German · Difficult words
How to pronounce siebzehn in German
siebzehn
Seventeen
Standard German · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
siebzehn is pronounced /ˈziːp.tseːn/ in German. In siebzehn: Make a short t closure and release it straight into s, as at the end of English “cats”. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in siebzehn
Read siebzehn in these IPA segments: ˈziːp · tseːn. 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.The joined /ts/ sound
In siebzehn: Make a short t closure and release it straight into s, as at the end of English “cats”.
Watch out: Do not read German z as the voiced z in English “zoo”.
2.A steady /e/ vowel
In siebzehn: Keep the tongue toward the front and sustain a single /e/ vowel. Listen for its exact height in the recording.
Watch out: English “ay” often ends with a glide; do not automatically carry that glide into this vowel.
3.Front-vowel position
In siebzehn: 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.
Hear it in context
Meine Schwester wird nächste Woche siebzehn.
My sister turns seventeen next week.
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
siebzehn 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 siebzehn
How do you pronounce siebzehn?
siebzehn is pronounced /ˈziːp.tseːn/ in German. In siebzehn: Make a short t closure and release it straight into s, as at the end of English “cats”. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In siebzehn: Make a short t closure and release it straight into s, as at the end of English “cats”. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
