Pronunciation lab
Sound German, not translated.
See where your tongue goes, hear the difference, record yourself — and get feedback about the sound, not a percentage.
CH
[ç]The ich-Laut
The soft CH after e, i, ä, ö, ü, ei, eu and consonants. A hiss made in the middle of the mouth — not „sh“, not „k“.
- 1Say „ee“ as in see.
- 2Keep the tongue there, flat and high.
- 3Now whisper and push air over the middle of the tongue.
- 4Lips stay relaxed — don't round them like „sh“.
Typical mistake: Replacing [ç] with English „sh“ [ʃ] — „isch“ instead of „ich“.
Practise with words
Minimal pairs — hear the difference
Your turn
ich
Hear it first
Four quick listens: pick which word you heard. Three right unlocks the microphone — you can only say a difference you can hear.
Recording isn't available here. Say it out loud after the model, then rate yourself honestly.