Standard German phonology#Consonants

Image:Northern Standard German vowel chart.svgs of standard German, from {{Harvcoltxt|Dudenredaktion|Kleiner|Knöbl|2015|p=34}}]]

Some scholarsSee the discussions in {{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996|pp=16–17}} and {{Harvcoltxt|Staffeldt|2010|pp=passim}} treat {{IPA|/ə/}} as an unstressed allophone of {{IPA|/ɛ/}}. Likewise, some scholars treat {{IPA|/ɐ/}} as an allophone of the sequence {{IPA|/ər/}} or as a vocalic realization of syllabic {{IPA|/r̩/}}. The phonemic status of {{IPA|/ɛː/}} is also debated – see below.

• Close vowels
• {{IPA|/iː/}} is close front unrounded {{IPAblink|iː}}.See the vowel charts in {{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|2005|p=37}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Kohler|1999|p=87}}{{Harvcoltxt|Lodge|2009|p=87}}
• {{IPA|/yː/}} is close near-front rounded {{IPAblink|y|y̠ː}}.
• {{IPA|/uː/}} is close back rounded {{IPAblink|uː}}.
• {{IPA|/ɪ/}} has been variously described as near-close front unrounded {{IPAblink|ɪ|ɪ̟}} and near-close near-front unrounded {{IPAblink|ɪ}}.
• {{IPA|/ʏ/}} is near-close near-front rounded {{IPAblink|ʏ}}.
• {{IPA|/ʊ/}} is near-close near-back rounded {{IPAblink|ʊ}}.
• Mid vowels
• {{IPA|/eː/}} is close-mid front unrounded {{IPAblink|eː}}.
• In non-standard accents of the Low German speaking area, as well as in some Bavarian and Austrian accents it may be pronounced as a narrow closing diphthong {{IPA|[eɪ]}}.
• {{IPA|/øː/}} has been variously described as close-mid near-front rounded {{IPAblink|ø|ø̠ː}} and mid near-front rounded {{IPAblink|ø̞|ø̽ː}}. One source{{sfnp|Dudenredaktion|Kleiner|Knöbl|2015|p=34}} shows it as considerably centralized on the vowel chart (the one shown above), closer to {{IPAblink|ɵː}} than cardinal {{IPAblink|øː}}.
• In non-standard accents of the Low German speaking area, as well as in some Austrian accents it may be pronounced as a narrow closing diphthong {{IPA|[øʏ]}}.
• {{IPA|/oː/}} is close-mid back rounded {{IPAblink|oː}}.
• In non-standard accents of the Low German speaking area, as well as in some Austrian accents it may be pronounced as a narrow closing diphthong {{IPA|[oʊ]}}.
• {{IPA|/ə/}} has been variously described as mid central unrounded {{IPAblink|ə}}. and close-mid central unrounded {{IPAblink|ɘ}}.{{cite web|title=John Wells's phonetic blog: {{IPA|ɘ|cat=no}}|date=3 June 2009 |url=http://phonetic-blog.blogspot.com/2009/06/blog-post.html|access-date=28 January 2016}} It occurs only in unstressed syllables, for instance in {{lang|de|besetzen}} {{IPA|[bəˈzɛtsən]}} ('occupy'). It is often considered a complementary allophone together with {{IPAblink|ɛ}}, which only rarely or regionally occurs in unstressed syllables (e.g. {{lang|de|entsetzt}}).{{citation needed|date=July 2020|reason=It seems that native German words like ⟨elend⟩ [ˈ(ʔ)eːlɛnt] 'wretched' are pronounced with a completely unstressed syllable that contains an [ɛ] which cannot be realized as a schwa, cf. ⟨fehlend⟩ [ˈfeːl(ə)nt] 'lacking, missing'.}} If a sonorant follows in the syllable coda, the schwa often disappears so that the sonorant becomes syllabic, for instance {{lang|de|Kissen}} {{IPA|[ˈkɪsn̩]}} ('pillow'), {{lang|de|Esel}} {{IPA|[ˈeːzl̩]}} ('donkey'). However, Standard German spoken in Luxembourg often lacks syllabic sonorants under the influence of Luxembourgish, so that e.g. {{lang|de|setzen}} ('put') is pronounced {{IPA|[ˈzɛtsən]}}, rather than {{IPA|[ˈzɛtsn̩]}}.{{sfnp|Gilles|Trouvain|2013|pp=70–71}}{{sfnp|Dudenredaktion|Kleiner|Knöbl|2015|p=39}}
• {{IPA|/ɛ/}} has been variously described as mid near-front unrounded {{IPAblink|ɛ̝|ɛ̽}} and open-mid front unrounded {{IPAblink|ɛ}}.
• {{IPA|/ɛː/}} has been variously described as mid front unrounded {{IPAblink|ɛ̝|ɛ̝ː}} and open-mid front unrounded {{IPAblink|ɛː}}.
• {{IPA|/œ/}} has been variously described as open-mid near-front rounded {{IPAblink|œ|œ̠}} and somewhat lowered open-mid near-front rounded {{IPAblink|œ|œ̠˕}}.
• {{IPA|/ɔ/}} has been variously described as somewhat fronted open-mid back rounded {{IPAblink|ɔ|ɔ̟}} and open-mid back rounded {{IPAblink|ɔ}}.
• Open vowels
• {{IPA|/ɐ/}} is near-open central unrounded {{IPAblink|ɐ}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Kohler|1999|p=88}} It is a common allophone of the sequence {{IPA|/ər/}} common to all German-speaking areas but Switzerland. As schwa /ə/ is never pronounced here, it also possible to interpret {{IPAblink|ɐ}} as the vocalic allophone of the syllabic sonorant /r̩/.{{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996|p=256}}
• {{IPA|/a/}} has been variously described as open front unrounded {{IPAblink|a}}{{Harvcoltxt|Wierzbicka|Rynkowska|1992|p=413}} and open central unrounded {{IPAblink|ä}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996|p=8}}{{Harvcoltxt|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009|p=24}} Some scholarsE.g. {{Harvcoltxt|Wierzbicka|Rynkowska|1992}} differentiate two short {{IPA|/a/}}, namely front {{IPA|/a/}} and back {{IPA|/ɑ/}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Wierzbicka|Rynkowska|1992|p=412}}. Authors state that {{IPA|/ɑ/}} can be realized as Polish {{IPA|/a/}}, i.e. central {{IPA|[ä]}}. The latter occurs only in unstressed open syllables, exactly as {{IPA|/i, y, u, e, ø, o/}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Wierzbicka|Rynkowska|1992|pp=412–415}}
• Standard Austrian pronunciation of this vowel is back {{IPAblink|ɑ}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Moosmüller|Schmid|Brandstätter|2015|pp=342–344}}
• Front {{IPAblink|a}} or even {{IPAblink|æ}} is a common realization of {{IPA|/a/}} in northern German varieties influenced by Low German.
• {{IPA|/aː/}} has been variously described as open central unrounded {{IPAblink|äː}} and open back unrounded {{IPAblink|ɑː}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Wierzbicka|Rynkowska|1992|p=412}} Because of this, it is sometimes transcribed {{IPA|/ɑː/}}.e.g. by {{Harvcoltxt|Lodge|2009|pp=86–89}} (without length marks, i.e. as {{IPA|/ɑ/}}—the vowel chart on page 87 places {{IPA|/a/}} and {{IPA|/ɑ/}} in the same open central position {{IPA|[ä]}}), {{Harvcoltxt|Morciniec|Prędota|2005}} (without length marks, i.e. as {{IPA|/ɑ/}}) and {{Harvcoltxt|Wierzbicka|Rynkowska|1992}}.
• Back {{IPAblink|ɑː}} is the Standard Austrian pronunciation. It is also a common realization of {{IPA|/aː/}} in northern German varieties influenced by Low German (in which it may even be rounded {{IPAblink|ɒː}}).
• {{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996}} notes that "there is a tendency to neutralize the distinction between {{IPA|[a(ː)]}}, {{IPA|[aɐ̯]}}, and {{IPA|[ɐ]}}. That is, {{lang|de|Oda}}, {{lang|de|Radar}}, and {{lang|de|Oder}} have final syllables which are perceptually very similar, and are nearly or completely identical in some dialects."{{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996|p=254}} He also says that "outside of a word context, {{IPA|[ɐ]}} cannot be distinguished from {{IPA|[a]}}. (As early as 1847, Verdi's librettist found it natural, when adapting a play by Schiller into the Italian language, to render the distinctly German name Roller as Rolla.)
• According to the 7th edition of Das Aussprachewörterbuch, the standard pronunciation differentiates {{IPA|[ɐ]}} from unstressed {{IPA|[a]}} (which typically belongs to {{IPA|/aː/}} phoneme, see below). The authors claim that the difference is one of height: {{IPAblink|ɐ}} vs. {{IPAblink|ä}}. However, they tend to be neutralized in the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region towards an open central {{IPAblink|ä}}. Conversely, in southern Germany, {{IPA|/ɐ/}} is often realized as {{IPAblink|ə}} (in turn, Standard {{IPA|/ə/}} is often closer to {{IPAblink|ɛ}}). In Franconia and partially also in the coastal regions of Germany, the vowel is closer to {{IPAblink|ɛ}}, whereas in west-central Germany it is slightly more open, that is {{IPAblink|æ}}. In each case but the first one, {{IPA|[ɐ]}} is strongly differentiated from {{IPA|[a]}}. In regions without r-vocalization, the difference is always present.{{sfnp|Dudenredaktion|Kleiner|Knöbl|2015|pp=40, 72}}
• According to a 2020 study, {{IPA|[ɐ]}} is not distinguished from unstressed {{IPA|[a]}} in Northern Standard German. Word pairs such as {{lang|de|Oper}} 'opera' (traditionally transcribed {{IPA|[ˈoːpɐ]}}) and {{lang|de|Opa}} 'grandpa' (traditionally transcribed {{IPA|[ˈoːpa]}}) are thus homophones (as {{IPA|[ˈoːpɐ]}}), rather than minimal pairs. The merged vowel has a centralized quality {{IPAblink|ɐ}}. The authors of the study advocate for ditching the distinction in transcriptions aimed at foreign learners of German. This neutralization may not apply to all dialects with r-vocalization, particularly the southern ones.{{sfnp|Rathcke|Mooshammer|2020|pp=48–50}}

Although there is also a length contrast, vowels are often analyzed according to a tenseness contrast, with long {{IPA|/iː, yː, uː, eː, øː, oː/}} being the tense vowels and short {{IPA|/ɪ, ʏ, ʊ, ɛ, œ, ɔ/}} their lax counterparts. Like the English checked vowels, the German lax vowels require a following consonant, with the notable exception of {{IPA|/ɛː/}} (which is absent in many varieties, as discussed below). {{IPA|/a/}} is sometimes considered the lax counterpart of tense {{IPA|/aː/}} in order to maintain this tense/lax division. Short {{IPA|[i, y, u, e, ø, o]}} occur in unstressed syllables of loanwords, for instance in {{lang|de|Psychometrie}} {{IPA|[psyçomeˈtʁiː]}} ('psychometry'). They are usually considered allophones of tense vowels (thus {{IPA|/psyːçoːmeːˈtriː/}}), which cannot occur in unstressed syllables (unless in compounds). {{IPA|/aː/}} is similarly shortened in those positions, with the difference being that it is shortened also in native words, such as aforementioned {{lang|de|Opa}} {{IPA|[ˈoːpa]}} 'grandpa' (phonemically {{IPA|/ˈoːpaː/}}).

