The Letter Combination "zz" In Standard German

The letter combination "zz" appears mainly in loanwords. Its pronunciation depends strongly on word origin, especially Italian and English.

Letter Combination	zz
Name	zz (pronounced /t͡sɛt t͡sɛt/)
Common Sound(s)	/ts/, /z/, /s/

The Letter Combination "zz"

Sound 1: /ts/ (Italian loanwords between vowels)

In many Italian loanwords, especially between vowels, "zz" is pronounced /ts/.

Example

Pizza → /ˈpɪtsa/

pizza

Mozzarella → /mɔtsaˈrɛla/

mozzarella

Sound 2: /z/ (English loanwords)

In some English loanwords, especially at syllable onset, "zz" can be pronounced /z/.

Example

Jacuzzi → /dʒaˈkuːzi/

Jacuzzi

Sound 3: /s/ or /z/ (English loanwords)

In English loanwords, especially at the end of words or syllables, "zz" may be pronounced /s/ or /z/, depending on adaptation.

Example

Jazz → /dʒɛs/ ~ /dʒæz/

jazz

Note: Strong adaptation in German

Across most loanwords, "zz" is not a native German consonant pattern. Its pronunciation is therefore highly dependent on the source language, with Italian borrowings typically producing /ts/ and English borrowings showing /s/ or /z/ variation.