German · Difficult words
How to pronounce schlafen in German
schlafen
to sleep
Standard German · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
schlafen is pronounced [ˈʃlaːfn̩] in German. In schlafen: Keep a narrow channel for air and use a soft “sh” sound. In clusters, connect it directly to the following consonant. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in schlafen
The reference transcription for schlafen is [ˈʃlaːfn̩]. 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 sh sound /ʃ/
In schlafen: Keep a narrow channel for air and use a soft “sh” sound. In clusters, connect it directly to the following consonant.
Watch out: Do not insert an extra vowel inside a consonant cluster.
2.An open vowel
In schlafen: 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
Ich möchte noch eine Stunde schlafen.
I would like to sleep for another hour.
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
schlafen 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 schlafen
How do you pronounce schlafen?
schlafen is pronounced [ˈʃlaːfn̩] in German. In schlafen: Keep a narrow channel for air and use a soft “sh” sound. In clusters, connect it directly to the following consonant. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In schlafen: Keep a narrow channel for air and use a soft “sh” sound. In clusters, connect it directly to the following consonant. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