In dialects with r-vocalization, historical {{IPA|/a(ː)r/}} (phonetically typically a long monophthong {{IPAblink|äː}}) may undergo a shortening akin to {{IPA|/aː/}} when unstressed, as in one pronunciation of {{lang|de|Radar}} 'radar' as {{IPA|[ˈʁaːda]}} (phonemically {{IPA|/ˈraːdaːr/}}). An analogous process has taken place in Danish, as in the cognate {{lang|da|radar}} {{IPA|da|ˈʁɑːtɑ|}}, meaning the same.{{cite web|title=radar — Den Danske Ordbog|url=https://ordnet.dk/ddo/ordbog?query=radar|access-date=1 June 2024}}

Northern German varieties influenced by Low German could be analyzed as lacking contrasting vowel quantity entirely:

• {{IPA|/aː/}} has a different quality than {{IPA|/a/}} (see above).
• These varieties also consistently lack {{IPA|/ɛː/}}, and use only {{IPA|/eː/}} in its place.{{cn|date=June 2024}}{{fix|text=What about the pronunciation of the letter Ä itself and the subjunctive forms?|date=June 2024}}

The existence of a phoneme {{IPA|/ɛː/}} in German is disputed.{{sfn|Noack|2023}}

The distinction between the long lax {{IPA|/ɛː/}} and the long tense {{IPA|/eː/}} does not exist in some varieties of Standard German, and many authors treat the {{IPA|/ɛː/}} phoneme as peripheral and regard a distinction between it and {{IPA|/eː/}} as a spelling pronunciation.{{sfn|van Lessen Kloeke|1982|p=11}} Most commonly, they are merged before an intervocalic {{IPA|/r/}}, so that potential minimal pairs such as {{lang|de|Ähre}} 'ear of grain' and {{lang|de|Ehre}} 'honor' or {{lang|de|Bären}} 'bears' and {{lang|de|Beeren}} 'berries' are rendered homophonous, as {{IPA|/ˈɛːrə/}} and {{IPA|/ˈbɛːrən/}}. Some authors claim that no distinction between {{IPA|/ɛː/}} and {{IPA|/eː/}} is possible in this position unless in hypercorrect pronunciation, in which {{lang|de|Ehre}} and {{lang|de|Beeren}} may be pronounced {{IPA|[ˈeːʁə]}} and {{IPA|[ˈbeːʁən]}}, with a tense {{IPA|/eː/}}.{{sfnp|Wiese|1996|p=17}} Other authors claim that there is regional variation, a distinction occurring especially in southern varieties of Standard German.{{sfnp|Eisenberg|2016|p=97}} In contexts other than before intervocalic {{IPA|/r/}}, the contrast between {{IPA|/ɛː/}} and {{IPA|/eː/}} is more stable, so that {{lang|de|bäten}} {{IPA|/ˈbɛːtən/}} 'bid, conjunctive', {{lang|de|Dänen}} {{IPA|/ˈdɛːnən/}} 'Danes' and {{lang|de|Sägen}} {{IPA|/ˈzɛːɡən/}} ('saws, n.') may be differentiated from {{lang|de|beten}} {{IPA|/ˈbeːtən/}} 'to pray', {{lang|de|dehnen}} {{IPA|/ˈdeːnən/}} 'to stretch' and {{lang|de|Segen}} {{IPA|/ˈzeːɡən/}} 'blessing'. Even here the vowels can merge, but to a tense {{IPA|/eː/}}: {{IPA|[ˈbeːtn̩, ˈdeːnən, ˈzeːɡn̩]}}.{{sfnp|Wiese|1996|p=17}} Scholars who question the existence of a phoneme {{IPA|/ɛː/}} do so for the following reasons:

1. The existence of a phoneme {{IPA|/ɛː/}} is an irregularity in a vowel system that otherwise has pairs of long and tense vs. short and lax vowels such as {{IPA|/oː/}} vs. {{IPA|/ɔ/}}.{{sfn|van Lessen Kloeke|1982|p=11}} On the other hand, such irregularities are not ruled out by any principle.{{cn|date=June 2024}}
2. The phoneme {{IPA|/ɛː/}} has developed out of the spelling of the language rather than from any historical sound change.{{sfn|Noack|2023}} Most examples of Middle High German /ǣ/ correspond to New High German {{IPA|/eː/}} rather than {{IPA|/ɛː/}}, indicating that the modern {{IPA|/ɛː/}} is not a regular development.{{sfn|van Lessen Kloeke|1982|pp=11-12}}
3. Although some dialects (e.g. Ripuarian and some Alemannic dialects) have an opposition of {{IPA|/eː/}} vs. {{IPA|/ɛː/}}, their usage does not follow that of the standard.{{sfn|van Lessen Kloeke|1982|pp=11-12}} There is also little agreement across dialects as to whether individual lexical items should be pronounced with {{IPA|/eː/}} or with {{IPA|/ɛː/}}. E.g. South Hessian dialects have {{IPA|/eː/}} in Käse but {{IPA|/ɛː/}} in Leben.[https://www.lagis-hessen.de/de/subjects/gsform/sn/shwb Südhessisches Wörterbuch online]{{better citation needed|date=June 2024}}
4. The use of {{IPA|/ɛː/}} is a spelling pronunciation rather than an original feature of the language. It is an attempt to "speak as printed" ({{lang|de|sprechen wie gedruckt}}) and to differentiate the spellings {{angbr|e}} and {{angbr|ä}} (i.e. speakers attempt to justify the appearance of {{angbr|e}} and {{angbr|ä}} in writing by making them distinct in the spoken language).{{Harvcoltxt|von Polenz|2000|pp=151, 175}}{{sfn|van Lessen Kloeke|1982|p=11}}

Image:Northern Standard German diphthong chart.svgs of standard German, from {{Harvcoltxt|Dudenredaktion|Kleiner|Knöbl|2015|p=35}}]]

• {{IPA|/aɪ̯/}} has been variously described as {{IPA|[äɪ]}},Source: {{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996|pp=11, 14}}. On the page 14, the author states that {{IPA|/aɪ̯/}}, {{IPA|/aʊ̯/}} and {{IPA|/ɔʏ̯/}} are of the same quality as vowels of which they consist. On the page 8, he states that {{IPA|/a/}} is low central. {{IPA|[äe̠]}}See vowel chart in {{Harvcoltxt|Kohler|1999|p=87}}. Despite their true ending points, Kohler still transcribes them as {{IPA|/aɪ̯ aʊ̯ ɔɪ̯/}}, i.e. with higher offsets than those actually have. and {{IPA|[aɛ]}}.Source: {{Harvcoltxt|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009|p=72}}. Authors do not provide a vowel chart. Instead, they state rather vaguely that "the diphthong {{IPA|[aɛ̯]}} is a monosyllabic compound consisting of the unrounded open vowel {{IPA|[a]}} and the unrounded mid front vowel {{IPA|[ɛ]}}."
• {{IPA|/aʊ̯/}} has been variously described as {{IPA|[äʊ]}}, {{IPA|[äʊ̞]}}, {{IPA|[äo̟]}} and {{IPA|[aɔ]}}.Source: {{Harvcoltxt|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009|pp=72–73}}. Authors do not provide a vowel chart. Instead, they state rather vaguely that "the diphthong {{IPA|[aɔ̯]}} is a monosyllabic compound consisting of the unrounded open vowel {{IPA|[a]}} and the rounded mid back vowel {{IPA|[ɔ]}}."
• {{IPA|/ɔɪ̯/}} has been variously described as {{IPA|[ɔʏ]}}, {{IPA|[ɔʏ̞]}}, {{IPA|[ɔ̝e̠]}} and {{IPA|[ɔœ]}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009|p=73}}. Authors do not provide a vowel chart. Instead, they state rather vaguely that "the diphthong {{IPA|[ɔœ̯]}} is a monosyllabic compound consisting of the rounded mid back vowel {{IPA|[ɔ]}} and the rounded mid front vowel {{IPA|[œ]}}."
• {{IPA|/ʊɪ̯/}} is found only in a handful of interjections such as {{lang|de|pfui}} {{IPA|[pfʊɪ̯]}} and {{lang|de|hui}} {{IPA|[hʊɪ̯]}}, and as an alternative to disyllabic {{IPA|[uː.ɪ]}} in words such as {{lang|de|ruhig}} {{IPA|[ʁʊɪ̯ç]}}.{{sfnp|Dudenredaktion|Kleiner|Knöbl|2015|p=34}}{{sfnp|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009|p=26}}

The following usually are not counted among the German diphthongs as German speakers often feel they are distinct marks of "foreign words" ({{lang|de|Fremdwörter}}). These appear only in loanwords:

• {{IPA|[o̯a]}}, as in {{lang|de|Croissant}} {{IPA|[kʁ̥o̯aˈsɑ̃]}}, colloquially: {{IPA|[kʁ̥o̯aˈsaŋ]}}.
• Many German speakers use {{IPA|[ɛɪ̯]}} and {{IPA|[ɔʊ̯]}} as adaptations of the English diphthongs {{IPAc-en|eɪ}} and {{IPAc-en|oʊ}} in English loanwords, according to {{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996}}, or they replace them with the native German long vowels {{IPA|/eː/}} and {{IPA|/oː/}}. Thus, the word {{lang|de|okay}} may be pronounced {{IPA|[ɔʊ̯ˈkɛɪ̯]}} or {{IPA|/oːˈkeː/}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996|p=12}} However, {{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|2005}} and {{Harvcoltxt|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009}} do not recognize these diphthongs as phonemes, and prescribe pronunciations with the long vowels {{IPA|/eː/}} and {{IPA|/oː/}} instead.

