IPA: [ç / x]

German ch

German "ch" has two pronunciations: the soft ich-Laut [ç] after front vowels, and the harder ach-Laut [x] after back vowels.

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English approximation

[ç] like "h" in "huge"; [x] like Scottish "loch"

Pronunciation tips

1.After e, i, ä, ö, ü, ei, eu → soft [ç] (like "hue")

2.After a, o, u, au → hard [x] (like Scottish "loch")

3.At the start of a word before e/i → usually [ç]

4."ch" in borrowed words (China, Chef) = [ʃ]