Introduce the German Alphabet with Basic Tips
Knowing and learning the German alphabet and some basic differences from English should give a strong foundation in mastering the language. This lesson will introduce you to the German alphabet, special characters, and some basic pronunciation tips.
The German Alphabet
The German alphabet consists of 26 basic letters, the same as in the English alphabet; however, there are additional characters you shall get familiar with.
Basic Letters:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Special Characters:
1. Umlauts: Ä, Ö, Ü
2. Eszett — sharp S: ß
Pronunciation Guide
A, Ä
(ah)
B
(beh)
C
(tseh)
D
(deh)
E
(eh)
F
(eff)
G
(geh)
H
(hah)
I
(ee)
J
(yot)
K
(kah)
L
(ell)
M
(emm)
N
(enn)
O, Ö
(oh)
P
(peh)
Q
(koo)
R
(err)
S
(ess)
T
(teh)
U, Ü
(oo)
V
(fow)
W
(veh)
X
(iks)
Y
(üpsilon)
Z
(tsett)
Eszett (ß)
Differences from English
1. Capital Letters for Nouns: In German, every noun is capitalized no matter where in the sentence it occurs.
- Example: Der Mann und die Frau arbeiten jeden Tag am Computer. (The man and the woman work at their computer every day.)
2. Special Characters:
ß is used after long vowels and diphthongs: heißen — to be called, Straße — street.
- Umlauts change the pronunciation and meaning of words: Mutter — mother vs. Mütter — mothers.
3. Three Genders: German nouns are masculine, feminine, or neuter.
- Masculine: der Tisch — the table
- Feminine: die Tür — the door
- Neuter: das Fenster (the window)
Learning Tips
1. Learning Nouns with Articles: Learn nouns always together with an article to be able remember their gender.
2. Recognize Patterns: German is systematic. Learn to recognize patterns for verb conjugations and noun cases.
Practice Exercise
Match the German word to its English translation and gender:
1. Tisch ___ a. door (masculine)
2. Tür ___ b. table (feminine)
3. Fenster ___ c. window (neuter)
Answers:
1. Tisch (b) masculine
2. Tür (a) feminine
3. Fenster (c) neuter
Checklist
1. Where do you use capital letters in German?
2. When do you use the letter ß?
3. Why are umlauts important?
4. What is the difference between the use of gender in German and English?
5. Give an example where a word changes its ending in German.
6. What is one of the most important principles affecting German word order?
7. Does German distinguish 'I am working' from 'I work'?