In the varieties where speakers vocalize {{IPA|/r/}} to {{IPAblink|ɐ}} in the syllable coda, a diphthong ending in {{IPA|[ɐ̯]}} may be formed with every stressable vowel:

Image:German ɐ diphthongs chart - part 1.svg

Image:German ɐ diphthongs chart - part 2.svg

:{{note|1|1}}{{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996}} notes that the length contrast is not very stable before non-prevocalic {{IPA|/r/}}{{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996|p=198}} and that "{{Harvcoltxt|Meinhold|Stock|1980|p=180}}, following the pronouncing dictionaries ({{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|1990}}, {{Harvcoltxt|Krech|Stötzer|1982}}) judge the vowel in {{lang|de|Art}}, {{lang|de|Schwert}}, {{lang|de|Fahrt}} to be long, while the vowel in {{lang|de|Ort}}, {{lang|de|Furcht}}, {{lang|de|hart}} is supposed to be short. The factual basis of this presumed distinction seems very questionable."Also supported by {{Harvcoltxt|Tröster-Mutz|2011|p=20}}. He goes on stating that in his own dialect, there is no length difference in these words, and that judgements on vowel length in front of non-prevocalic {{IPA|/r/}} which is itself vocalized are problematic, in particular if {{IPA|/a/}} precedes.

:According to the "lengthless" analysis, the aforementioned "long" diphthongs are analyzed as {{IPA|[iɐ̯]}}, {{IPA|[yɐ̯]}}, {{IPA|[uɐ̯]}}, {{IPA|[ɛɐ̯]}}, {{IPA|[eɐ̯]}}, {{IPA|[øɐ̯]}}, {{IPA|[oɐ̯]}} and {{IPA|[aɐ̯]}}. This makes non-prevocalic {{IPA|/ar/}} and {{IPA|/aːr/}} homophonous as {{IPA|[aɐ̯]}} or {{IPA|[aː]}}. Non-prevocalic {{IPA|/ɛr/}} and {{IPA|/ɛːr/}} may also merge, but the vowel chart in {{Harvcoltxt|Kohler|1999}} shows that they have somewhat different starting points – mid-centralized open-mid front {{IPAblink|ɛ̝|ɛ̽}} for the former, open-mid front {{IPAblink|ɛ}} for the latter.

:{{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996}} also states that "laxing of the vowel is predicted to take place in shortened vowels; it does indeed seem to go hand in hand with the vowel shortening in many cases." This leads to {{IPA|[iɐ̯]}}, {{IPA|[yɐ̯]}}, {{IPA|[uɐ̯]}}, {{IPA|[eɐ̯]}}, {{IPA|[øɐ̯]}}, {{IPA|[oɐ̯]}} being pronounced the same as {{IPA|[ɪɐ̯]}}, {{IPA|[ʏɐ̯]}}, {{IPA|[ʊɐ̯]}}, {{IPA|[ɛɐ̯]}}, {{IPA|[œɐ̯]}}, {{IPA|[ɔɐ̯]}}. This merger is usual in the Standard Austrian accent, in which e.g. {{lang|de|Moor}} 'bog' is often pronounced {{IPA|[mɔɐ̯]}}; this, in contrast with the Standard Northern variety, also happens intervocalically, along with the diphthongization of the laxed vowel to {{IPA|[Vɐ̯]}}, so that e.g. {{lang|de|Lehrer}} 'teacher' is pronounced {{IPA|[ˈlɛɐ̯ʁɐ]}}{{Harvcoltxt|Moosmüller|Schmid|Brandstätter|2015|p=342}} (the corresponding Standard Northern pronunciation is {{IPA|[ˈleːʁɐ]}}). Another feature of the Standard Austrian accent is complete absorption of {{IPA|[ɐ̯]}} by the preceding {{IPA|/a, aː/}}, so that e.g. {{lang|de|rar}} 'scarce' is pronounced {{IPA|[ʁɑː]}}.

:{{note|2|2}}At the end of words only.

With around 22 to 26 phonemes, the German consonant system has an average number of consonants in comparison with other languages. One of the more noteworthy ones is the unusual affricate {{IPA|/pf/}}.For a detailed discussion of the German consonants from a synchronic and diachronic point of view, see {{Harvcoltxt|Cercignani|1979}}.

