Long and short pronunciation of vowels in German
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Long and short pronunciation of vowels
It is not always clear whether a vowel should be pronounced long or short, but we can often tell from the spelling.
- Long vowels:
a/ä, e, o/ö and u/ü are pronounced as long vowels if they are followed by h or ß, or a single b, k, d, f, n, m, p, s, t or z. We pronounce i as a long vowel if it is followed by e.
beten
to pray
Sahne
cream
Söhne
sons
Fuß
foot
Miete
rent
- Short vowels:
a/ä, e, i, o/ö and u/ü are pronounced as short vowels if they are followed by ck, ch, tz or a double consonant.
Rock
skirt
lachen
to laugh
Mütze
cap
Männer
men
Mitte
middle
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