German · Food & drink
How to pronounce Mais in German
Mais
Corn
Standard German · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
Mais is pronounced /maɪ̯s/ in German. In Mais: Listen for the distinction between the closer /i/ and the more relaxed /ɪ/ when shown. Keep your tongue toward the front. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in Mais
The reference transcription for Mais is /maɪ̯s/. 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.Front-vowel position
In Mais: Listen for the distinction between the closer /i/ and the more relaxed /ɪ/ when shown. Keep your tongue toward the front.
Watch out: Do not decide vowel quality from English spelling alone.
2.An open vowel
In Mais: Open the jaw for the a-like vowel shown in the IPA. Keep it continuous and follow the recording’s tongue position.
Watch out: Do not substitute the English diphthong in “day”.
3.A clear /s/
In Mais: 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
Legst du den Mais auf den Grill?
Are you putting the corn on the grill?
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
Mais 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 Mais
How do you pronounce Mais?
Mais is pronounced /maɪ̯s/ in German. In Mais: Listen for the distinction between the closer /i/ and the more relaxed /ɪ/ when shown. Keep your tongue toward the front. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In Mais: Listen for the distinction between the closer /i/ and the more relaxed /ɪ/ when shown. Keep your tongue toward the front. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
