German · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "jemand" in German?

YAY-mant. The j is a y, the e is long, and the final d hardens into a t.

jemand /ˈjeː.mant/

JE- takes the weight, matching its opposite number niemand exactly. Both words take singular verbs and both keep their weight on the front element, so once you have the rhythm of one you have the other — a rare piece of symmetry in German vocabulary.

Listen: jemand

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Sound it out

j The consonant y of yes, never the j of jam.

e A long 'ay', held flat with no glide toward 'ee'.

m A straightforward m with the lips fully closed.

and A short a, an n, and a written d devoicing to t at the end of the word.

Hear it in a sentence

Jemand steht an der Tür.

Somebody is at the door.

Listen: Jemand steht an der Tür.

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Jemand steht an der Tür has steht opening with the 'sht' cluster and holding a long e marked by its silent h. An takes the dative here because the sentence describes a position rather than a movement, which is why the article is der rather than die.

Where English speakers slip

The initial j draws an English j out of readers who have not yet absorbed the rule, giving 'JAY-mand'. It is a y. Then the d at the end hardens to t. It also pays to keep this word distinct from jemanden, its accusative form — the ending brings the d back to life as a real voiced consonant, since it is no longer word-final.