German Language Question

[1916]

I am starting to learn German (planning to work in Germany) and when studying, I've noticed that the letter 'g' can be pronounced 2 different ways. I have no clue what the difference is (I've taken intense lingual courses - French - before so I can usually spot details) when a 'g' is pronounced with the "sh" sound as opposed to a hard 'g'. The word that's giving me grief is gütlig. But I know in the word "boshaftigkeit" that the 'g' is a "soft" one. I would appreciate any help so I can start speaking correctly

[Dan D]

Ahoy,

it is a minor problem. Just make sure that you pronounce the "G" at the beginning of a phrase like a soft "G" like in the Polish "Grom" or "uwaga".
A "G" in the middle or in the end of a phrase can be spoken like a hard "G", like "K".

Gültig = G-ülti-k
Gültigkeit= G-ültik-keit, the hard K overlaps the soft g.

So basically never pronounce a "G" like a "k" at the beginning of a phrase because this would be distorting. People would have problems to understand "Kültikkeit".

Good luck!

[1916]

Thanks! So when I hear the word boshaftigkeit with the 'g' sounding like a 'sh' sound, it's only a way of speaking?

[Gizzmoe]

Originally Posted by 1916

Thanks! So when I hear the word boshaftigkeit with the 'g' sounding like a 'sh' sound, it's only a way of speaking?

Well, it´s a slurry way of speaking. In the area where I live we say "gültich" instead of "gültig", "fertich" (or even "feddich") instead of "fertig" and also "boshaftichkeit" and so on, it´s basically some kind of dialect.

[1916]

ok, thanks! I was really wondering about that, so I guess I would be correct pronouncing it both ways.