學德文嘅朋友點發 r 音？

2. Arrrgh: The dreaded German “r“
There is no sugar coating it, getting the German “r” right can be difficult. It is one of those things that makes German hard for people to learn.

Many, therefore, settle for the more guttural [x] instead, or roll the “r” from the tip of their tongue with a trill, as is customary in Spanish. The goal, however, is to get the uvula – that little thing hanging in the back of your throat – to vibrate.

If you read the earlier tip, you know that “r” is merely the voiced version of [x]. So if you can say “ach” properly, hold that last sound and then start humming with your mouth slightly open. This should produce a wonderful uvular German “r”.

If neither is part of your repertoire just yet, the best tip I have heard so far came from a Chinese friend of mine. He told me that the way he learned to pronounce the German “r” is through a ritual of personal hygiene – gurgling.

Take a sip of water in your mouth, tilt your head back, and gurgle as if you want to clear your throat. Be sure to use your voice. As we have learned earlier, “r” is a voiced sound. You should feel a vibration in your throat that sounds a little like a purring cat. Remember how and where you produced this sound, and then you’ll be ready to give it a dry run.