Your first language
The American accent for German speakers
Your English is already good. If German is your first language, these are the American patterns worth your time first, and why.
Start with these patterns
Going up to ask and quick little words help you most, a German O doesn’t slide to “oo” as go does, and hot has the A of “Vater”.
Down to finish, up for yes or no
Do · Can · Is …? → goes up ↗What · Where …? → goes down ↘
In a list or a choice, each item goes up and the last goes down.
Little words are quick
to · for · of → tuh · fer · uh
In a sentence, at and from are quick too: “uht” and “fruhm”.
The O in go slides to “oo”
O as in go → slides to ooA as in day → slides to ee
It starts at “oh”, as in home and know. The A in day and make slides too, from “eh” to “ee”.
If you speak German, your O in “so” does not move. In go and home, end near “oo”.
The O in hot sounds like “ah”
O + consonant → ah
This happens in the strong part. Your lips stay relaxed, not round.
If you speak German, the O in hot is close to the A in “Vater”, not the O in “Gott”.
Then, for clear pronunciation
A last G in German sounds like K, you may say W like V, and bed and bad can sound alike.
Bag or back?
longer before B · D · G · V · Zshorter before P · T · K · F · S
The longer vowel is often the main clue that it is bag, not back.
If you speak German, bag can end like back, as words do in your language. Hold the A a little longer, and the listener still hears bag.
Very or berry?
V teeth on lipB both lipsW round lips
If both lips close, very sounds like berry. If they round, vine sounds like wine.
Bed or bad?
e half-opena wide
For bad, drop your jaw low, and make the vowel longer.
If you speak German, pet and pat may sound the same to you. Open your mouth wide for pat.