German pronunciation: Kahn and kann

The idea

Focus on the stressed vowel: Kahn has long a; kann has short a. Listen to each full example, then repeat the target word and return to the sentence. Long and short vowel categories can differ in quality as well as duration, so simply holding an otherwise identical sound longer is not a complete technique. Use the linked dictionary pronunciation guidance to interpret a model.

Patterns to compare

Wort	Bedeutung
Kahn	kleines Boot
kann	ist in der Lage

Avoid merging the target vowels

• „Kahn“ und „kann“ brauchen hier keinen hörbaren Vokalunterschied. → Kahn hat langes a; kann hat kurzes a.

  The contrast carries meaning: Kahn is small boat; kann is can. Compare both duration and vowel quality with a dictionary model. This task does not assign an automated pronunciation score.

Examples

• Der alte Kahn liegt am Ende des Stegs.The old boat is at the end of the jetty.Kahn means small boat here. Compare the stressed vowel with the neighbouring example; Kahn has long a; kann has short a.
• Ich kann die nächste Kiste allein tragen.I can carry the next box by myself.kann means can here. Compare the stressed vowel with the neighbouring example; Kahn has long a; kann has short a.
• Im Kahn liegen zwei schwere Ruder.Two heavy oars lie in the boat.Kahn means small boat here. Compare the stressed vowel with the neighbouring example; Kahn has long a; kann has short a.
• Wer kann den letzten Absatz erklären?Who can explain the last paragraph?kann means can here. Compare the stressed vowel with the neighbouring example; Kahn has long a; kann has short a.
• Wir ziehen den kleinen Kahn vorsichtig ans Ufer.We carefully pull the small boat to the bank.Kahn means small boat here. Compare the stressed vowel with the neighbouring example; Kahn has long a; kann has short a.
• Diese Lampe kann auch ohne Kabel leuchten.This lamp can also light up without a cable.kann means can here. Compare the stressed vowel with the neighbouring example; Kahn has long a; kann has short a.

Watch out

Do not replace a vowel contrast with extra loudness or an invented extra syllable. Keep the surrounding consonants recognizable. Device read-aloud depends on the German voice installed in your browser and may not demonstrate every fine distinction equally clearly; it is synthetic playback, not a human recording or pronunciation assessment.

Try it yourself

1. Welches Wort bezeichnet „kleines Boot“: Kahn oder kann? Sprich danach den ersten Beispielsatz.

   Show answer or example answer

   Kahn. Der alte Kahn liegt am Ende des Stegs.

   Kahn means small boat; the first example supplies a complete context.

2. Erkläre den Lautunterschied zwischen „Kahn“ und „kann“. Verändere nicht nur die Lautstärke.

   Show answer or example answer

   Kahn hat langes a; kann hat kurzes a.

   Kahn has long a; kann has short a. The answer needs a sound distinction, not only a spelling description.

3. Sprich je einen eigenen Satz mit „Kahn“ und „kann“. Eine andere Person soll ohne sichtbaren Text erkennen, welches Wort du meinst.

   Show answer or example answer

   Mögliche Satzmuster: Im Kahn liegen zwei schwere Ruder. Wer kann den letzten Absatz erklären? Prüfe, ob die Wörter unterschiedlich und verständlich gesprochen sind.

   Many sentences are possible. Success here means the intended word is identifiable in context; this page does not automatically score your recording or certify an accent.

Use it today

Make a short recording in your own recording app if you want to compare attempts. Say one original sentence using Kahn and one using kann, then ask a listener which meaning they heard without showing the words. If the words are confused, return to the stressed vowel rather than speeding up the whole sentence.