German · Difficult words

How to pronounce Schwein in German

Schwein

Pig

shveyen/ʃvaɪ̯n/

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

Schwein is pronounced /ʃvaɪ̯n/ in German. In Schwein: 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 Schwein

The reference transcription for Schwein is /ʃvaɪ̯n/. 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. 1.The sh sound /ʃ/

    In Schwein: 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. 2.Front-vowel position

    In Schwein: 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 Schwein: 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

Das Schwein suhlt sich im Matsch.

The pig is wallowing in the mud.

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

Schwein 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 Schwein

How do you pronounce Schwein?

Schwein is pronounced /ʃvaɪ̯n/ in German. In Schwein: 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 Schwein: 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.

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