Die Grundlagen · Unit 2 of 10 · 10 min
Die Vokale
German vowels
A, E, I, O, U — and the short/long difference that changes the whole word.
German vowels stay pure and steady: they do not glide into a second sound the way English vowels do. What does change is their length — and length alone can change the word.
Learning objectives
- Produce A, E, I, O and U as steady, non-gliding vowels.
- Hear the difference between a short and a long vowel.
- Use spelling patterns (double vowel, IE, vowel + H, double consonant) as clues to length.
Can-Do outcomes
- I can hear whether a German vowel is short or long.
- I can read a new word aloud and guess its vowel length.
- I can explain why Stadt and Staat are different words.
Native-speaker review required
Five vowels, two lengths
German vowels stay pure: they do not glide off into a second sound the way English vowels do. Say the vowel and hold it steady.
Each of the five can be short or long, and the length alone can change the meaning of the word.
Patterns that help
A doubled vowel is generally long: Saal, Meer, Boot.
A vowel before h is often long: fahren, sehen, Sohn.
A vowel before doubled consonants is generally short: Mutter, kommen, Bett.
These are useful patterns, not universal guarantees. German spelling has exceptions — trust your ears first and let the patterns help you guess.
Minimal pairs — which one did you hear?
Listen to both, then let the app play one at random and choose.
Stadt
city (short a)
Staat
state (long a)
The doubled vowel in Staat stretches the sound.
bitten
to ask (short i)
bieten
to offer (long i)
ie is a long ee — see Unit 4.
offen
open (short o)
Ofen
oven (long o)
The doubled consonant in offen cuts the vowel short.
Kamm
comb (short a)
kam
came (long a)
Same letter, different length.
Hold the vowel steady
Aussprachetrainer
der Staat
the state
Mouth position · Keep the jaw open and the sound level — no glide at the end.
Aussprachetrainer
die Stadt
the city
Aussprachetrainer
der Ofen
the oven
Wortschatz
- dieStadt— cityPlural: die StädteShort A.
- derStaat— statePlural: die StaatenLong A.
- derOfen— ovenPlural: die ÖfenLong O.
- offen— openShort O.
- bieten— to offerLong I, written IE.
- bitten— to ask (for)Short I.
Übungen
Hear and choose
Kurz oder lang? Welches Wort passt zu „eine Stadt in Deutschland“?
Short or long? Which word means “a city in Germany”?
Optional between-session assignment
Höre die Vokale
Listen for the vowels
Listening · about 10 min · Self-reported completion
- 1.Find five German words: a sign, a product label, a song title, a headline, a colleague's word.
- 2.Say each one aloud and decide whether the main vowel is short or long.
- 3.Write the five words down with “kurz” or “lang” beside each.
In-app alternative · Use the minimal pairs in this unit: play each word, classify its vowel, then check yourself against the explanation.
Willkommen zurück!
Return checkpoint
Two or three quick checks the next time you open this unit. Attempting it is what counts — anything you miss becomes a review recommendation, not a failure.
1. Which spelling usually signals a LONG vowel?
2. Which word has a SHORT vowel?
3. How should a German long O sound?
Completion summary
Die Vokale abgeschlossen
You can hear and produce the short/long distinction — the difference between sounding foreign and sounding clear.
Unit 3 adds the four characters English does not have.
Marking a unit complete adds its Can-Do outcomes to your spaced-repetition queue. Perfect scores are never required.