German vocalic 'r'
The German vocalic 'r' is so-called because it is pronounced as a vowel, not a consonant. Sometimes referred to as a 'dark schwa', vocalic 'r' is articulated with the tongue slightly lower and further back in the vowel area than the 'schwa' sound heard at the end of such German words as 'Liebe', 'Katze' and 'Ratte'.
Vocalic 'r' can only be used in certain specific situations which are outlined below. Its most common usage is in unstressed "-er" syllables at the end of German words. Click either here or on the sound icon on the left to hear four German words ending in a vocalic 'r'. The words are listed in the box below along with their English translation.
Sounds 1: Vocalic 'r' in final position |
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Bruder
(brother) |
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Schwester
(sister) |
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Mutter
(mother) |
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Vater
(father) |
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The vocalic 'r' is also used in the final position in a word when the 'r' follows a long vowel. Click either here or on the sound icon on the left to listen to the following six words, all of which end with a vocalic 'r' after a long vowel. The words themselves are provided in the box below along with their English translation:
Sounds 2: Vocalic 'r' after a long vowel |
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Tor
(gate; goal) |
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Uhr
(clock) |
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mehr
(more) |
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vier
(four) |
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Bier
(beer) |
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Chor
(chorus) |
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Vocalic 'r' is also heard when the letter 'r' follows a long vowel but precedes another consonant. Click here or on the sound icon to listen to the following four words in which vocalic 'r' occurs before a following consonant.
Sounds 3: Vocalic 'r' after long vowel + before another consonant |
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Pferd
(horse) |
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Herd
(cooker) |
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spürte
(felt) |
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führte
(led) |
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You will also hear vocalic 'r' in the unstressed German prefixes er-, ver-, zer- and her-. Click here or on the sound icon to listen to the vocalic 'r' in four words containing these prefixes.
Sounds 4: Vocalic 'r' in unstressed prefixes |
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erlauben
(to allow) |
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vergessen
(to forget) |
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zerstören
(to destroy) |
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hereinkommen
(to come in) |
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Distinguishing between vocalic 'r' and consonantal 'r'
In the following pairs of words, the first word contains a vocalic 'r' in final position. The second word in each pair however contains a consonantal 'r'. Click either here or on the sound icon to note the distinction between the sounds that are made in each pair of words.
Sounds 5: Vocalic 'r' or consonantal 'r'? |
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jünger
(younger) |
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die jüngere
(the younger one) |
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Meer
(sea) |
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Meere
(seas) |
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clever
(clever) |
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der clevere
(the clever one) |
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Finally, click here or on the sound icon to listen to these words in which vocalic 'r' and consonantal 'r' occur within the same word. Note in particular how adding an '-in' suffix can change the articulation of what was previously a vocalic 'r' sound.
Sounds 6: Vocalic and consonantal 'r' within the same word |
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Frankfurter
(Frankfurter sausage) |
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Bruder
(brother) |
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Lehrer
(male teacher) |
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Lehrerin
(female teacher) |
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Reporter
(male reporter) |
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Reporterin
(female reporter) |
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How to pronounce the German consonant 's'
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