Assimilation Glossary of terms

Assimilation is the phonetic change by which a sound becomes more similar to an adjacent sound.

Detailed Explanation

In German, assimilation is a frequent process that mainly affects consonants. It can be regressive (the sound assimilates to the following one) or progressive (the sound assimilates to the preceding one). It can also be partial or total, depending on the degree of similarity achieved.

This phenomenon contributes to the fluency and naturalness of spoken German, although it can make comprehension difficult for learners.

Usage examples of "Assimilation"