Go to the homepage of our German Course The German Consonant 'd' University of Portsmouth
The German consonant 'd' + another consonant Includes sound files!

Click here to listen to the soundsThe German consonant /d/ retains its sound at the start or in the middle of a word when it is used in combination with other consonants. Click either here or on the sound icon on the left to hear four words where the letter 'd' forms part of a consonant cluster that appears at the start of a word. The words themselves are given in the box below along with an English translation:

drei
(three)
   draußen
(outside)
Drama
(drama)
   drehen
(to turn)


Click here to listen to the soundsNow click either here or on the sound icon on the left to hear four German words in the middle of which the letter 'd' appears as part of a consonant cluster. The words themselves are supplied in the box below along with an English translation:

Kinder
(children)
   wandern
(to wander)
Bilder
(pictures)
   niedrig
(low)


Click here to listen to the soundsNote that the German consonant cluster '-dt' is also pronounced as a /t/ phoneme. It occurs most frequently in the word Stadt and its compounds. Click either here or on the sound icon on the left to hear a native speaker pronounce the words below:

Stadt
(city)
   Städte
(cities)


Click here to listen to the soundsClick either here or on the sound icon on the left to hear how the word Mädchen should be spoken. The consonant cluster in the middle of this word can cause difficulties for non-native speakers.


Click here to listen to the soundsNow click either here or on the sound icon on the left to hear six German words in which the letter 'd' appears as part of a consonant cluster at the end of a word. As before, whenever the German consonant 'd' appears at the end of a word, it is pronounced as a /t/ phoneme.

Deutschland
(Germany)
   Kind
(child)
Geld
(money)
   Bild
(picture)
Herd
(cooker)
   Bord
(board)


Weiter! How to pronounce German 'f'


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