German · Difficult words
How to pronounce achtzehn in German
achtzehn
Eighteen
Standard German · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
achtzehn is pronounced /ˈaxˌt͡seːn/ in German. In achtzehn: Keep the back of the tongue near the soft palate and release a stream of air, as in Scottish “loch”. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in achtzehn
Read achtzehn in these IPA segments: ˈax · ˌt͡seːn. Dots and stress marks identify the boundaries shown in the reference; these symbols are not English spelling. The mark /ˈ/ comes immediately before the main stressed syllable. Give that syllable a little more prominence without swallowing the others.
1.The back ch sound /x/
In achtzehn: Keep the back of the tongue near the soft palate and release a stream of air, as in Scottish “loch”.
Watch out: Do not close the airflow completely as you would for k.
2.The joined /ts/ sound
In achtzehn: Make a short t closure and release it straight into s, as at the end of English “cats”.
Watch out: Do not read German z as the voiced z in English “zoo”.
3.A steady /e/ vowel
In achtzehn: Keep the tongue toward the front and sustain a single /e/ vowel. Listen for its exact height in the recording.
Watch out: English “ay” often ends with a glide; do not automatically carry that glide into this vowel.
Hear it in context
Bist du schon achtzehn?
Are you already eighteen?
Listen once, say it aloud, then replay at 1.00×. Keep the word connected to the surrounding sentence rather than giving every syllable equal weight.
Pronunciation and variety
achtzehn is presented using Standard German. Regional accents and connected speech can change details. The isolated word and the example let you compare the dictionary form with a short spoken context.
The English-style respelling is approximate. Use the IPA and recording together for vowel quality and consonants that do not have an exact English equivalent.
Meaning and everyday use
Questions about achtzehn
How do you pronounce achtzehn?
achtzehn is pronounced /ˈaxˌt͡seːn/ in German. In achtzehn: Keep the back of the tongue near the soft palate and release a stream of air, as in Scottish “loch”. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In achtzehn: Keep the back of the tongue near the soft palate and release a stream of air, as in Scottish “loch”. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
