SP and ST at the Beginning of Words

In German, when the letter combinations SP and ST appear at the beginning of a word or syllable, they are pronounced like "shp" and "sht" — the S is pronounced like English "sh" (/ʃ/) before P and T.

This is one of the most consistent pronunciation rules in German and will make your accent sound much more natural. Tap the speaker buttons to listen.

Explanation

At the start of a word or stressed syllable, S before P is pronounced /ʃp/ (like "shp"): Sport, spielen, Sprache.

At the start of a word or stressed syllable, S before T is pronounced /ʃt/ (like "sht"): Stadt, stehen, Student.

When SP or ST appear in the middle or end of a word (e.g. after a consonant or in a different syllable), the normal S sound is often used. But at word beginning, the rule is very reliable.

The same "sh"-like sound applies when S is followed by T or P at the beginning: think "Shtadt" for Stadt and "Shport" for Sport.

SP and ST at Word Beginning

Spelling	Pronunciation	Example	IPA	Note
SP (word start)	shp	Sport	/ʃpɔʁt/	S = /ʃ/ before P
ST (word start)	sht	Stadt	/ʃtat/	S = /ʃ/ before T
spielen	shp	spielen	/ˈʃpiːlən/	Same rule
stehen	sht	stehen	/ˈʃteːən/	Same rule

Tap the speaker button to hear the pronunciation.

Examples

Sport

[/ʃpɔʁt/]

sport

spielen

[/ˈʃpiːlən/]

to play

Sprache

[/ˈʃpʁaːxə/]

language

Stadt

[/ʃtat/]

city

stehen

[/ˈʃteːən/]

to stand

Student

[/ʃtuˈdɛnt/]

student

Straße

[/ˈʃtʁaːsə/]

street

Tips

At the start of a word, always use "shp" for SP and "sht" for ST.
Practice with a few key words: Sport, Stadt, spielen, stehen.
Avoid saying "Sport" with a plain S; it should sound like "Shport".
Listening to native speakers will reinforce this pattern quickly.

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: Pronouncing SP/ST with plain S at word start

✅ Correct: Use /ʃ/ (sh) before P and T: Shport, Shtadt

In standard German, S before P or T at the beginning is always the "sh" sound.

❌ Incorrect: Using the same rule in the middle of words

✅ Correct: Rule applies at word/syllable beginning; elsewhere S may be different

E.g. in "Wespe" the SP is in the middle and pronunciation can vary; the strong rule is for word-initial SP/ST.

S, ß, and Z Sounds CH Sound Alphabet V and W in German

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I pronounce SP and ST at the Beginning of Words correctly?

At the start of a word or stressed syllable, S before P is pronounced /ʃp/ (like "shp"): Sport, spielen, Sprache.

What are common mistakes when pronouncing SP and ST at the Beginning of Words?

See the Common Mistakes section above for detailed examples of errors to avoid.

How can I practice SP and ST at the Beginning of Words pronunciation?

Practice by repeating the examples above, listening to native German speakers, and recording yourself to compare your pronunciation.