The Letter "I" in German In Standard German

"I" is the ninth letter of the German alphabet. It is a vowel and can be pronounced as a long, clear sound, a short, relaxed sound, or a glide, depending on its position in a word and the word's origin.

Uppercase Form	I
Lowercase Form	i
Name	i
Common Sounds	/iː/, /ɪ/, /i/, /i̯/

Pronouncing "I"

The sound of "i" changes based on the letters around it, whether it carries the word stress, and whether the word is originally German or borrowed.

"I" as /iː/

Say "i" long when it is at the end of a word, when the word changes to add a vowel in other forms, or when it comes before another vowel. The spelling "ie" is the most common sign for this sound.

Example

Liebe → /ˈliːbə/

love

Kino → /ˈkiːno/

cinema

Brief → /briːf/

letter

"I" as /ɪ/

Say "i" short and relaxed when it is followed by two or more consonants that stay together in all forms of the word. Double consonants are a clear sign.

Example

Blick → /blɪk/

look

Mittel → /ˈmɪtl̩/

middle / means

Tisch → /tɪʃ/

table

"I" as /i/ or /i̯/

In weak positions - before the main stress, at the end of a word, or before another vowel - "i" becomes a light sound: either a quick /i/ or a brief /i̯/ that glides into the next vowel.

Example

Idee → /iˈdeː/

idea

Piano → /pi̯ˈaːno/

piano

"I" and Vowel Length

The difference between a long /iː/ and a short /ɪ/ can create completely different words. Pay attention to the spelling and listen carefully.

Example

Bieten → /ˈbiːtən/

to offer

bitten → /ˈbɪtən/

to ask