German · Food & drink
How to pronounce Zwiebel in German
Zwiebel
Onion
Standard German · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
Zwiebel is pronounced /ˈt͡sviːbəl/ in German. In Zwiebel: 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 Zwiebel
The reference transcription for Zwiebel is /ˈt͡sviːbəl/. 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 Zwiebel: 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.Front-vowel position
In Zwiebel: 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.A clear /s/
In Zwiebel: 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
Schneide zuerst eine Zwiebel fein.
First finely chop an onion.
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
Zwiebel 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 Zwiebel
How do you pronounce Zwiebel?
Zwiebel is pronounced /ˈt͡sviːbəl/ in German. In Zwiebel: 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 Zwiebel: 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.
