German

Phonetic German

IPA

An deutschen Universitäten gibt es zwei Semester im Jahr: das Wintersemester und das Sommersemester. Dazwischen liegen die Semesterferien. Diese sind im Winter zwei, im Sommer drei Monate lang. In dieser Zeit schreiben die Studenten ihre Hausarbeiten, bereiten Prüfungen und Referate vor oder machen ein Praktikum. Danach bleibt meistens noch Zeit für Urlaub. Viele Studenten müssen aber auch jobben, um Geld für Studiengebühren, Wohnen, Essen, und andere Dinge zu verdienen. In einigen Bundesländern sind die Studiengebühren pro Semester bis zu 500 Euro hoch.

An Doitşen Universitḗten gibt es tsvai Zēméster im Jahr: das Vinterzēmester unt das Zommerzēmester. Datsvwişen līgen dī Zēmésterferien. Dīze zint im Vinter tsvai, im Zommer drai Monáte lang. In dīzer Tsait şraiben dī Ştudénten īhre Hausarbaiten, beráiten Pryfungen unt Referáte for oder makhen ain Praktikum. Danákh blaibt maistens nokh Tsait fyr Urlaub. Fīle Ştudénten myssen aber aukh jobben, um Gelt fyr Ştudiengebyhren, Vohnen, Essen, unt andere Dīnge tsu ́ ferdīnen. In ainigen Bundeslendern zint dī Ştudiengebyhren pro Zēméster bis tsu fynf hundert Oiro hokh.

an dɔʏtʃən univɛʁsiˈtɛːtən ɡɪbt ɛs tsvaɪ zeˈmɛstɐ ɪm jaːʁ das vɪntɐzemɛstɐ ʊnt das zɔmɐzemɛstɐ. datsvɪʃən liɡən di zemɛstɐfeʁiən. dizɐ zɪnt ɪm vɪntɐ tsvaɪ ɪm zɔmɐ dʁaɪ moˈnatə laŋ. ɪn dizɐ tsaɪt ʃʁaɪbən di ʃtuˈdɛntən iʁə haʊsaʁbaɪtən bəʁaɪtən pryːfʊŋən ʊnt ʁɛfəˈʁatə fɔɐ odɐ maxən aɪn pʁaktɪkʊm. daˈnax blaɪbt maɪstəns nɔx tsaɪt fyɐ uɐlaʊb. filə ʃtuˈdɛntən mʏsən abɐ aʊx dʒɔbən ʊm ɡɛlt fyɐ ʃtudiənɡebyʁən voːnən ɛssən ʊnt andəʁə diŋə tsu fɛɐˈdinən. ɪn aɪnɪɡən bʊndəslɛndɐn zɪnt di ʃtudiənɡəbyʁən pʁo zeˈmɛstɐ bɪs tsu fʏnf hʊndɐt ɔʏʁo hɔx.

How to Read Pronunciation Sheets The pronunciation sheets are designed to make the pronunciation exercises a little easier to follow along with and read. There are three columns: the original German text, a simplified copy of the German with some pronunciation marks (discussed below), and a transcription in the International Phonetic Alphabet, a standard system for writing the pronunciation of words in almost any language. The simplified “Phonetic German” column has some differences from the original text designed to make reading it aloud easier: • Stress marks ́ are placed on top of vowels when the stressed syllable in a word is not the first syllable (the most common place for it), as in “Student”: Studént. • Length marks ̄ are placed on top of E and I to indicate that they are pronounced as in “den” (dēn) and “ihr” (īhr), rather than their ‘short’ pronunciations as in “Student” and “Zimmer”. • Certain German sounds have been written in ways that are easier to remember and read. When German S is pronounced as Z, it is written Z. German Z is written TS. When German V is pronounced as F, it is written F. German W is written V. CH in “ich” is written Ç. CH in “machen” is written KH. SCH is written Ş. Ü and Y are written Y. EU is written OI. EI is written AI. Ä is simplified to E. • Consonants that become ‘devoiced’ at the ends of words, like the D in “Geld”, are written as such: Gelt. The IPA is used a bit in the textbook, primarily when it talks about vowel sounds. To learn how to read this, go to Wikipedia and type “Help:IPA for German” in the search box. There are 3 acceptable R sounds in German; ʁ is used in the recordings and is written here.