Reviewing personal names and spelling (Alphabet review)

Learning German: Names and Spelling – It’s Easier Than You Think!

Hallo! My name is Klaus, and I’m helping you learn German. One of the first things you’ll notice is that German spelling can seem a little tricky, especially when it comes to names. Don’t worry – it’s very common for English speakers to have some difficulties. Let’s start with a quick review of the alphabet and how it’s used in German names.

The Alphabet – Almost the Same!

Most of the letters in the German alphabet are the same as in English. This is good news!

A a – like “apple”
B b – like “ball”
C c – always pronounced “ts” – like “tsunami”
D d – like “dog”
E e – like “egg”
F f – like “fish”
G g – like “goat”
H h – like “hat” (but it’s a bit softer than in English)
I i – like “ink”
J j – pronounced “y” – like “yes”
K k – like “kite”
L l – like “lamp”
M m – like “moon”
N n – like “nose”
O o – like “orange”
P p – like “pen”
Q q – always followed by ‘u’ – like “kwu”
R r – can be tricky! It’s rolled a little – like a very gentle purr.
S s – like “sun”
T t – like “table”
U u – like “umbrella”
V v – like “vine”
W w – like “water”
X x – pronounced “ks” – like “kiss”
Y y – pronounced “ü” – like the French “u”
Z z – like “zoo”

Special Letters

There are a couple of letters that look the same but are pronounced differently:

Ä ä – sounds like “eh” – as in “bed”
Ö ö – sounds like “uh” – as in “but”
Ü ü – sounds like “oo” – as in “boot”

Names and Spelling in Practice

Let’s look at some examples.

John Doe might be called “Johannes Doe” – note the “h” at the beginning.
Mary Carry could be “Mary Carry” – no extra letters.
My colleague, Peter Schmidt, is called “Peter Schmidt”.

Important Note: German names often have a hyphen, especially when a first name is combined with a surname. For example, “Max Müller”.

Practice Makes Perfect

Try saying these names out loud:

Alice Weber
Michael Braun
Lisa Hoffmann

Don’t worry about getting it perfect right away. The more you practice, the easier it will become.

Viel Erfolg! (Good luck!)

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