Of general interest: Because of FAQs, here's the correct pronunciation, as an English speaker can pronounce German vowels and consonants: English pronounced like: Example: a ah "a" in "bar" b b "b" in "book" c ts before "e", "i": "ts" in "hints" c k before "a", "o", "u" and consonants: "k" in "kitchen" (ch see below) d d "d" in "day" e eh "ay" in "day" f f "f" in "foot" g g "g" in "garden" h h "h" in "house" i ee "ee" in "heel" j y "y" in "yes" k k, ck "k" in "kitchen", "ck" in "truck" l l "l" in "land" m m "m" in "man" n n "n" in "no" o oh "o" in "pop" p p "p" in "people" q kw "qu" in "queen" r r "r" in "red" s s "s" in "mouse" (ß and sch see below) t t "t" in "table" u oo "oo" in "book" v mostly f; v "f" in "father"; "v" in "voice" w w "v" in "voice" x ks "x" in "axe" y y, ü, ee "y" in "yes", ("ü" see below), "ee" in "heel" z ts "ts" in "hints" The umlauts "ä", "ö", and "ü" are best described with the French language (or even in Turkish :-) ): French pronounced like: Example: ä ai "ai" in "mais" = English "but" ö oe "oe" in "boeuf" = English "bull" ü u "u" in "rue" = English "street" "ch" is not a consonant, e.g. like in Spanish; in German "ch" sounds in three different ways: 1. after an "a", "o" and "u" (German words: Dach = roof, Loch = hole, Buch = book): English pronounced like: Example: ch k "ch" in Scottish "loch" (like a rough "h", created in the throat) 2. after an "e", "i", "ä", "ö" and "ü" (German words: Recht = right, Licht = light, Dächer = roofs, Löcher = holes, Küche = kitchen): ch sh "sh" in "fish" Suggestions for an English pronunciation in fact are not really correct, but come close to the real High German pronunciation (but in our local dialect here in southern Hesse, the second "ch" really sound like "sh" :-) ) 3. In words of foreign origin mostly depending on the original pronunciation: ch ch, sh "ch" in "China", "sh" in "fish" ß comes from the combination of the old German script "s" with the script "z", thus it is "sz" or currently "ss": English pronounced like: Example: ß ss "ss" in "kiss" "sch" is not a consonant, either: English pronounced like: Example: sch sh "sh" in "shell" Hope this will clear many questions. Juergen ***************************** Jürgen Fritsche (Germany) ----------------------------- genealogy@ib-fritsche.de *****************************