• {{IPA|/r/}} can be uvular, alveolar or even dental, a consonant or a semivowel, see below.
• {{IPA|/pf/}} is bilabial–labiodental {{IPA|[pf]}}, rather than purely labiodental {{IPA|[p̪f]}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|2005|p=45}}
• {{IPA|/b, d, g, z, dʒ, ʒ/}} are voiceless in Austrian Standard German {{Harvcoltxt|Moosmüller|Schmid|Brandstätter|2015|p=341}} and in most other South German varieties.
• {{IPA|/t, d, l, n/}} can be apical alveolar {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|t|t̺}}, {{IPAplink|d|d̺}}, {{IPAplink|l|l̺}}, {{IPAplink|n|n̺}}]}},{{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|2005|pp=47, 49}}{{Harvcoltxt|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009|pp=94, 96}}. According to this source, only {{IPA|/l, n/}} can be apical alveolar.{{Harvcoltxt|Morciniec|Prędota|2005|pp=51–52, 84}}. According to this source, only {{IPA|/t, n/}} can be apical alveolar.See the x-ray tracing of {{IPA|/l/}} in {{Harvcoltxt|Ladefoged|Maddieson|1996|p=184}}, based on data from {{Harvcoltxt|Wängler|1961}}. laminal alveolar {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|t|t̻}}, {{IPAplink|d|d̻}}, {{IPAplink|l|l̻}}, {{IPAplink|n|n̻}}]}}{{Harvcoltxt|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009|pp=90, 94, 96}}{{Harvcoltxt|Morciniec|Prędota|2005|pp=51–52, 84}}. According to this source, only {{IPA|/t, n/}} can be laminal alveolar. or laminal denti-alveolar {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|t̪}}, {{IPAplink|d̪}}, {{IPAplink|l̪}}, {{IPAplink|n̪}}]}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009|p=90}}. According to this source, only {{IPA|/t, d/}} can be laminal denti-alveolar.{{Harvcoltxt|Morciniec|Prędota|2005|pp=51–52, 59, 78, 84}}See the x-ray tracing of {{IPA|/t/}} in {{Harvcoltxt|Ladefoged|Maddieson|1996|p=184}}, based on data from {{Harvcoltxt|Wängler|1961}}. The other possible pronunciation of {{IPA|/d/}} that has been reported to occur in unstressed intervocalic positions is retroflex {{IPAblink|ɖ}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Hamann|Fuchs|2010|pp=14–24}} Austrian German often uses laminal denti-alveolar articulation.
• {{IPA|/l/}} is always clear l, as in most Irish English accents. A few Austrian accents may use a dark l instead, but that is considered non-standard.
• In the Standard Austrian variety, {{IPA|/k/}} may be affricated to {{IPAblink|kx}} before front vowels.{{Harvcoltxt|Moosmüller|Schmid|Brandstätter|2015|p=341}}
• {{IPA|/ts, s, z/}} can be laminal alveolar {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|ts|t̻s̻}}, {{IPAplink|s|s̻}}, {{IPAplink|z|z̻}}]}},{{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|2005|pp=50, 52}}{{Harvcoltxt|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009|pp=79–80}}. This source talks only about {{IPA|/s, z/}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Morciniec|Prędota|2005|pp=65, 75}} This source talks only about {{IPA|/s, z/}}. laminal post-dental {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|t̪s̪}}, {{IPAplink|s̪}}, {{IPAplink|z̪}}]}} (i.e. fronted alveolar, articulated with the blade of the tongue just behind upper front teeth), or even apical alveolar {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|ts|t̺s̺}}, {{IPAplink|s̺}}, {{IPAplink|z̺}}]}}. {{IPA|/s, z/}} are always strongly fricated.{{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|2005|p=50}} Austrian German often uses the post-dental articulation for {{IPA|/s/}}.
• {{IPA|/tʃ, dʒ, ʃ, ʒ/}} are strongly labialized palato-alveolar sibilants {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|tʃ}}ʷ, {{IPAplink|dʒ}}ʷ, {{IPAplink|ʃ}}ʷ, {{IPAplink|ʒ}}ʷ]}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|2005|pp=51–52}}{{Harvcoltxt|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009|pp=51–52}}{{Harvcoltxt|Morciniec|Prędota|2005|pp=67, 76}} {{IPA|/ʃ, ʒ/}} are fricated more weakly than {{IPA|/s, z/}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|2005|p=51}} There are two variants of these sounds:
• Laminal, articulated with the foremost part of the blade of the tongue approaching the foremost part of the hard palate, with the tip of the tongue resting behind either upper or lower front teeth.
• Apico-laminal, articulated with the tip of the tongue approaching the gums and the foremost part of the blade approaching the foremost part of the hard palate. According to {{Harvcoltxt|Morciniec|Prędota|2005}}, this variant is used more frequently.
• {{IPA|/r/}} has a number of possible realizations:
• Voiced apical coronal trill {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|r|r̺}}]}},{{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|2005|p=53}}{{Harvcoltxt|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009|p=86}}{{Harvcoltxt|Morciniec|Prędota|2005|p=79}} either alveolar (articulated with the tip of the tongue against the alveolar ridge), or dental (articulated with the tip of the tongue against the back of the upper front teeth).
• Distribution: Common in the south (Bavaria and many parts of Switzerland and Austria), but it is also found in some speakers in central and northern Germany, especially the elderly. It is also one of possible realizations of {{IPA|/r/}} in the Standard Austrian accent, but a more common alveolar realization is an approximant {{IPAblink|ɹ}}. Even more common are uvular realizations, fricatives {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|ʁ}} ~ {{IPAplink|χ}}]}} and a trill {{IPAblink|ʀ}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Moosmüller|Schmid|Brandstätter|2015|pp=341–342}}: "SAG features a wide variety of realizations of the trill. In approximately the past 40 years, the pronunciation norm has changed from an alveolar to a uvular trill. The latter is mostly pronounced as a fricative, either voiced or voiceless. Alveolar trills are still in use, mostly pronounced as an approximant.
• Voiced uvular trill {{IPAblink|ʀ}},{{Harvcoltxt|Morciniec|Prędota|2005|p=80}}{{Harvcoltxt|Ladefoged|Maddieson|1996|pp=225, 229}} which can be realized as voiceless {{IPAblink|ʀ̥}} after voiceless consonants (as in {{lang|de|treten}}). According to {{Harvcoltxt|Lodge|2009}} it is often a flap {{IPAblink|ʀ̆}} intervocalically (as in {{lang|de|Ehre}}).{{Harvcoltxt|Lodge|2009|p=46}}
• Distribution: Occurs in some conservative varieties—most speakers with a uvular {{IPA|/r/}} realize it as a fricative or an approximant.{{Harvcoltxt|Ladefoged|Maddieson|1996|p=225}} It is also one of possible realizations of {{IPA|/r/}} in the Standard Austrian accent, but it is less common than a fricative {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|ʁ}} ~ {{IPAplink|χ}}]}}.
• Dorsal continuant, about the quality of which there is not a complete agreement:
• {{Harvcoltxt|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009}} describe two fricative variants, namely post-palatal {{IPA|[ɣ˖]}} and velar {{IPA|[ɣ]}}. The post-palatal variant appears before and after front vowels, while the velar variant is used in all other positions.{{Harvcoltxt|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009|pp=74, 85}}
• {{Harvcoltxt|Morciniec|Prędota|2005}} describe it as voiced post-velar fricative {{IPA|[ʁ̟]}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Morciniec|Prędota|2005|p=81}}
• {{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|2005}} and {{Harvcoltxt|Kohler|1999}} describe it as voiced uvular fricative {{IPA|[ʁ]}};{{Harvcoltxt|Kohler|1999|p=86}}
• {{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|2005}} states that "with educated professional radio and TV announcers, as with professional actors on the stage and in film, the [voiced uvular] fricative [realization of] {{IPA|/r/}} clearly predominates."
• In the Standard Austrian accent, the uvular fricative is also the most common realization, although its voicing is variable (that is, it can be either voiced {{IPAblink|ʁ}} or voiceless {{IPAblink|χ}}).
• {{Harvcoltxt|Kohler|1999}} writes that "the place of articulation of the consonant varies from uvular in e.g. {{lang|de|rot}} ('red') to velar in e.g. {{lang|de|treten}} ('kick'), depending on back or front vowel contexts." He also notes that {{IPAblink|ʁ}} is devoiced after voiceless plosives and fricatives, especially those within the same word, giving the word {{lang|de|treten}} as an example. According to this author, {{IPA|[ʁ]}} can be reduced to an approximant in an intervocalic position.{{Harvcoltxt|Kohler|1999|pp=86–87}}
• {{Harvcoltxt|Ladefoged|Maddieson|1996}} describe it as a uvular fricative {{IPA|[ʁ]}} or approximant {{IPA|[ʁ̞]}}. The latter is less likely to occur word-initially.{{Harvcoltxt|Ladefoged|Maddieson|1996|pp=225, 233–234}}
• Distribution: Almost all areas apart from Bavaria and parts of Switzerland.
• Near-open central unrounded vowel {{IPAblink|ɐ}} is a post-vocalic allophone of (mostly dorsal) varieties of {{IPA|/r/}}. The non-syllabic variant of it is not always near-open or central; it is similar to either {{IPAblink|ɑ}} or {{IPAblink|ə}}, depending on the environment.
• Distribution: Widespread, but less common in Switzerland.
• Retroflex approximant [ɻ⁠] realized like the r in Standard American English.
• Distribution: Middle Hessian between the Wetterau region and the Westerwald{{Cite web |last=deutschlandfunkkultur.de |title=Dialekte - Hessische Zungenbrecher |url=https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/dialekte-hessische-zungenbrecher-100.html |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Deutschlandfunk Kultur |language=de}} and the Higher Lusatia.
• The voiceless stops {{IPAslink|p}}, {{IPAslink|t}}, {{IPAslink|k}} are aspirated except when preceded by a sibilant. Many southern dialects do not aspirate {{IPA|/p t k/}}, and some northern ones do so only in a stressed position. The voiceless affricates {{IPA|/pf/}}, {{IPA|/ts/}}, and {{IPA|/tʃ/}} are never aspirated,{{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|2005|p=52}} and neither are any other consonants besides the aforementioned {{IPA|/p, t, k/}}.
• The obstruents {{IPA|/b, d, ɡ, z, ʒ, dʒ/}} are voiceless lenis consonants {{IPA|[b̥, d̥, ɡ̊, z̥, ʒ̊, d̥ʒ̊]}} in southern varieties. Voiceless lenis consonants {{IPA|[b̥, d̥, ɡ̊, z̥]}} continue to contrast with voiceless fortis consonants {{IPA|[p, t, k, s]}}. The section {{slink||Fortis–lenis pairs}} covers the issue in more detail.
• In Austria, intervocalic {{IPA|/b, d, ɡ/}} can be lenited to fricatives {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|β}}, {{IPAplink|ð}}, {{IPAplink|ɣ}}]}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Moosmüller|2007|p=6}}
• Before and after front vowels ({{IPA|/ɪ, iː, ʏ, yː, ɛ, ɛː, eː, œ, øː/}} and, in varieties that realize them as front, {{IPA|/a/}} and/or {{IPA|/aː/}}), the velar consonants {{IPA|/ŋ, k, ɡ/}} are realized as post-palatal {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|ŋ˖}}, {{IPAplink|k̟}}, {{IPAplink|ɡ˖}}]}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996|p=271}}{{Harvcoltxt|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009|pp=49, 92, 97}} According to {{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996}}, in a parallel process, {{IPA|/k, ɡ/}} before and after back vowels ({{IPA|/ʊ, uː, ɔ, oː/}} and, in varieties that realize them as back, {{IPA|/a/}} and/or {{IPA|/aː/}}) are retracted to post-velar {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|k̠}}, {{IPAplink|ɡ˗}}]}} or even uvular {{IPA|[{{IPAplink|q}}, {{IPAplink|ɢ}}]}}.
• There is no complete agreement about the nature of {{IPA|/j/}}; it has been variously described as:
• a fricative {{IPAblink|ʝ}},{{Harvcoltxt|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009|pp=83–84}}{{Harvcoltxt|Morciniec|Prędota|2005|pp=77–78}}. The authors transcribe it {{IPA|/j/}}, i.e. as an approximant.{{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996|p=12}}. The author transcribes it {{IPA|/j/}}, i.e. as an approximant.
• a fricative which can be fricated less strongly than {{IPAblink|ç}},{{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|2005|p=51}}. The author transcribes it {{IPA|/j/}}, i.e. as an approximant.
• a sound variable between a weak fricative and an approximant,{{Harvcoltxt|Hall|2003|p=48}}. The author transcribes it {{IPA|/j/}}, i.e. as an approximant. and
• an approximant {{IPAblink|j}},{{Harvcoltxt|Moosmüller|Schmid|Brandstätter|2015|p=340}}. The authors transcribe it as {{IPA|/j/}}, i.e. as an approximant. which is the usual realization in the Standard Austrian variety.
• In many varieties of standard German, the glottal stop, {{IPAblink|ʔ}}, occurs in careful speech before word stems that begin with a vowel and before stressed vowels word-internally, as in Oase [ʔo.ʔaː.zə] (twice). It is much more frequent in northern varieties than in the south. It is not usually considered a phoneme. In colloquial and dialectal speech, {{IPA|[ʔ]}} is often omitted, especially when the word beginning with a vowel is unstressed.
• The phonemic status of affricates is controversial. The majority view accepts {{IPAslink|pf}} and {{IPAslink|ts}}, but not {{IPAslink|tʃ}} or the non-native {{IPAslink|dʒ}}; somee.g. {{Harvcoltxt|Kohler|1990}} accept none, some accept all but {{IPAslink|dʒ}}, and somee.g. {{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996}} accept all.
• Although {{IPAblink|tʃ}} occurs in native words, it only appears in historic clusters of {{IPAslink|t}} + {{IPAslink|ʃ}} (e.g. deutsch < OHG diutisc) or in words with expressive quality (e.g. glitschen, hutschen). {{IPA|[tʃ]}} is, however, well-established in loanwords, including German toponyms of non-Germanic origin (e.g. Zschopau).
• {{IPAblink|dʒ}} and {{IPAblink|ʒ}} occur only in words of foreign origin. In certain varieties, they are replaced by {{IPAblink|tʃ}} and {{IPAblink|ʃ}} altogether.
• {{IPAblink|ʋ}} is occasionally considered to be an allophone of {{IPAslink|v}}, especially in southern varieties of German.
• {{IPAblink|ç}} and {{IPAblink|x}} are traditionally regarded as allophones after front vowels and back vowels, respectively. For a more detailed analysis see below at ich-Laut and ach-Laut. According to some analyses, {{IPAblink|χ}} is an allophone of {{IPAslink|x}} after {{IPA|/a, aː/}} and according to some also after {{IPA|/ʊ, ɔ, aʊ̯/}}. However, according to {{Harvcoltxt|Moosmüller|Schmid|Brandstätter|2015}}, the uvular allophone is used after {{IPA|/ɔ/}} only in the Standard Austrian variety.
• Some phonologists do not posit a separate phoneme {{IPAslink|ŋ}} and use {{IPA|/nɡ/}} instead,{{cite book |last1=Graefen |first1= Gabriele |last2= Liedke |first2=Martina |year=2012 |title=Germanistische Sprachwissenschaft: Deutsch als Erst-, Zweit- oder Fremdsprache |edition=2nd, revised |lang=de |place=Tübingen |publisher=A. Franke |isbn= 9783825284916 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bLeeDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA217}} along with {{IPA|/nk/}} instead of {{IPA|/ŋk/}}. The phoneme sequence {{IPA|/nɡ/}} is realized as {{IPA|[ŋɡ]}} when {{IPAslink|ɡ}} can start a valid onset of the next syllable whose nucleus is a vowel other than unstressed {{IPAslink|ə}}, {{IPAslink|ɪ}}, or {{IPAslink|ʊ}}. It becomes {{IPAblink|ŋ}} otherwise.{{Cite book |last=Wiese |first=Richard |title=The Phonology of German |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2000 |location=Oxford |pages=218–234}} For example:
• {{lang|de|Diphthong}} {{IPA|/dɪfˈtɔnɡ/ [dɪfˈtɔŋ]}}
• {{lang|de|diphthongieren}} {{IPA|/dɪftɔnˈɡiːrən/ [ˌdɪftɔŋˈɡiːʁən]}}
• {{lang|de|Englisch}} {{IPA|/ˈɛnɡlɪʃ/ [ˈɛŋlɪʃ]}}
• {{lang|de|Anglo}} {{IPA|/ˈanɡloː/ [ˈaŋɡloː]}}
• {{lang|de|Ganges}} {{IPA|/ˈɡanɡəs/ [ˈɡaŋəs]}} ~ {{IPA|/ˈɡanɡɛs/ [ˈɡaŋɡɛs]}}

===Ich-Laut and ach-Laut===

File:Velar fronting after ae.pdf

{{lang|de|Ich-Laut}} is the voiceless palatal fricative {{IPAblink|ç}} (which is found in the word {{lang|de|ich}} {{IPA|[ɪç]}} 'I'), and {{lang|de|ach-Laut}} is the voiceless velar fricative {{IPAblink|x}} (which is found in the word {{lang|de|ach}} {{IPA|[ax]}} the interjection 'oh', 'alas'). {{lang|de|Laut}} {{IPA|[laʊ̯t]}} is the German word for 'sound, phone'. In German, these two sounds are allophones occurring in complementary distribution. The allophone {{IPAblink|x}} occurs after back vowels and {{IPA|/a aː/}} (for instance in {{lang|de|Buch}} {{IPA|[buːx]}} 'book'), the allophone {{IPAblink|ç}} after front vowels (for instance in {{lang|de|mich}} {{IPA|[mɪç]}} 'me/myself') and consonants (for instance in {{lang|de|Furcht}} {{IPA|[fʊʁçt]}} 'fear', {{lang|de|manchmal}} {{IPA|[ˈmançmaːl]}} 'sometimes'). The allophone {{IPAblink|ç}} also appears after vocalized {{angbr|r}} in superregional variants, e.g. in {{lang|de|Furcht}} {{IPA|[fʊɐ̯çt]}} 'fear'. In southeastern regiolects, the {{lang|de|ach-Laut}} is commonly used here, yielding {{IPA|[fʊɐ̯xt]}}.

