Voice & Singing · Singing for Better English
English Diction for Singers
Clear vowels and consonants – especially for German speakers.
When you sing in English, the audience should understand every word. Learn the key ideas of English diction and the typical traps for German-speaking singers.
Key Words
Ten essential words with their German meaning and an example sentence.
| English | German | Example |
|---|---|---|
| diction | Diktion, Aussprache | Clear diction helps the audience follow the story. |
| pure vowel | reiner Vokal | Sing on a pure vowel and change at the last moment. |
| diphthong | Diphthong, Doppellaut | In "day", the diphthong moves from /e/ to /ɪ/. |
| consonant | Konsonant | Place the final consonant clearly, but late. |
| final consonant | Endkonsonant | Don't drop the final consonant in "night". |
| voiced · voiceless | stimmhaft · stimmlos | The /z/ in "rose" is voiced, the /s/ in "rice" is voiceless. |
| the "th" sound | das "th" | Put your tongue between your teeth for "th". |
| to articulate | artikulieren | Articulate the words, but don't exaggerate. |
| clarity | Deutlichkeit | Clarity matters more than volume. |
| to exaggerate | übertreiben | In a big hall, you need to exaggerate the consonants a little. |
Word Partners
Natural English depends on words that belong together. Learn these as complete phrases.
- clear diction
- to drop a consonant
- to sustain the vowel
- to land the consonant
- crisp consonants
- a natural accent
- to sound the final "d"
- to sing through the vowel
"Sustain the vowel and land the consonant right on the cut-off."
Useful Phrases
Sentence patterns you can use straight away.
Typical traps for German speakers
- Final -d and -b sound like -t and -p: "bad" becomes "bat".
- "w" sounds like "v": "wine" becomes "vine".
- "th" becomes /s/ or /z/.
- Diphthongs are too short: "go" sounds like a pure German /o/.
Coach's instructions
- Stay on the first vowel of the diphthong.
- Add the second sound only at the end.
- Don't let the "r" colour the vowel too early.
- Make the final consonants crisp.
Talk About It
Answer these questions aloud, write a short paragraph, or discuss them with a partner.
- Which English sounds are hardest for you when you sing?
- Do you prefer a British or an American sound in songs?
- Have you ever misheard the words of a song? What did you hear?
- How important is perfect pronunciation when you sing?
Test Yourself
Click a question to see the answer.
1. What is "stimmhaft" in English?
Voiced.
2. When do singers usually add the second sound of a diphthong?
At the very end of the note.
3. A German speaker sings "vine" instead of "wine". Which sound needs work?
The /w/ sound.
Explore More
More pages in the Voice & Singing series.
Let every word be heard.
Learn the words, use them in real sentences and enjoy using your voice in English.
Pure vowels. Crisp consonants.