This key facts covers Key sounds to memorise within ch, sch, st- and sp- (ich-Laut and ach-Laut) for GCSE German. Revise ch, sch, st- and sp- (ich-Laut and ach-Laut) in Phonics: German Sounds and Spellings for GCSE German with 10 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 3 of 4 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
📌 Key sounds to memorise
- ich-Laut — soft, after light vowels (e/i/ä/ö/ü) and consonants: ich, Milch
- ach-Laut — throaty, after dark vowels (a/o/u/au): Buch, Nacht
- sch = English 'sh', always: Schule, Tisch
- st-/sp- at word start = 'sht'/'shp': Stadt, spielen
- final -ig = '-ish' (ich-Laut): zwanzig = 'tsvan-tsish'
Practice questions for ch, sch, st- and sp- (ich-Laut and ach-Laut)
How is the 'ch' pronounced in the German word 'Buch' (book)?
How is 'st' pronounced at the START of the German word 'Straße' (street)?
Quick recall flashcards
die Straße — how does it begin?
'SHTRAH-suh'. The 'st-' at the start is pronounced 'sht', and the ß is a sharp 'ss' sound. Noun: die Straße, die Straßen.
ich — how is the 'ch' pronounced?
Soft ich-Laut: 'ish'. Because the 'ch' comes after the vowel 'i', it is the soft, hissing sound, never the throaty ach-Laut. The same applies to mich (mish) and dich (dish).