In loanwords, the pronunciation of potential fricatives in onsets of stressed syllables varies: in the Northern varieties of standard German, it is {{IPAblink|ç}}, while in Southern varieties, it is {{IPAblink|k}}, and in Western varieties, it is {{IPAblink|ʃ}} (for instance in {{lang|de|China}}: {{IPA|[ˈçiːna]}} vs. {{IPA|[ˈkiːna]}} vs. {{IPA|[ˈʃiːna]}}).

The diminutive suffix {{lang|de|-chen}} is always pronounced with an {{lang|de|ich-Laut}} {{IPA|[-çən]}}.{{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996|p=217}} Usually, this ending triggers umlaut (compare for instance {{lang|de|Hund}} {{IPA|[hʊnt]}} 'dog' to {{lang|de|Hündchen}} {{IPA|[ˈhʏntçn̩]}} 'little dog'), so theoretically, it could only occur after front vowels. However, in some comparatively recent coinings, there is no longer an umlaut, for instance in the word {{lang|de|Frauchen}} {{IPA|[ˈfʁaʊ̯çən]}} (a diminutive of {{lang|de|Frau}} 'woman'), so that a back vowel is followed by a {{IPAblink|ç}}, even though normally it would be followed by a {{IPAblink|x}}, as in {{lang|de|rauchen}} {{IPA|[ˈʁaʊ̯xən]}} ('to smoke'). This exception to the allophonic distribution may be an effect of the morphemic boundary or an example of phonemicization, where erstwhile allophones undergo a split into separate phonemes.

The allophonic distribution of {{IPAblink|ç}} after front vowels and {{IPAblink|x}} after other vowels is also found in other languages, such as Scots, e.g. licht {{IPA|[lɪçt]}} 'light', dochter {{IPA|[ˈdɔxtər]}} 'daughter', and the same distribution is reconstructed for Middle English. However, it is by no means inevitable: Dutch, Yiddish, and many Southern German dialects retain {{IPAblink|x}} (which can be realized as {{IPAblink|χ}} instead) in all positions. It is thus reasonable to assume that Old High German ih, the ancestor of modern {{lang|de|ich}}, was pronounced with {{IPAblink|x}} rather than {{IPAblink|ç}}. While it is impossible to know for certain whether Old English words such as niht (modern night) were pronounced with {{IPAblink|x}} or {{IPAblink|ç}}, {{IPAblink|ç}} is likely (see Old English phonology).

Despite the phonetic history, the complementary distribution of {{IPAblink|ç}} and {{IPAblink|x}} in modern Standard German is better described as backing of {{IPAslink|ç}} after a back vowel, rather than fronting of {{IPAslink|x}} after a front vowel, because {{IPAblink|ç}} is used in onsets ({{lang|de|Chemie}} {{IPA|[çeˈmiː]}} 'chemistry') and after consonants ({{lang|de|Molch}} {{IPA|[mɔlç]}} 'newt'), and is thus the underlying form of the phoneme.

According to Kohler,{{Harvcoltxt|Kohler|1977}} and {{Harvcoltxt|Kohler|1990}}, as cited in {{Harvcoltxt|Wiese|1996|p=210}} the German {{lang|de|ach-Laut}} is further differentiated into two allophones, {{IPAblink|x}} and {{IPAblink|χ}}: {{IPAblink|x}} occurs after {{IPA|/uː, oː/}} (for instance in {{lang|de|Buch}} {{IPA|[buːx]}} 'book') and {{IPAblink|χ}} after {{IPA|/a, aː/}} (for instance in {{lang|de|Bach}} {{IPA|[baχ]}} 'brook'), while either {{IPAblink|x}} or {{IPAblink|χ}} may occur after {{IPA|/ʊ, ɔ, aʊ̯/}}, with {{IPAblink|χ}} predominating.

In Western varieties, there is a strong tendency to realize {{IPAslink|ç}} as unrounded {{IPAblink|ʃ}} or {{IPAblink|ɕ}}, and the phoneme may be confused or merged with {{IPAslink|ʃ}} altogether, secondarily leading to hypercorrection effects where {{IPAslink|ʃ}} is replaced with {{IPAslink|ç}}, for instance in {{lang|de|Fisch}} {{IPA|[fɪʃ]}}, which may be realized as {{IPA|[fɪç]}}.

Within German dialects, a large variation exists as to the environments which trigger or prevent one realization or the other.{{sfnp|Hall|2022|pp=455ff}}

Various German consonants occur in pairs at the same place of articulation and in the same manner of articulation, namely the pairs {{IPA|/p–b/}}, {{IPA|/t–d/}}, {{IPA|/k–ɡ/}}, {{IPA|/s–z/}}, {{IPA|/ʃ–ʒ/}}. These pairs are often called fortis–lenis pairs, since describing them as voiced–voiceless pairs is inadequate. With certain qualifications, {{IPA|/tʃ–dʒ/}}, {{IPA|/f–v/}} and {{IPA|/θ–ð/}} are also considered fortis–lenis pairs.

Fortis-lenis distinction for {{IPA|/ʔ, m, n, ŋ, l, r, h/}} is unimportant.{{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|2005|p=56}}

The fortis stops {{IPA|/p, t, k/}} are aspirated in many varieties. The aspiration is strongest in the onset of a stressed syllable (such as {{lang|de|Taler}} {{IPA|[ˈtʰaːlɐ]}} 'thaler'), weaker in the onset of an unstressed syllable (such as {{lang|de|Vater}} {{IPA|[ˈfaːtʰɐ]}} 'father'), and weakest in the syllable coda (such as in {{lang|de|Saat}} {{IPA|[zaːtʰ]}} 'seed'). All fortis consonants, i.e. {{IPA|/p, t, k, f, θ, s, ʃ, ç, x, pf, ts, tʃ/}} are fully voiceless.{{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|2005|p=55}}

The lenis consonants {{IPA|/b, d, ɡ, v, ð, z, ʒ, j, r, dʒ/}} range from being weakly voiced to almost voiceless {{IPA|[b̥, d̥, ɡ̊, v̥, ð̥, z̥, ʒ̊, j̥, r̥, d̥ʒ̊]}} after voiceless consonants: {{lang|de|Kasbah}} {{IPA|[ˈkasb̥a]}} ('kasbah'), {{lang|de|abdanken}} {{IPA|[ˈapd̥aŋkn̩]}} ('to resign'), {{lang|de|rotgelb}} {{IPA|[ˈʁoːtɡ̊ɛlp]}} ('red-yellow'), {{lang|de|Abwurf}} {{IPA|[ˈapv̥ʊʁf]}} ('dropping'), {{lang|de|Absicht}} {{IPA|[ˈapz̥ɪçt]}} ('intention'), {{lang|de|Holzjalousie}} {{IPA|[ˈhɔltsʒ̊aluziː]}} ('wooden jalousie'), {{lang|de|wegjagen}} {{IPA|[ˈvɛkj̥aːɡn̩]}} ('to chase away'), {{lang|de|tropfen}} {{IPA|[ˈtʁ̥ɔpfn̩]}} ('to drop'), {{lang|de|Obstjuice}} {{IPA|[ˈoːpstd̥ʒ̊uːs]}} ('fruit juice'). {{Harvcoltxt|Mangold|2005}} states that they are "to a large extent voiced" {{IPA|[b, d, ɡ, v, ð, z, ʒ, j, r, dʒ]}} in all other environments, but some studies have found the stops {{IPA|/b, d, ɡ/}} to be voiceless word/utterance-initially in most dialects (while still contrasting with {{IPA|/p, t, k/}} due to the aspiration of the latter).{{Harvcoltxt|Jessen|Ringen|2002|p=190}}

{{IPA|/b, d, ɡ, z, ʒ/}} are voiceless in most southern varieties of German. For clarity, they are often transcribed as {{IPA|[b̥, d̥, ɡ̊, z̥, ʒ̊]}}.

The nature of the phonetic difference between the voiceless lenis consonants and the similarly voiceless fortis consonants is controversial. It is generally described as a difference in articulatory force, and occasionally as a difference in articulatory length; for the most part, it is assumed that one of these characteristics implies the other.

In various central and southern varieties, the opposition between fortis and lenis is neutralized in the syllable onset; sometimes just in the onset of stressed syllables, sometimes in all cases.

The pair {{IPA|/f–v/}} is not considered a fortis–lenis pair, but a simple voiceless–voiced pair, as {{IPAslink|v}} remains voiced in all varieties, including the Southern varieties that devoice the lenes (with however some exceptions).{{clarify span|text=[v] written {{lang|de|v}}|explain=Mixing orthography with phonology; what's the phonological analysis here?|date=April 2013}} can devoice in nearly every place once the word has become common; {{lang|de|w}} is devoiced in {{lang|de|Möwe, Löwe}}. On the other hand, the keeping to the variety is so standard that {{lang|de|doof}} {{IPA|[doːf]}} induced the writing "(der) doofe" even though the standard pronunciation of the latter word is {{IPA|[ˈdoːvə]}} Generally, the southern {{IPAslink|v}} is realized as the voiced approximant {{IPAblink|ʋ}}. However, there are southern varieties which differentiate between a fortis {{IPAslink|f}} (such as in {{lang|de|sträflich}} {{IPA|[ˈʃtʁɛːflɪç]}} 'culpable' from Middle High German stræflich) and a lenis {{IPAslink|f}} ({{IPA|[v̥]}}, such as in {{lang|de|höflich}} {{IPA|[ˈhøːv̥lɪç]}} 'polite' from Middle High German hovelîch); this is analogous to the opposition of fortis {{IPAslink|s}} ({{IPAblink|s}}) and lenis {{IPA|[z̥]}}.

