German · Difficult words
How to pronounce Zunge in German
Zunge
Tongue
Standard German · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
Zunge is pronounced /ˈt͡sʊŋə/ in German. In Zunge: 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 Zunge
The reference transcription for Zunge is /ˈt͡sʊŋə/. 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 joined /ts/ sound
In Zunge: 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.Back rounded vowels
In Zunge: Round your lips and keep the tongue toward the back. Follow the closer /u/ or more relaxed /ʊ/ quality written in the IPA.
Watch out: Avoid inserting a y sound before the vowel unless the IPA includes /j/.
3.A clear /s/
In Zunge: 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
Vorsicht—die Suppe verbrennt dir die Zunge!
Careful—the soup will burn your tongue!
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
Zunge 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 Zunge
How do you pronounce Zunge?
Zunge is pronounced /ˈt͡sʊŋə/ in German. In Zunge: 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 Zunge: 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.
