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Lessons for English speakers

Learn to read German

A short, active path into reading German: decode nine real words from a ten-rule sound table, learn where the verb goes and why der becomes den, then read a fable whose pronunciation and English begin hidden.

13 core sections · ≈ 33 min + 4 optional lookups · ≈ 53 min with everything
3

Read nine real words before you learn anything else

≈ 3 min
What you'll learn
  • The ten rules are all these nine words need; each hint names the rule the word turns on.
  • Try each word once, reveal it, say it aloud. All nine return in the readings.
  • Eleven more spellings follow, and the spelling system is finished.
  • Four sounds need your mouth told what to do; the instructions are under the table.

Nine words from the story at the end of this path. Work each one out before you reveal it. Six of nine is a good first pass.

Nine words for the story

Say the word aloud, then reveal.

  1. der Hund

    A final d hardens to t.

    Show answer +
    der Hunddair hoont“the dog”
  2. die Katze

    tz says ts; final e is “uh”.

    Show answer +
    die Katzedee KAT-suh“the cat”
  3. das Haus

    au is the “ow” of “cow”.

    Show answer +
    das Hausdass howss“the house”
  4. der Wald

    w says v; final d hardens.

    Show answer +
    der Walddair valt“the forest”
  5. der Vogel

    v says f; lean on the first syllable.

    Show answer +
    der Vogeldair FOH-gul“the bird”
  6. der Fuchs

    chs is a plain “ks”.

    Show answer +
    der Fuchsdair fooks“the fox”
  7. die Maus

    au again.

    Show answer +
    die Mausdee mowss“the mouse”
  8. der Baum

    au once more.

    Show answer +
    der Baumdair bowm“the tree”
  9. die Sonne

    A single s before a vowel says z.

    Show answer +
    die Sonnedee ZON-uh“the sun”

Eleven more, and the spelling system is finished

What you seeWhat it saysIn a word
eithe sound in “my”meinmine“my”
iea long “ee”wievee“how”
ch after a, o, u, au“kh” — the back scrapeNachtnahkht“night”
ch anywhere else“ch” — the soft front hissichich“I”
sch“sh”Schneeshnay“snow”
sp-, st- starting a word“shp-”, “sht-”StundeSHTOON-duh“hour”
eu, äu“oy”, as in “boy”neunnoyn“nine”
äe as in “bed”; long, the vowel in “air”Bärbair“bear”
ö“ur” — see the keyschönshurn“beautiful”
ü“ew” — “ee” with rounded lipsTürtewr“door”
ßa sharp s — one letter, not a capital Bweißvice“white”

The trick for ei and ie: say the second letter — ei says “I”, ie says “E”. And j says y: jayah“yes”.

Two words that turn on the new pairs

  1. die Nacht

    The ch follows an a.

    Show answer +
    die Nachtdee nahkht“the night”
  2. schön

    sch is “sh”; ö is “ur”.

    Show answer +
    schönshurn“beautiful”