Linking & Assimilation

Linking is when a sound at the end of one word connects to the beginning of the next, making speech flow. This often happens with consonants and vowels across word boundaries.

Assimilation occurs when a sound changes to become more like a neighboring sound, either within a word or between words. This makes pronunciation easier and faster.

When a word ends in a consonant and the next word begins with a vowel, speakers often link by pronouncing the consonant clearly to connect the two words smoothly. This happens in phrases like das Auto.

Sometimes speakers insert an extra sound to link two words, especially to avoid a difficult vowel-to-vowel transition. An intrusive r can appear in phrases like sie[ɐ̯]alle to smooth the link.

Nasals like n and m often assimilate to the place of articulation of a following consonant, changing to m, n, or ŋ to match sounds. This happens in casual speech to make transitions quicker.

Plosives such as t and d can assimilate in place or voice to a neighboring consonant, sometimes disappearing or changing to a similar sound that is easier to pronounce in sequence.

Linking and assimilation are small but important processes that make German speech sound natural and fluent. Paying attention to these patterns helps both understanding and pronunciation in everyday conversation.