German · Difficult words
How to pronounce jetzt in German
jetzt
Now
Standard German · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
jetzt is pronounced /jɛtst/ in German. In jetzt: Make a short t closure and release it straight into s, as at the end of English “cats”. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in jetzt
The reference transcription for jetzt is /jɛtst/. Read adjacent consonants together without inserting extra vowels. Listen for the vowel quality and timing in the full recording; this reference does not mark a separate main stress.
1.The joined /ts/ sound
In jetzt: 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”.
2.The open /ɛ/ vowel
In jetzt: 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”.
3.A clear /s/
In jetzt: 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
Ich gehe jetzt!
I'm going now!
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
jetzt 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 jetzt
How do you pronounce jetzt?
jetzt is pronounced /jɛtst/ in German. In jetzt: Make a short t closure and release it straight into s, as at the end of English “cats”. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In jetzt: Make a short t closure and release it straight into s, as at the end of English “cats”. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
