German · Difficult words
How to pronounce Schlüssel in German
Schlüssel
Key
Standard German · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
Schlüssel is pronounced /ˈʃlʏsl̩/ in German. In Schlüssel: Round the lips while keeping the tongue forward. Hear the difference between the closer /y, ø/ and the more open /ʏ, œ/. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in Schlüssel
The reference transcription for Schlüssel is /ˈʃlʏsl̩/. 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.Rounded front vowels
In Schlüssel: Round the lips while keeping the tongue forward. Hear the difference between the closer /y, ø/ and the more open /ʏ, œ/.
Watch out: Replacing these with English “oo” or “oh” loses the front-vowel quality.
2.The sh sound /ʃ/
In Schlüssel: 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.
3.A clear /s/
In Schlüssel: 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
Hast du den Schlüssel dabei?
Do you have the key with you?
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
Schlüssel 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 Schlüssel
How do you pronounce Schlüssel?
Schlüssel is pronounced /ˈʃlʏsl̩/ in German. In Schlüssel: Round the lips while keeping the tongue forward. Hear the difference between the closer /y, ø/ and the more open /ʏ, œ/. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In Schlüssel: Round the lips while keeping the tongue forward. Hear the difference between the closer /y, ø/ and the more open /ʏ, œ/. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