In varieties from Northern Germany, lenis stops in the syllable coda are realized as fortis stops. This does not happen in varieties from Southern Germany, Austria or Switzerland.{{refn|See {{harvtxt|Ammon|Bickel|Ebner|Esterhammer|2004|page=LVII}}.}}

Since the lenis stops {{IPA|/b, d, ɡ/}} are unvoiced or at most variably voiced (as stated above), this cannot be called devoicing in the strict sense of the word because it does not involve the loss of phonetic voice.{{Harvcoltxt|Beckman|Jessen|Ringen|2009|p=233}} More accurately, it can be called coda fortition or a neutralization of fortis and lenis sounds in the coda. Fricatives are truly and contrastively voiced in Northern Germany.{{refn|In Southern Germany, Austria or Switzerland there is no phonetic voice in fricatives either, see {{harvtxt|Ammon|Bickel|Ebner|Esterhammer|2004|page=LVII}}.}} Therefore, the fricatives undergo coda devoicing in the strict sense of the word. It is disputed whether coda devoicing is due to a constraint which specifically operates on syllable codas or whether it arises from constraints which "protect voicing in privileged positions".{{Harvcoltxt|Beckman|Jessen|Ringen|2009|pp=264–265}}

{{More citations needed section|date=January 2023}}

In German words there is always one syllable carrying main stress, with all other syllables either being unstressed or carrying a secondary stress. The position of the main stress syllable has been a matter of debate. Traditionally, word stress is seen as falling onto the first stem syllable. In recent analyses, there is agreement that main stress is placed onto one of the last three (stressable) syllables. Within this three-syllable window,{{Cite book|last=Vennemann|first=Theo|title=Neuere Entwicklungen in der Phonologie|publisher=de Gruyter|year=1986|isbn=3-11-010980-8|location=Berlin|language=German}} word stress is put regularly onto the second-to-last syllable, the penultimate syllable.{{Cite book |last=Wiese |first=Richard |title=The Phonology of German |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2000 |isbn=0198299508 |edition=2nd |location=Oxford |pages=276–287 |language=English |author-link=Richard Wiese (linguist)}} However, syllable quantity may modify this pattern: a heavy final or prefinal syllable, i.e., one with a long vowel or with one or more consonants in the syllable coda, will usually attract main stress.

;Examples:

• final stress: Eleˈfant, Krokoˈdil, Kaˈmel
• penultimate stress: ˈTurban, ˈKonsul, ˈBison
• antepenultimate stress: ˈPinguin, ˈRisiko, ˈMonitor

A set of illustrative examples also stems from Japanese loan words, as these cannot be borrowed with their stress patterns (Japanese has a system of pitch accents, completely different from word stress in Germanic languages):

• final stress: Shoˈgun, Samuˈrai
• penultimate stress: Mitsuˈbishi, Ikeˈbana
• antepenultimate stress: Hiˈroshima, ˈOsaka

A list of Japanese words in German reveals that none of the words with four syllables has initial stress, confirming the three-syllable-window analysis.

Secondary stresses precede the main stress if at least two syllables are present, as in ̩Bib-li- ̩o-the-'ka-rin.

Suffixes, if containing a stressable vowel, are either stressed (-ei, ion, -al, etc.) or unstressed (-ung, -heit, -isch, etc.)

In addition, German uses different stresses for separable prefixes and inseparable prefixes in verbs and words derived from such verbs:

• Words beginning with {{lang|de|be-}}, {{lang|de|ge-}}, {{lang|de|er-}}, {{lang|de|ver-}}, {{lang|de|zer-}}, {{lang|de|ent-}}, {{lang|de|emp-}} and a few other inseparable prefixes are stressed on the root.
• Words beginning with the separable prefixes {{lang|de|ab-}}, {{lang|de|auf-}}, {{lang|de|ein-}}, {{lang|de|vor-}}, and most prepositional adverbs are stressed on the prefix.
• Some prefixes, notably {{lang|de|über-}}, {{lang|de|unter-}}, {{lang|de|um-}}, and {{lang|de|durch-}}, can function as separable or inseparable prefixes and are stressed or not accordingly.
• A few homographs with such prefixes exist. They are not perfect homophones. Consider the word {{lang|de|umschreiben}}. As {{lang|de|ˈum•schreiben}} (separable prefix), it means 'to rewrite' and is pronounced {{IPA|[ˈʊmʃʁaɪ̯bən]}}, with stress on the first syllable. Its associated noun, {{lang|de|die ˈUmschreibung}} is also stressed on the first syllable – {{IPA|[ˈʊmʃʁaɪ̯bʊŋ]}}. On the other hand, {{lang|de|umˈschreiben}} (inseparable prefix) is pronounced {{IPA|[ʊmˈʃʁaɪ̯bən]}}, with stress on the second syllable. This word means 'to paraphrase', and its associated noun, {{lang|de|die Umˈschreibung}} is also stressed on the second syllable – {{IPA|[ʊmˈʃʁaɪ̯bʊŋ]}}. Another example is the word {{lang|de|umˈfahren}}; with stress on the root ({{IPA|[ʊmˈfaːʁən]}}) it means 'to drive around (an obstacle in the street)', and with stress on the prefix ({{IPA|[ˈʊmfaːʁən]}}) it means 'to run down/over' or 'to knock down'.

Like all infants, German infants go through a babbling stage in the early phases of phonological acquisition, during which they produce the sounds they will later use in their first words.{{Harvcoltxt|Meibauer|Demske|Geilfuß-Wolfgang|Pafel|2007|p=261}} Phoneme inventories begin with stops, nasals, and vowels; (contrasting) short vowels and liquids appear next, followed by fricatives and affricates, and finally all other consonants and consonant clusters.{{Harvcoltxt|Meibauer|Demske|Geilfuß-Wolfgang|Pafel|2007|p=263}} Children begin to produce protowords near the end of their first year. These words do not approximate adult forms, yet have a specific and consistent meaning. Early word productions are phonetically simple and usually follow the syllable structure CV or CVC, although this generalization has been challenged.{{Harvcoltxt|Grijzenhout|Joppen|1998|p=1}} The first vowels produced are {{IPA|/ə/}}, {{IPA|/a/}}, and {{IPA|/aː/}}, followed by {{IPA|/eː/}}, {{IPA|/iː/}}, and {{IPA|/ɛ/}}, with rounded vowels emerging last. German children often use phonological processes to simplify their early word production. For example, they may delete an unstressed syllable ({{lang|de|Schokolade}} 'chocolate' pronounced {{IPA|[ˈlaːdə]}}), or replace a fricative with a corresponding stop ({{lang|de|Dach}} {{IPA|[dax]}} 'roof' pronounced {{IPA|[dak]}}).{{Harvcoltxt|Meibauer|Demske|Geilfuß-Wolfgang|Pafel|2007|p=264}} One case study found that a 17-month-old child acquiring German replaced the voiceless velar fricative {{IPA|[x]}} with the nearest available continuant {{IPA|[h]}}, or deleted it altogether ({{lang|de|Buch}} {{IPA|[buːx]}} 'book' pronounced {{IPA|[buh]}} or {{IPA|[buː]}}).{{Harvcoltxt|Grijzenhout|Joppen|1998|p=12}}

Prosodically, children prefer bisyllabic words with the pattern strong – weak over monosyllabic words.

In 2009, Lintfert examined the development of vowel space of German speakers in their first three years of life. During the babbling stage, vowel distribution has no clear pattern. However, stressed and unstressed vowels already show different distributions in the vowel space. Once word production begins, stressed vowels expand in the vowel space, while the F₁ – F₂ vowel space of unstressed vowels becomes more centralized. The majority of infants are then capable of stable production of F₁.{{Harvcoltxt|Lintfert|2010|p=159}} The variability of formant frequencies among individuals decreases with age.{{Harvcoltxt|Lintfert|2010|p=138}} After 24 months, infants expand their vowel space individually at different rates. However, if the parents' utterances possess a well-defined vowel space, their children produce clearly distinguished vowel classes earlier.{{Harvcoltxt|Lintfert|2010|p=160}} By about three years old, children command the production of all vowels, and they attempt to produce the four cardinal vowels, {{IPA|/y/}}, {{IPA|/i/}}, {{IPA|/u/}} and {{IPA|/a/}}, at the extreme limits of the F1–F2 vowel space (i.e., the height and backness of the vowels are made extreme by the infants).

The acquisition of nasals in German differs from that of Dutch, a phonologically closely related language.{{Harvcoltxt|Altvater-Mackensen|Fikkert|2007|p=14}} German children produce proportionately more nasals in onset position (sounds before a vowel in a syllable) than Dutch children do.{{Harvcoltxt|Altvater-Mackensen|Fikkert|2007|p=16}} German children, once they reached 16 months, also produced significantly more nasals in syllables containing schwas, when compared with Dutch-speaking children.{{Harvcoltxt|Altvater-Mackensen|Fikkert|2007|p=19}} This may reflect differences in the languages the children are being exposed to, although the researchers claim that the development of nasals likely cannot be seen apart from the more general phonological system the child is developing.{{Harvcoltxt|Altvater-Mackensen|Fikkert|2007|p=23}}

A 2006 study examined the acquisition of German in phonologically delayed children (specifically, issues with fronting of velars and stopping of fricatives) and whether they applied phonotactic constraints to word-initial consonant clusters containing these modified consonants.{{Harvcoltxt|Ott|van de Vijver|Höhle|2006|p=323}} In many cases, the subjects (mean age = 5.1) avoided making phonotactic violations, opting instead for other consonants or clusters in their speech. This suggests that phonotactic constraints do apply to the speech of German children with phonological delay, at least in the case of word-initial consonant clusters.{{Harvcoltxt|Ott|van de Vijver|Höhle|2006|p=331}} Additional research{{Harvcoltxt|Goswami|Ziegler|Richardson|2005|p=362}} has also shown that spelling consistencies seen in German raise children's phonemic awareness as they acquire reading skills.

A common merger is that of {{IPA|/ɡ/}} at the end of a syllable with {{IPA|[ç]}} or {{IPA|[x]}}, for instance {{lang|de|Krieg}} {{IPA|[kʁ̥iːç]}} ('war'), but {{lang|de|Kriege}} {{IPA|[ˈkʁ̥iːɡə]}} ('wars'); {{lang|de|er lag}} {{IPA|[laːx]}} ('he lay'), but {{lang|de|wir lagen}} {{IPA|[ˈlaːɡən]}} ('we lay'). This pronunciation is frequent all over central and northern Germany. It is characteristic of regional languages and dialects, particularly Low German in the North, where {{angbr|g}} represents a fricative, becoming voiceless in the syllable coda, as is common in German (final-obstruent devoicing). However common it is, this pronunciation is considered sub-standard. Only in one case, in the grammatical ending {{lang|de|-ig}} (which corresponds to English -y), the fricative pronunciation of final {{angbr|g}} is prescribed by the Siebs standard, for instance {{lang|de|wichtig}} {{IPA|[ˈvɪçtɪç]}} ('important'), {{lang|de|Wichtigkeit}} {{IPA|[ˈvɪçtɪçkaɪt]}} ('importance'). The merger occurs neither in Austro-Bavarian and Alemannic German nor in the corresponding varieties of Standard German, and therefore in these regions {{lang|de|-ig}} is pronounced {{IPA|[ɪɡ̊]}}.

