/ʊ//ʏ/
musstemüsste
Learn to hear the difference between ʊ and ʏ in German words.
CHOOSE A SOUND
German contrasts.
Start with a difference you find hard to hear. Words stay hidden during practice until you choose to show them.
Browse the examples below, then listen to A and B and match their target sound in a different word, X.
Practice
/ɪ//iː/
bittenbieten
Learn to hear the difference between ɪ and iː in German words.
/s//z/
reißenreisen
Learn to hear the difference between s and z in German words.
/oː//øː/
schonschön
Learn to hear the difference between oː and øː in German words.
/eː//ɛ/
BeetBett
Learn to hear the difference between eː and ɛ in German words.
/yː//ʏ/
fühlenfüllen
Learn to hear the difference between yː and ʏ in German words.
/øː//œ/
HöhleHölle
Learn to hear the difference between øː and œ in German words.
/aː//a/
StaatStadt
Learn to hear the difference between aː and a in German words.
/oː//ɔ/
Ofenoffen
Learn to hear the difference between oː and ɔ in German words.
/uː//ʊ/
spukenspucken
Learn to hear the difference between uː and ʊ in German words.
/iː//yː/
liegenlügen
Learn to hear the difference between iː and yː in German words.
/eː//øː/
lesenlösen
Learn to hear the difference between eː and øː in German words.
/uː//yː/
SudSüd
Learn to hear the difference between uː and yː in German words.
/aː//iː/
ZahlZiel
Learn to hear the difference between aː and iː in German words.
/eː//iː/
Stegstieg
Learn to hear the difference between eː and iː in German words.
/aː//eː/
MahlMehl
Learn to hear the difference between aː and eː in German words.
/uː//iː/
StuhlStiel
Learn to hear the difference between uː and iː in German words.
A CLOSER LISTEN
What is a
minimal pair?
Two words form a minimal pair when one sound difference changes the word. Keeping the surrounding sounds the same gives you a specific difference to listen for.
Some lessons focus on tone or word stress instead of a single consonant or vowel. We label those separately, so you know what each exercise is testing.
In the exercise, listen to A and B, then a different word X. Choose the reference that shares the target sound, tone, stress or consonant feature. Words and IPA stay hidden unless you enable text hints, including after answering; you can replay the audio whenever you need it.
Read about the learning approach