Free German pronunciation checker
Free German Pronunciation Test: check every word you say
Read five short German sentences aloud or type any word you want to check. You get a score for every word, an overall score with accuracy, fluency and completeness, and a list of words to practise first.
Read this aloud:
Das Fenster ist offen, aber der Ofen ist noch heiß.
Listen for: Long vs short vowels (Ofen, offen)
Tap to record
Your recording is sent securely for scoring and is not stored by Flalingo.
Scores come from a standard native-speaker model for this language, so regional accents may score a little lower.
How to check your German pronunciation
Each sentence in this German pronunciation test is built around a sound learners find hard: ü and ö, the ich and ach sounds, the German R, final consonants and long versus short vowels. Read it aloud and a speech model trained on native German speakers compares every word you say with the text.
You get an overall score from 0 to 100, plus accuracy, fluency and completeness. Every word gets its own score, so you can see which ones sound off and start there. You can also type your own German text, up to 160 characters, and check it the same way.
How the test works
Read five sentences aloud
Each sentence is short and built around sounds that learners of this language find hard. You can also type your own text, up to 160 characters, or tap one of the hard words to try.
AI scores every word
A speech-assessment model trained on native speakers compares what you say with the text. It scores accuracy, fluency and completeness from 0 to 100, and gives every word its own score.
Get your report
Each word is coloured by how close it was, and you see a short list of words to practise first. Record a sentence again to check your progress, then share your score with a friend.
The hardest German sounds for learners
Ü and Ö
Say 'ee' as in 'see', then round your lips tightly without moving your tongue: that is ü /y/ (über, grün). Do the same with the e in 'bed' and you get the short ö /œ/ in können. If ü turns into u, Mütter (mothers) becomes Mutter (mother).
The ich and ach sounds
After a, o, u and au, ch is the ach sound /x/, a soft scrape at the back of the mouth (Nacht, Buch, auch). Everywhere else it is the ich sound /ç/: put your tongue where it is for the y in 'yes' and breathe out (ich, nicht, Milch). Don't replace either one with k or sh.
The German R
At the start of a syllable, standard German uses a uvular R /ʁ/, a light friction at the back of the throat, close to a quiet gargle (rot, Rose, fahren). After a vowel it turns into a vowel sound: der sounds close to 'dea', and the -er at the end of Vater is a short 'uh' /ɐ/.
Final b, d and g
At the end of a word or syllable, b, d and g lose their voice and sound like p, t and k. Hund (dog) sounds like 'Hunt', Tag like 'Tak' and gab like 'gap'. The voiced sound comes back when a vowel follows: Hunde, Tage.
Long and short vowels
Vowel length changes meaning in German: Staat /ʃtaːt/ (state) and Stadt /ʃtat/ (city), Ofen (oven) and offen (open). A vowel written double or followed by h is long (Boot, Sohn), and a vowel before a double consonant is usually short (Bett, kommen).
What your pronunciation score means
| Score | Level | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 90–100 | Excellent | Your words are clear and close to a native speaker. Try longer or harder sentences to keep improving. |
| 75–89 | Good | Easy to understand. A few words still stand out, so practise them one at a time. |
| 60–74 | Fair | Mostly understandable, but people may ask you to repeat some words. Start with the words in your practice list. |
| 0–59 | Needs work | Some words may be misunderstood. Slow down, practise the flagged words on their own, then say them in short phrases. |
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is this German pronunciation checker?
It uses a speech-assessment model trained on native German speakers. The model lines up your recording with the text, scores every word for accuracy and rates your fluency and completeness. It is a good guide to which words sound off, but it is not a teacher, so look for words that get flagged again and again rather than worrying about one low score.
Which German accent is the test based on?
Scores are based on standard German (Hochdeutsch) as spoken in Germany. If you learned Austrian or Swiss pronunciation, some words may score a little lower even when they are correct where you learned them.
How can I improve my German pronunciation?
Start with the words the test flags most often and find the sound behind them: ü and ö, ich and ach, the R or vowel length. Practise pairs out loud (Mutter and Mütter, Stadt and Staat), record yourself and compare. Ten minutes of speaking every day works better than one long session a week.
Is the German pronunciation test free?
Yes. The test and the word checker are free and you don't need an account. To keep it free for everyone, there is a small daily limit on checks.
Is German pronunciation hard?
Less than many people expect. German spelling is quite regular, so once you know the rules you can read most words aloud correctly. The hard part is a small group of sounds: ü and ö, the two CH sounds, the R and vowel length. Long compound words look scary, but they are just short words joined together.
How do I pronounce the German R?
At the start of a word or syllable, make a light friction at the back of your throat, where you would gargle: rot, Rad, Brot. Don't use the English R. A rolled tongue-tip R is heard in some regions and people will understand it, but the throat R is the standard. After a vowel, as in Bier or Vater, the R becomes a short 'uh' sound.