in hatch is f: Vogel = bird = [fogel] is, in some exceptions, w like in Wind = wind = [wind]; an example is Vase = vase = [wase] is v is ts like in Tsunami

Vowels (Vokale or Selbstlaute) German a e i o u y English pronunciation: ah, broad and open like in hard like the a in man e like in short like i in it like o in molest as in French feu; The sound may be acquired by saying e with closely rounded lips like oo in book almost like French u as in sur; It may be acquired by saying i (like in feed) through closely rounded lips. same sound like , but long

NOTE: the , , are here for the sake of simplicity; their real name is Umlaut (pl. Umlaute); Y is also not a vowel, it counts for a consonant for it's long name is ypsilon

Diphtongs (Diphtonge oder Zwielaute) German au u ei eu ie ey English pronunciation: ow oy i, my, sky oy (same as u) ee, me like ey