German for Beginners: Ask How to Pronounce a Word and Repeat It Back
Learn to ask how a German word is pronounced and repeat it back to confirm you've got it right, with polite phrases and clear pronunciation guidance.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
When you see a new German word, you may not know how to say it. This lesson teaches you to ask 'How do you pronounce this word?' and then repeat the word back to check your pronunciation. You'll learn polite ways to ask, how to respond when someone corrects you, and how to confirm you've understood. The focus is on pronunciation learning, not on asking someone to repeat something they said.
By the end, you can…
- ask how a specific German word is pronounced.
- repeat a word back to confirm my pronunciation.
- understand and respond to simple pronunciation corrections.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Wie spricht man dieses Wort aus?
How do you pronounce this word?
vee shprikht mahn DEE-zes vort ows
Standard polite way to ask about pronunciation. Use 'dieses Wort' for 'this word'.
Wie sagt man das?
How do you say that?
vee zahkt mahn dahs
Casual, common way to ask how to say something. Use when pointing to a word or phrase.
Kannst du das bitte langsam sagen?
Can you please say that slowly?
kahnst doo dahs BIT-tuh LAHNG-zahm ZAH-gen
Use with friends, family, or peers. For formal situations, use 'Können Sie...' instead of 'Kannst du...'.
Ich wiederhole: ...
I repeat: ...
ikh vee-der-HOH-luh
Introduce your repetition to confirm pronunciation. Fill in the word after the colon.
Habe ich das richtig ausgesprochen?
Did I pronounce that correctly?
HAH-buh ikh dahs RIKH-tikh OWS-guh-shpro-khen
Ask this after repeating a word to check if you got it right.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To ask how to pronounce a word, use 'Wie spricht man ... aus?' (How does one pronounce ...?). Put the word or phrase where the dots are. For example: 'Wie spricht man 'Entschuldigung' aus?' (How do you pronounce 'Entschuldigung'?). To repeat it back, say 'Ich wiederhole: ...' and then say the word. To check, ask 'Habe ich das richtig ausgesprochen?' This pattern works for any word.
When to use it
Use these phrases when you encounter a new word in a text, on a sign, or in conversation. For instance, if you see 'Straße' and aren't sure, ask 'Wie spricht man das aus?' If someone tells you, repeat it: 'Straße' and then ask 'Habe ich das richtig ausgesprochen?' This is different from asking someone to repeat what they said (which would be 'Wie bitte?' or 'Kannst du das wiederholen?'). Here, you are learning pronunciation, not asking for repetition of speech.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Wie spricht man dieses Wort aus?
How do you pronounce this word?vee shprisht mahn DEE-zes vort owsMan spricht es 'Kirche' aus.
You pronounce it 'Kirche'.mahn shprikht es KEER-khuh owsIch wiederhole: Kirche. Habe ich das richtig ausgesprochen?
I repeat: Kirche. Did I pronounce that correctly?ikh vee-der-HOH-luh: KEER-khuh. HAH-buh ikh dahs RIKH-tikh OWS-guh-shpro-khen?Fast. Das 'ch' ist wie in 'ich'. Versuch es noch einmal.
Almost. The 'ch' is like in 'ich'. Try it again.fahst. dahs kh ist vee in ikh. fer-ZOOKH es nokh eye-nah-mahlA little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, it's common to ask for pronunciation help directly. Use 'du' with friends, family, and peers; use 'Sie' with strangers, older people, or in formal contexts. For example, 'Können Sie das bitte langsam sagen?' is more polite than 'Kannst du...'. Regional differences exist: in Austria and Switzerland, some words are pronounced differently, but the standard phrases here are understood everywhere.
One thing to watch for
Using 'Wie bitte?' to ask how to pronounce a word.
Try this instead: 'Wie bitte?' means 'Pardon?' or 'What did you say?' and asks for repetition, not pronunciation. To ask how to pronounce a word, say 'Wie spricht man das aus?' or 'Wie sagt man das?'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you ask how to pronounce the word 'Entschuldigung'?
Show a sample answer
Wie spricht man 'Entschuldigung' aus?
This uses the standard pattern 'Wie spricht man ... aus?' with the word inserted. You could also say 'Wie sagt man das?' if pointing to it.
2You repeated a word and want to check if you said it correctly. What do you ask?
Show a sample answer
Habe ich das richtig ausgesprochen?
This directly asks 'Did I pronounce that correctly?' It's polite and clear. You could also ask 'Ist das richtig?' (Is that correct?).
3How do you politely ask someone (formal) to say a word slowly?
Show a sample answer
Können Sie das bitte langsam sagen?
Using 'Sie' makes it formal. 'Kannst du...' would be informal. Both are correct depending on the situation.
To learn pronunciation, ask 'Wie spricht man das aus?' Then repeat the word and check with 'Habe ich das richtig ausgesprochen?' Remember to use 'Sie' for formal situations.
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