German · Difficult words

How to pronounce Papier in German

Papier

Paper

pah-PEEUH/paˈpiːɐ̯/

Standard German · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.

Papier is pronounced /paˈpiːɐ̯/ in German. In Papier: Let the ending relax into a short central vowel. The IPA /ɐ/ represents a vowel, rather than a strongly pronounced consonant r. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.

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Find the sounds in Papier

Read Papier in these IPA segments: pa · ˈpiːɐ̯. 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. 1.The reduced r vowel /ɐ/

    In Papier: Let the ending relax into a short central vowel. The IPA /ɐ/ represents a vowel, rather than a strongly pronounced consonant r.

    Watch out: Avoid adding a full English “er” with a curled tongue.

  2. 2.Front-vowel position

    In Papier: 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.

  3. 3.An open vowel

    In Papier: 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”.

Hear it in context

Der Drucker braucht neues Papier.

The printer needs new paper.

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

Papier 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 Papier

How do you pronounce Papier?

Papier is pronounced /paˈpiːɐ̯/ in German. In Papier: Let the ending relax into a short central vowel. The IPA /ɐ/ represents a vowel, rather than a strongly pronounced consonant r. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.

What should I listen for first?

In Papier: Let the ending relax into a short central vowel. The IPA /ɐ/ represents a vowel, rather than a strongly pronounced consonant r. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.

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