Many speakers do not distinguish the affricate {{IPA|/pf/}} from the simple fricative {{IPA|/f/}} in the beginning of a word,{{harvcoltxt|Krech|Stock|Hirschfeld|Anders|2009|p=108}} in which case the verb {{lang|de|(er) fährt}} ('[he] travels') and the noun {{lang|de|Pferd}} ('horse') are both pronounced {{IPA|[fɛɐ̯t]}}. This most commonly occurs in northern and western Germany, where the local dialects did not originally have the sound {{IPA|/pf/}}. Some speakers also have peculiar pronunciation for {{IPA|/pf/}} in the middle or end of a word, replacing the {{IPA|[f]}} in {{IPA|/pf/}} with a voiceless bilabial fricative, i.e. a consonant produced by pressing air flow through the tensed lips. Thereby {{lang|de|Tropfen}} ('drop') becomes {{IPA|[ˈtʁ̥ɔpɸn̩]}}, rather than {{IPA|[ˈtʁ̥ɔpfn̩]}}.

Many speakers who have a vocalization of {{IPA|/r/}} after {{IPA|/a/}} merge this combination with long {{IPA|/aː/}} (i.e. {{IPA|/ar/}} > {{IPA|*[aɐ]}} or {{IPA|*[ɑɐ]}} > {{IPA|[aː]}} or {{IPA|[ɑː]}}). Hereby, {{lang|de|Schaf}} ('sheep') and {{lang|de|scharf}} ('sharp') can both be pronounced {{IPA|[ʃaːf]}} or {{IPA|[ʃɑːf]}}. This merger does not occur where {{IPA|/a/}} is a front vowel while {{IPA|/aː/}} is realised as a back vowel. Here the words are kept distinct as {{IPA|[ʃɑːf]}} ('sheep') and {{IPA|[ʃaːf]}} ('sharp').

In umlaut forms, the difference usually reoccurs: {{lang|de|Schäfer}} {{IPA|[ˈʃɛːfɐ]}} or {{IPA|{{IPA|[ˈʃeːfɐ]}}}} vs. {{lang|de|schärfer}} {{IPA|[ˈʃɛɐ̯fɐ]}}. Speakers with this merger also often use {{IPA|[aːç]}} (instead of formally normal {{IPA|/aːx/}}) where it stems from original {{IPA|[arç]}}. The word {{lang|de|Archen}} ('arks') is thus pronounced {{IPA|[ˈaːçn̩]}}, which makes a minimal pair with {{lang|de|Aachen}} {{IPA|[ˈaːxn̩]}}, arguably making the difference between {{IPA|[ç]}} and {{IPA|[x]}} phonemic, rather than just allophonic, for these speakers.

In the standard pronunciation, the vowel qualities {{IPA|/iː/}}, {{IPA|/ɪ/}}, {{IPA|/eː/}}, {{IPA|/ɛ/}}, as well as {{IPA|/uː/}}, {{IPA|/ʊ/}}, {{IPA|/oː/}}, {{IPA|/ɔ/}}, are all still distinguished even in unstressed syllables. In this latter case, however, many simplify the system in various degrees. For some speakers, this may go so far as to merge all four into one, hence misspellings by schoolchildren such as {{lang|de|Bräutegam}} (instead of {{lang|de|Bräutigam}}) or {{lang|de|Portogal}} (instead of Portugal).

In everyday speech, more mergers occur, some of which are universal and some of which are typical for certain regions or dialect backgrounds. Overall, there is a strong tendency of reduction and contraction. For example, long vowels may be shortened, consonant clusters may be simplified, word-final {{IPA|[ə]}} may be dropped in some cases, and the suffix {{lang|de|-en}} may be contracted with preceding consonants, e.g. {{IPA|[ham]}} for {{lang|de|haben}} {{IPA|[ˈhaːbən]}} ('to have').

If the clusters {{IPA|[mp]}}, {{IPA|[lt]}}, {{IPA|[nt]}}, or {{IPA|[ŋk]}} are followed by another consonant, the stops {{IPA|/p/}}, {{IPA|/t/}} and {{IPA|/k/}} usually lose their phonemic status. Thus while the standard pronunciation distinguishes {{lang|de|ganz}} {{IPA|[ɡants]}} ('whole') from {{lang|de|Gans}} {{IPA|[ɡans]}} ('goose'), as well as {{lang|de|er sinkt}} {{IPA|[zɪŋkt]}} from {{lang|de|er singt}} {{IPA|[zɪŋt]}}, the two pairs are homophones for most speakers. The commonest practice is to drop the stop (thus {{IPA|[ɡans]}}, {{IPA|[zɪŋt]}} for both words), but some speakers insert the stop where it is not etymological ({{IPA|[ɡants]}}, {{IPA|[zɪŋkt]}} for both words), or they alternate between the two ways. Only a few speakers retain a phonemic distinction.

The Middle High German vowels {{IPA|[ei̯]}} and {{IPA|[iː]}} developed into the modern Standard German diphthong {{IPA|[aɪ̯]}}, whereas {{IPA|[ou̯]}} and {{IPA|[uː]}} developed into {{IPA|[aʊ̯]}}. For example, Middle High German {{lang|gmh|heiz}} {{IPA|/hei̯s/}} and {{lang|gmh|wîz}} {{IPA|/wiːs/}} ('hot' and 'white') became Standard German {{lang|de|heiß}} {{IPA|/haɪ̯s/}} and {{lang|de|weiß}} {{IPA|/vaɪ̯s/}}. In some dialects, the Middle High German vowels have not changed, e.g. Swiss German {{lang|de|heiss}} {{IPA|/hei̯s/}} and {{lang|de|wiiss}} {{IPA|/viːs/}}, while in other dialects or languages, the vowels have changed but the distinction is kept, e.g. Bavarian {{lang|bar|hoaß}} {{IPA|/hɔɐ̯s/}} and {{lang|bar|weiß}} {{IPA|/vaɪ̯s/}}, Ripuarian {{lang|ksh|heeß}} {{IPA|/heːs/}} and {{lang|ksh|wieß}} {{IPA|/viːs/}} (however the Colognian dialect has kept the original [ei] diphthong in {{lang|ksh|heiß}}), Yiddish {{lang|yi|הײס}} {{transl|yi|heys}} {{IPA|/hɛɪ̯s/}} and {{lang|yi|װײַס}} {{transl|yi|vays}} {{IPA|/vaɪ̯s/}}.

The Middle High German diphthongs {{IPA|[iə̯]}}, {{IPA|[uə̯]}} and {{IPA|[yə̯]}} became the modern Standard German long vowels {{IPA|[iː]}}, {{IPA|[uː]}} and {{IPA|[yː]}} after the Middle High German long vowels changed to diphthongs. Most Upper German dialects retain the diphthongs. A remnant of their former diphthong character is shown when {{IPA|[iː]}} continues to be written {{lang|de|ie}} in German (as in {{lang|de|Liebe}} 'love').

German incorporates a significant number of loanwords from other languages. Loanwords are often adapted to German phonology but to varying degrees, depending on the speaker and the commonness of the word. {{IPA|/ʒ/}} and {{IPA|/dʒ/}} do not occur in native German words but are common in a number of French and English loan words. Many speakers replace them with {{IPA|/ʃ/}} and {{IPA|/tʃ/}} respectively (especially in Southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland), so that {{lang|de|Dschungel}} (from English jungle) can be pronounced {{IPA|[ˈdʒʊŋl̩]}} or {{IPA|[ˈtʃʊŋl̩]}}. Some speakers in Northern and Western Germany merge {{IPA|/ʒ/}} with {{IPA|/dʒ/}}, so that {{lang|de|Journalist}} (phonemically {{IPA|/dʒʊrnaˈlɪst ~ ʒʊrnaˈlɪst/}}) can be pronounced {{IPA|[ʒʊɐ̯naˈlɪst]}}, {{IPA|[dʒʊɐ̯naˈlɪst]}} or {{IPA|[ʃʊɐ̯naˈlɪst]}}. The realization of {{IPA|/ʒ/}} as {{IPA|[tʃ]}}, however, is uncommon.{{cite web|url=http://prowiki.ids-mannheim.de/bin/view/AADG/ZhimAnlaut |title=ZhimAnlaut < AADG < TWiki |publisher=Prowiki.ids-mannheim.de |date=2016-04-27 |accessdate=2022-03-20}}

Many English words are used in German, especially in technology and pop culture. Some speakers pronounce them similarly to their native pronunciation, but many speakers change non-native phonemes to similar German phonemes (even if they pronounce them in a rather English manner in an English-language setting):

