Final Devoicing in German: Hund, Tag, gelb
Say b, d, g, v and s correctly at the end of words and hear them return in plurals.
German never lets a word or syllable end in a buzzing b, d, g, v or s. They turn into p, t, k, f and a hissed s.
The spelling doesn't change, so you have to apply the rule yourself when you read.
Tap any word to hear it.
b, d, g at the end become p, t, k
At the end of a word, turn the voice off: b is p, d is t, g is k. Release the final sound crisply.
- Hand on throat: the last sound of Hund should not buzz.
- Don't add a vowel after it: Tag, not 'Tahg-uh'.
- The ending -ig follows its own rule: [ɪç].
b at the end[p]
sounds like English p
d at the end[t]
sounds like English t
g at the end[k]
sounds like English k
Guten Tag! Der Zug ist halb leer.
Hello! The train is half empty.
Das Kind und der Hund spielen am Abend.
The child and the dog play in the evening.
v and s at the end: [f] and [s]
Final v sounds like f and final s always hisses. Before a vowel ending, they usually get their voice back.
v at the end[f]
plain f
s at the end[s]
hiss, never buzz
f becomes v again
hiss becomes buzz
The sound comes back before a vowel
Add an ending that starts with a vowel and the consonant moves to the next syllable. There it is voiced again, just as the spelling shows.
- Use the plural to check spelling: Hunde proves Hund has a d.
- Don't overapply: Kinder has a real d.
t becomes d
k becomes g
p becomes b
Syllable ends and look-alike words
The rule also works at the end of a syllable inside a word, before a consonant. That makes some words sound identical.
- Abfahrt = ab + Fahrt, so the b is p.
- Before -lich, -chen and at compound joints, voice switches off.
sound identical
sound identical
sound identical
Common mistakes
✗ “hoond” with a voiced d
✓ [hʊnt] — ends in a crisp t
English keeps final d voiced, as in 'hound'.
✗ “tahg” with a buzzing g
✓ [taːk] — ends in k
Spelling suggests g, but German devoices it.
✗ “gelb” with a voiced b
✓ [ɡɛlp] — ends in p
The written b hides the p sound.
✗ “kinter”
✓ [ˈkɪndɐ] — real d before a vowel
Learners overapply the rule inside words.
How to practise
- Say Hund – Hunde, Tag – Tage, gelb – gelbe, feeling voice return.
- Read Rad and Rat, seid and seit: make them identical.
- Say 'Guten Tag, Kind!' with no buzz on the final g and d.
- Find the plural of each noun to check its written consonant.
Questions learners ask
Why does d sound like t at the end of German words?
German doesn't allow voiced b, d, g, v or s at the end of a syllable. They lose their voice, so d becomes t.
Are Rad and Rat pronounced the same?
Yes, both are [ʁaːt]. Context and spelling tell them apart.
Do all German speakers devoice final consonants?
Standard German in Germany and Austria does. Many Swiss speakers devoice less, but using the rule is always correct.