German · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "verliebt" in German?

Q: How do you pronounce verliebt in German?

verliebt is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /fɛɐ̯ˈliːpt/. It means “in love.” fer-LEEPT. The v is an f, the prefix is unstressed, and the written b hardens into a p.

fer-LEEPT. The v is an f, the prefix is unstressed, and the written b hardens into a p.

verliebt /fɛɐ̯ˈliːpt/

Second syllable, since ver- is never stressed. The devoicing of the b happens inside the word rather than at its edge, driven by the following t — which is a useful reminder that the rule is about syllable position, not about being the last letter of a word.

Listen: verliebt

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Sound it out

ver An unstressed inseparable prefix: f, then a short e with the r vocalised into a dark 'uh'.

ie A single long 'ee', carrying the stress.

b Devoiced to p, because the t behind it strands it at the end of the syllable.

t Fully released, the participle ending.

Hear it in a sentence

Sie ist in ihn verliebt.

She is in love with him.

Listen: Sie ist in ihn verliebt.

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Sie ist in ihn verliebt uses the fixed combination verliebt in with the accusative, so the pronoun is ihn rather than ihm. Nothing about the English translation predicts either the preposition or the case, which is why the phrase is best memorised whole.

Where English speakers slip

The b gets pronounced as written by most learners, giving 'ver-LEEBT'. It hardens to p. Add the two prefix corrections — an f rather than a v, and no stress on the front — and the word needs three separate adjustments before it sounds German rather than read aloud.