• English {{IPA|/θ, ð/}} are usually pronounced as in RP or General American; some speakers replace them with {{IPA|/s/}} and {{IPA|/z/}} respectively (th-alveolarization) e.g. {{lang|de|Thriller}} {{IPA|[ˈθʁɪlɐ ~ ˈsʁɪlɐ]}}.
• English {{IPA|/ɹ/}} can be pronounced the same as in English, i.e. {{IPAblink|ɹ}}, or as the corresponding native German {{IPA|/r/}} e.g. {{lang|de|Rock}} {{IPA|[ʁɔk]}} or {{IPA|[rɔk]}}. German and Austrian speakers tend to be variably rhotic when using English loanwords.{{fact|date=November 2021}}
• English {{IPA|/w/}} is often replaced with German {{IPA|/v/}} e.g. {{lang|de|Whisk(e)y}} {{IPA|[ˈvɪskiː]}}.
• word-initial {{IPA|/s/}} is often retained (especially in the South, where word-initial {{IPA|/s/}} is common),{{cite web|url=http://prowiki.ids-mannheim.de/bin/view/AADG/SimAnlaut|title=SimAnlaut < AADG < TWiki|website=prowiki.ids-mannheim.de|access-date=7 April 2018}} but many speakers replace it with {{IPA|/z/}} e.g. {{lang|de|Sound}} {{IPA|[zaʊ̯nt]}}.
• word-initial {{IPA|/st/}} and {{IPA|/sp/}} are usually retained, but some speakers (especially in South Western Germany and Western Austria) replace them with {{IPA|/ʃt/}} and {{IPA|/ʃp/}} e.g. {{lang|de|Steak}} {{IPA|[ʃteɪk]}} or {{IPA|[ʃteːk]}}, {{lang|de|Spray}} {{IPA|[ʃpʁeɪ]}} or {{IPA|[ʃpʁeː]}}.{{cite web|url=http://prowiki.ids-mannheim.de/bin/view/AADG/SteakSprayStSp|title=SteakSprayStSp < AADG < TWiki|website=prowiki.ids-mannheim.de|access-date=7 April 2018}}
• English {{IPA|/tʃ/}} is usually retained, but in Northern and Western Germany as well as Luxembourg, it is often replaced with {{IPA|/ʃ/}} e.g. {{lang|de|Chips}} {{IPA|[ʃɪps]}}.{{cite web|url=http://prowiki.ids-mannheim.de/bin/view/AADG/ChipsCh|title=ChipsCh < AADG < TWiki|website=prowiki.ids-mannheim.de|access-date=7 April 2018}}
• In Northern Standard German, final-obstruent devoicing is applied to English loan words just as to other words e.g. {{lang|de|Airbag}} {{IPA|[ˈɛːɐ̯bɛk]}}, {{lang|de|Lord}} {{IPA|[lɔʁt]}} or {{IPA|[lɔɐ̯t]}}, {{lang|de|Backstage}} {{IPA|[ˈbɛksteːtʃ]}}. However, in Southern Standard German, in Swiss Standard German and Austrian Standard German, final-obstruent devoicing does not occur and so speakers are more likely to retain the original pronunciation of word-final lenes (although realizing them as fortes may occur because of confusing English spelling with pronunciation).
• English {{IPA|/eɪ/}} and {{IPA|/oʊ/}} are often replaced with {{IPA|/eː/}} and {{IPA|/oː/}} respectively e.g. {{lang|de|Homepage}} {{IPA|[ˈhoːmpeːtʃ]}}.
• English {{IPA|/æ/}} and {{IPA|/ɛ/}} are pronounced the same, as German {{IPA|/ɛ/}} (met–mat merger) e.g. {{lang|de|Backup}} {{IPA|[ˈbɛkap]}}.
• English {{IPA|/ɒ/}} and {{IPA|/ɔː/}} are pronounced the same, as German {{IPA|/ɔ/}} (cot–caught merger) e.g. {{lang|de|Box}} {{IPA|[bɔks]}}.
• English {{IPA|/ʌ/}} is usually pronounced as German {{IPA|/a/}} e.g. {{lang|de|Cutter}} {{IPA|[ˈkatɐ]}}.
• English {{IPA|/ɜːr/}} is usually pronounced as German {{IPA|/œʁ/}} e.g. {{lang|de|Shirt}} {{IPA|[ʃœʁt]}} or {{IPA|[ʃœɐ̯t]}}.
• English {{IPA|/i/}} is pronounced as {{IPA|/iː/}} (happy-tensing) e.g. {{lang|de|Whisk(e)y}} {{IPA|[ˈvɪskiː]}}.

French loanwords, once very numerous, have in part been replaced by native German coinages or more recently English loanwords. Besides {{IPAslink|ʒ}}, they can also contain the characteristic nasal vowels {{IPAblink|ãː}}, {{IPAblink|ɛ̃ː}}, {{IPAblink|œ̃ː}} and {{IPAblink|õː}} (always long). However, their status as phonemes is questionable and they are often resolved into sequences either of (short) oral vowel and {{IPAblink|ŋ}} (in the north), or of (long or short) oral vowel and {{IPAblink|n}} or sometimes {{IPAblink|m}} (in the south). For example, {{lang|de|Ballon}} {{IPA|[baˈlõː]}} ('balloon') may be realized as {{IPA|[baˈlɔŋ]}} or {{IPA|[baˈloːn]}}, {{lang|de|Parfüm}} {{IPA|[paʁˈfœ̃ː]}} ('perfume') as {{IPA|[paʁˈfœŋ]}} or {{IPA|[paʁˈfyːm]}} and {{lang|de|Orange}} {{IPA|[oˈʁãːʒə]}} ('orange') as {{IPA|[oˈʁaŋʒə]}} or {{IPA|[oˈʁanʒə]}}.

The sample text is a reading of "The North Wind and the Sun". The phonemic transcription treats every instance of {{IPA|[ɐ]}} and {{IPA|[ɐ̯]}} as {{IPA|/ər/}} and {{IPA|/r/}}, respectively. The phonetic transcription is a fairly narrow transcription of the educated northern accent. The speaker transcribed in the narrow transcription is 62 years old, and he is reading in a colloquial style. Aspiration, glottal stops and devoicing of the lenes after fortes are not transcribed.

The audio file contains the whole fable and was recorded by a much younger speaker.

{{IPA|/aɪnst ˈʃtrɪtɛn zɪç ˈnɔrtvɪnt ʊnt ˈzɔnɛ | veːr fɔn ˈiːnɛn ˈbaɪdɛn voːl deːr ˈʃtɛrkɛrɛ ˈvɛːrɛ | als aɪn ˈvandɛrɛr | deːr ɪn ˈaɪnɛn ˈvarmɛn ˈmantɛl ɡɛˈhʏlt vaːr | dɛs ˈveːɡɛs daˈheːrˌkaːm ‖ ziː ˈvʊrdɛn ˈaɪnɪç | das ˈdeːrjeːnɪɡɛ fyːr deːn ˈʃtɛrkɛrɛn ˈɡɛltɛn ˈzɔltɛ | deːr deːn ˈvandɛrɛr ˈtsvɪŋɛn ˈvʏrdɛ | ˈzaɪnɛn ˈmantɛl ˈaptsuːˌneːmɛn ‖ deːr ˈnɔrtvɪnt bliːs mɪt ˈalɛr maxt | ˈaːbɛr jeː ˈmeːr eːr bliːs | ˈdɛstoː ˈfɛstɛr ˈhʏltɛ zɪç deːr ˈvandɛrɛr ɪn ˈzaɪnɛn ˈmantɛl aɪn ‖ ˈɛntlɪç ɡaːp deːr ˈnɔrtvɪnt deːn kampf aʊf ‖ nuːn ɛrˈvɛrmtɛ diː ˈzɔnɛ diː lʊft mɪt ˈiːrɛn ˈfrɔɪntlɪçɛn ˈʃtraːlɛn | ʊnt ʃoːn naːx ˈveːnɪɡɛn aʊɡɛnˈblɪkɛn tsoːk deːr ˈvandɛrɛr ˈzaɪnɛn ˈmantɛl aʊs ‖ daː ˈmʊstɛ deːr ˈnɔrtvɪnt ˈtsuːɡeːbɛn | das diː ˈzɔnɛ fɔn ˈiːnɛn ˈbaɪdɛn deːr ˈʃtɛrkɛrɛ vaːr/}}

{{Listen|filename=NordwindSonne.wav|title=The North Wind and the Sun|description=Traditional fable|format=wav}}

{{IPA|[aɪns ˈʃtʁɪtn̩ zɪç ˈnɔɐ̯tvɪnt ʊntˈz̥ɔnə | veːɐ̯ fɔn ˈiːnː ˈbaɪdn̩ voːl deːɐ̯ ˈʃtɛɐ̯kəʁə ˈvɛːʁə | als aɪn ˈvandəʁɐ | deːɐ̯ ɪn ˈaɪnː ˈvaːɐ̯mn̩ ˈmantl̩ ɡəˈhʏlt vaːɐ̯ | dəs ˈveːɡəs daˈheːɐ̯kaːm ‖ ziː ˈvʊɐ̯dn̩ ˈaɪnɪç | das ˈdeːɐ̯jeːnɪɡə fʏɐ̯ deːn ˈʃtɛɐ̯kəʁən ˈɡɛltn̩ ˈzɔltə | deːɐ̯ deːn ˈvandəʁɐ ˈtsvɪŋ̍ ˈvʏɐ̯də | ˈzaɪnː ˈmantl̩ ˈaptsʊˌneːmː ‖ deːɐ̯ ˈnɔɐ̯tvɪnt bliːs mɪt ˈalɐ maxt | ˈaːbɐ jeˈmeːɐ̯ eːɐ̯ bliːs | ˈdɛsto ˈfɛstɐ ˈhʏltə zɪç deːɐ̯ ˈvandəʁɐ ɪn ˈzaɪnː ˈmantl̩ aɪn ‖ ˈɛntlɪç ɡaːp deːɐ̯ ˈnɔɐ̯tvɪnt deːn kampf aʊf ‖ nuːn ɛɐ̯ˈvɛɐ̯mtə diː ˈzɔnə diː lʊft mɪt ˈiːɐ̯n̩ ˈfʁɔɪntlɪçn̩ ˈʃtʁaːln̩ | ʊnt ʃoːnaːx ˈveːnɪɡŋ̍ aʊɡŋ̍ˈblɪkŋ̍ tsoːk deːɐ̯ ˈvandəʁɐ ˈzaɪnː ˈmantl̩ aʊs ‖ daː ˈmʊstə deːɐ̯ ˈnɔɐ̯tvɪnt ˈtsuːɡeːbm̩ | das diː ˈzɔnə fɔn ˈiːnː ˈbaɪdn̩ deːɐ̯ ˈʃtɛɐ̯kəʁə vaːɐ̯]}}Source: {{Harvcoltxt|Kohler|1999|p=88}}. In the original transcription the vowel length is not indicated, apart from where it is phonemic—that is, for the pairs {{IPA|/a/}}–{{IPA|/aː/}} and {{IPA|/ɛ/}}–{{IPA|/ɛː/}}.

{{lang|de|Einst stritten sich Nordwind und Sonne, wer von ihnen beiden wohl der Stärkere wäre, als ein Wanderer, der in einen warmen Mantel gehüllt war, des Weges daherkam. Sie wurden einig, daß derjenige für den Stärkeren gelten sollte, der den Wanderer zwingen würde, seinen Mantel abzunehmen. Der Nordwind blies mit aller Macht, aber je mehr er blies, desto fester hüllte sich der Wanderer in seinen Mantel ein. Endlich gab der Nordwind den Kampf auf. Nun erwärmte die Sonne die Luft mit ihren freundlichen Strahlen, und schon nach wenigen Augenblicken zog der Wanderer seinen Mantel aus. Da mußte der Nordwind zugeben, daß die Sonne von ihnen beiden der Stärkere war.}}{{Harvcoltxt|Kohler|1999|p=89}}

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{{Commons category|German phonology}}

• [http://www.nordicnames.de/Aussprache.html Listen to the pronunciation of German first names]

{{Language phonologies}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:German Phonology}}