The German j that isn't a dzh in German

1. 1
   Jahr/jaːɐ̯/

   yearnoun

   The time of twelve months.
2. 2
   Jacke/ˈjakə/

   jacketnoun

   A short coat with sleeves.
3. 3
   Junge/ˈjʊŋə/

   boynoun

   A male child.
4. 4
   jung/jʊŋ/

   youngadjective

   Not old yet.
5. 5
   jucken/ˈjʊkən/

   to itchverb

   To feel like you want to scratch.
6. 6
   jagen/ˈjaːɡən/

   to chaseverb

   To follow someone fast in order to catch them.
7. 7
   jährlich/ˈjɛːɐ̯lɪç/

   yearlyadverb

   Once every year.
8. 8
   Jugendherberge/ˈjuːɡənthɛʁbɛʁɡə/

   youth hostelnoun

   An inexpensive place to stay for young people.
9. 9
   Juwelier/juveːˈliːɐ̯/iAlso said jʊvəˈliːɐ̯.

   jewelernoun

   Someone who sells jewelry.
10. 10
    Jahreszeit/ˈjaːʁəstsaɪ̯t/

    seasonnoun

    One of the four parts of the year.

The sentences

1. Ich war letztes Jahr schon einmal hier.

   I was here once before, last year.

2. Kann ich meine Jacke hier irgendwo aufhängen?

   Is there somewhere I can hang my jacket?

3. Der Junge da drüben gehört zu unserer Gruppe.

   The boy over there is with our group.

4. Muss man jung sein, um hier zu übernachten?

   Do you have to be young to stay here?

5. Meine Arme jucken seit der letzten Nacht.

   My arms have been itching since last night.

6. Die Kinder jagen sich ständig durch den Flur.

   The kids are constantly chasing each other down the hallway.

7. Wir kommen jährlich mit unserer Schulklasse hierher.

   We come here every year with our school class.

8. Bis wann ist die Jugendherberge abends geöffnet?

   How late is the youth hostel open in the evening?

9. Gibt es hier in der Nähe einen Juwelier?

   Is there a jeweler nearby?

10. Ist es zu dieser Jahreszeit immer so voll hier?

    Is it always this crowded here at this time of year?

Pronunciation

• Jahr/jaːɐ̯/

  The J sounds like the y in the German ja, not like the j in Jeans.

• jung/jʊŋ/

  The ng at the end is a single sound like in Ring, with no audible g.

• jährlich/ˈjɛːɐ̯lɪç/

  The ch in -lich is the soft sound from ich, not the rough one from Bach.

• Jugendherberge/ˈjuːɡənthɛʁbɛʁɡə/

  The d in Jugend sounds like a t.

• Juwelier/juveːˈliːɐ̯/

  The stress is on the last syllable, -lier.

Good to know

Jugendherberge

Youth hostels are found all over Germany and are an affordable place to stay, not only for young people. You often sleep in shared dorms, but there are also rooms for families.

Mitgliedskarte

Many hostels belong to the Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk. With a membership card you usually pay less, and without one a night is often a bit more expensive.

Bettwäsche

Bed linen is often included in the price, but it can cost extra. Ask about it when you book.

Nachtruhe

Many youth hostels have fixed quiet hours and lock the front door in the evening. The times are usually posted at the reception.

Questions

How do you pronounce the German j in Jahr?

The J in Jahr sounds like the y in the German word ja, not like the j in Jeans.

How do you ask in German where to hang your jacket?

You can say: "Kann ich meine Jacke hier irgendwo aufhängen?"

How do you ask until when a youth hostel is open in the evening?

Ask: "Bis wann ist die Jugendherberge abends geöffnet?" In Jugendherberge, the d in Jugend sounds like a t.