Practice your German with tongue twisters
Do you know the German expression "Fischers Fritze fischt frische Fische"? Sentences like this one can really trip you up. That's why they're called "tongue twisters." However, tongue twisters have their advantages, and they are fun to practice. We will show you how they can help you improve your German skills.
What are tongue twisters?
Tongue twisters are sentences containing many words with similar sounds and the same initial letter, often differing only by one syllable. When strung together, they result in humorous slips of the tongue. Tongue twisters vary in length and difficulty, making them a great way to "train" your lips. For that reason, actors and presenters use them to warm up before performing on camera or on stage.
How can tongue twisters help you learn German?
Practicing tongue twisters can be helpful, especially for improving your pronunciation. You will pronounce more clearly, and learning the correct intonation will give you more confidence when using the language. Additionally, you will often learn new words because tongue twisters often contain unusual vocabulary.
Which tongue twisters are best for language training?
There are some classic German tongue twisters that most Germans are familiar with. You can use them to practice certain sounds and learn that different letters of the German alphabet are pronounced the same way.
The following four examples will help you improve your language skills:
- Brautkleid bleibt Brautkleid und Blaukraut bleibt Blaukraut[1].
Here, you will practice pronouncing consonants followed by r or l. This tongue twister is difficult because rapid tongue movements are required to pronounce the letter combinations bl, br, kr, kl, au, and ei.
- Wenn Fliegen hinter Fliegen fliegen.
This tongue twister is difficult because the letter combination fl appears several times in quick succession. Additionally, the word ‘flies’ has two meanings in this sentence - it refers to insects and to the verb ‘to fly’.
- Zehn zahme Ziegen zogen zehn Zentner Zucker zum Zoo.
This tongue twister focuses on the phoneme z, which is usually pronounced ts in German. It is either followed by a long vowel, as in ‘zehnt’, ‘gezogen’, ‘zahme’, or ‘Ziegen’, or by a short vowel, as in ‘Zentner’, ‘Zucker’, or ‘zum’. This way, you also learn proper German pronunciation length.
- Der Wachsmaskenmacher macht Wachsmasken aus Wachsmaskenwachs.
This tongue twister helps you practice the letter combination chs. It is particularly challenging because the combinations ‘achs’ and ‘ask’ sound similar and alternate quickly. This tongue twister is especially helpful for developing a sense of rhythm and intonation.
[1] The term ‘Blaukraut’ refers to vegetables and is known by several names in Germany (often ‘Rotkohl’).
Tongue twisters are excellent for learning a foreign language. With their complex structures and focus on the pronunciation of certain letters or words, they help to train a language. Therefore, tongue twisters are an excellent exercise for beginners as well as advanced learners who want to improve their pronunciation.
You can find further articles on the German language in our blog category Learn German.
