German · Places
How to pronounce Essen in German
Essen
Essen (place name)
Standard German · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
Essen is pronounced /ˈɛsən/ in German. In Essen: Keep the vowel open, like the vowel in many pronunciations of English “bed”, without a final glide. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in Essen
The reference transcription for Essen is /ˈɛsən/. Read adjacent consonants together without inserting extra vowels. The mark /ˈ/ comes immediately before the main stressed syllable. Give that syllable a little more prominence without swallowing the others.
1.The open /ɛ/ vowel
In Essen: Keep the vowel open, like the vowel in many pronunciations of English “bed”, without a final glide.
Watch out: Avoid turning this vowel into English “ay”.
2.A clear /s/
In Essen: Let air pass through a narrow groove near the front of the mouth. Keep the sound unvoiced.
Watch out: Do not add voicing and turn /s/ into /z/.
Hear it in context
Unser Reiseziel ist Essen.
Our destination is Essen.
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
Essen 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.
Questions about Essen
How do you pronounce Essen?
Essen is pronounced /ˈɛsən/ in German. In Essen: Keep the vowel open, like the vowel in many pronunciations of English “bed”, without a final glide. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In Essen: Keep the vowel open, like the vowel in many pronunciations of English “bed”, without a final glide. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
