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
The script
3 sections2
Ten rules, and you can decode
≈ 2 min
What you'll learn
- Every naming word is written with a capital letter, so the things in a sentence are visible before you know a word.
- w says v and v says f — English has the two letters the other way round.
- A single s in front of a vowel says z; a double ss is the plain English s.
- A final d, b or g hardens to t, p, k; the spelling never shows it.
- German leans on the first syllable of a word.
Start with a free gift no other language on this site gives you: every naming word is written with a capital letter, wherever it stands. English gave this up two centuries ago; German kept it.
Spot the things without knowing the words
Der Hund ist im Wald.dair hoont ist im valt
Hundhoont“dog” · Waldvalt“forest”
Two capitals inside the sentence, two things. The rest is glue.
The ten rules the next nine words need
| What you see | What it says | In a word |
|---|---|---|
| a capital letter mid-sentence | this word is a thing | im Waldim valt“in the forest” |
| w | v, as in “very” | Waldvalt“forest” |
| v | f, as in “father” | VogelFOH-gul“bird” |
| a single s before a vowel | z, as in “zoo” | SonneZON-uh“sun” |
| z, tz | “ts”, even at the start of a word | KatzeKAT-suh“cat” |
| au | “ow”, as in “cow” | Haushowss“house” |
| chs | a plain “ks” | Fuchsfooks“fox” |
| d, b, g at the end of a word | t, p, k | Hundhoont“dog” |
| a final -e or -er | a weak “uh” | WasserVAS-uh“water” |
| stress | on the first syllable, unless the respelling says otherwise | VogelFOH-gul“bird” |
A double ss — WasserVAS-uh — is always the plain English s, never z. Stress is a strong habit rather than a law, so the respellings mark it for you.
Try the rules once before the real words
- How many things are named in Der Hund ist im Wald.?
Count the capitals that are not the first word.
Show answer +Hide answer −
Two: Hundhoont“dog” and Waldvalt“forest”. - Wasser
w says v; a final -er is a weak “uh”.
Show answer +Hide answer −
WasserVAS-uh“water”