1. Pronunciation | Mnemonics
A = ah | A = Anton
B = beh | B = Berta
C = tseh | C = Cäsar
D = deh | D = Dora
E = eh | E = Emil
F = eff | F = Friedrich
G = geh | G = Gustav
H = hah | H = Heinrich
I = ee | I = Ida
J = yot | J = Julius
K = kah | K = Kaufmann
L = ell | L = Ludwig
M = emm | M = Martha
N = enn | N = Nordpol
O = oh | O = Otto
P = peh | P = Paula
Q = ku | Q = Quelle
R = err | R = Richard
S = ess | S = Samuel
T = teh | T = Theodor
U = uh | U = Ulrich
V = fau | V = Viktor
W = veh | W = Wilhelm
X = iks | X = Xanthippe
Y = üpsilon | Y = Ypsilon
Z = tset | Z = Zacharias
Ä = ae (äh) | Ä = Ärger
Ö = oe (öh) | Ö = Ökonom
Ü = ue (üh) | Ü = Übermut
ß = ess-tset | ß = Straße
2. German Language Patterns
1. German has formal and informal “you”
German distinguishes between casual and formal address using du and Sie.
2. Nouns have genders
Every noun belongs to one of three genders and is learned with its article: der, die, or das.
3. Words before nouns change form
Words connected to nouns can change depending on how the noun is used in a sentence.
4. Verbs change depending on the subject
The verb form changes depending on who is doing the action.
5. The verb position depends on the sentence pattern
In many sentences the verb is in the second position, in questions it often comes first, and in other patterns it appears at the end.
6. Verbs often appear with fixed prepositions
Some verbs regularly appear together with specific prepositions.
7. Common combinations merge into shorter forms
Frequently used combinations become shortened forms such as im, am, beim, vom, and zum.
8. Information is often fully understood only at the end
The full meaning of a sentence often becomes clear only after the entire sentence is complete.
9. German often builds meaning by combining words
Smaller words are often combined into longer compound words.
10. Everyday greetings change with time and situation
Some expressions depend on time and context, such as “Mahlzeit” being used around midday in workplaces.
3. Numbers
1 = eins
2 = zwei
3 = drei
4 = vier
5 = fünf
6 = sechs
7 = sieben
8 = acht
9 = neun
10 = zehn
11 = elf
12 = zwölf
13 = dreizehn
14 = vierzehn
15 = fünfzehn
16 = sechzehn
17 = siebzehn
18 = achtzehn
19 = neunzehn
20 = zwanzig
23 = dreiundzwanzig
24 = vierundzwanzig
30 = dreißig
31 = einunddreißig
40 = vierzig
45 = fünfundvierzig
50 = fünfzig
52 = zweiundfünfzig
60 = sechzig
67 = siebenundsechzig
70 = siebzig
76 = sechsundsiebzig
80 = achtzig
89 = neunundachtzig
90 = neunzig
98 = achtundneunzig
100 = hundert
376 = dreihundertsechsundsiebzig
497 = vierhundertsiebenundneunzig
1000 = tausend
2456 = zweitausendvierhundertsechsundfünfzig
5943 = fünftausendneunhundertdreiundvierzig
10000 = zehntausend
100000 = hunderttausend
1 Million = eine Million
100 Million = hundert Millionen
1 Billion (US) = eine Milliarde
1 Triillion (US) = eine Billion
4. Symbols
# = Route
* = Sternchen
@ = at / bei
& = und
% = Prozent
€ = Euro
$ = Dollar
£ = Pfund
¥ = Yen
+ = plus / zusätzlich
- = minus / bindestrich
= = gleich
/ = Schrägstrich / Trennung
\ = Backslash
( ) = Klammern
[ ] = eckige Klammern
{ } = geschweifte Klammern
< = kleiner als
> = größer als
. = Punkt
, = Komma
: = Doppelpunkt
; = Semikolon
" = Anführungszeichen
' = Apostroph
? = Fragezeichen
! = Ausrufezeichen
| = Senkrechter Strich
_ = Unterstrich
^ = Zirkumflex
~ = Tilde
` = Backtick
° = Grad
§ = Paragraph
… = Auslassungspunkte
✔ = Haken
✘ = Kreuz