German

Phonetic German

IPA

Österreich hat etwas für alle. Jedes Jahr locken Slogans wie “Kultúrland Österreich” und “wanderbares Österreich” um die 30 Millionen Touristen in das kleine Alpenland. Kein Wunder, denn es gibt hier viele schöne Städte und Schlösser und auch Wälder und Berge, die ideal zum Wandern sind. Winter- und Wassersportler finden auch viele Skigebiete und Seen. Es gibt sechs spektakuläre Nationalparks, aber nicht alle liegen in den Alpen. Der Nationalpark Neusiedler See bei Ungarn hat nicht nur den größten See des Landes, sondern ist der einzige Steppennationalpark Mitteleuropas. Hier kann man viele interessante Vögel sehen.

Österraiç hat etvas fyr alle. Jēdes Jahr locken Slogans vī “Kultúrlant Österraiç” unt “vanderbares Österraiç” um dī draissiç Milliónen Turísten in das klaine Alpenlant. Kain Vunder, denn es gibt hīr fīle şöne Ştēdte unt Şlösser unt aukh Velder unt Berge, dī īdeál tsum Vandern zint. Vinterunt Vasserşportler finden aukh fīle Şīgebīte unt Zēen. Es gibt zekhs şpektakulére Natsionálparks, aber niçt alle līgen in dēn Alpen. Der Natsionálpark Noizīdler Zē bai Ungarn hat niçt nur dēn grössten Zē des Landes, zondern ist der aintsige Şteppennatsionalpark Mitteloiropas. Hīr kann man fīle interessánte Fögel zē-en.

østɐʁaɪç hat ɛtvas fyɐ alə. jedəs jaʁ lɔkən sloɡans vi kʊlˈturlant østɐʁaɪç ʊnt vandɐbaʁəs østɐʁaɪç ʊm di dʁaɪsɪç mɪljonən tʊˈʁɪstən ɪn das klaɪnə alpənlant. kaɪn vʊndɐ dɛn ɛs ɡɪbt hiɐ filə ʃønə ʃtetə ʊnt ʃlœsə ʊnt aʊx vɛldɐ ʊnt bɛɐɡə di ideˈal tsʊm vandɐn zɪnt. vɪntə ʊnt vasɐʃpoɐtlɐ fɪndən aʊx filə ʃiɡəbitə ʊnt zeən. ɛs ɡɪbt zɛxs ʃpɛktakʊˈleʁə natsjoˈnalpaʁks abɐ nɪçt alə liɡən ɪn den alpən. dɛɐ natsjoˈnalpaʁk nɔʏzidlɐ ze baɪ ʊnɡaʁn hat nɪçt nʊɐ den ɡʁœstən ze dɛs landəs zɔndɐn ɪst dɛʁ aɪntsɪɡə ˈʃtɛpənnatsjoˌnalpaʁk ˈmɪtəlɔʏˌʁopas. hiɐ kan man filə ɪntəʁəˈsantə føɡəl zeən.

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.