TTS Verbalization Guide & Specifications for de-DE

Product: de-DE
Release Date: October 2026
TTS Engine version: 3.4.0

Introduction

This document describes how specific series of strings are read by the TTS Engine for the DE language in the DE domain. Example outputs are in German (standard German as spoken in Germany). The readings are the engine's current output for the version above: when a reading is not what is wanted, this document still shows what the engine does.

Convention: every example table includes a Lexis voice output column. Any new row appears marked with 🆕. Missing support is shown as "unsupported". Numeric ranges use [a-b] (for example, [1-99] means any number from 1 to 99).

Readings are shown in lower case with punctuation as the engine returns it. Two markers appear in the readings: [pause] is a 0.025 s pause the Lexis voice puts between groups of digits, and [pause 0.2 s] is a fixed pause of 0.2 s.

Numbers

Integers

Format	Example input	Lexis
`[1-9][0-9]`	`25`	fünfundzwanzig
`[1-9][0-9]…[0-9]`	`159`	einhundertneunundfünfzig
`100`	`100`	einhundert
`10[1-9]`	`101`	einhunderteins
`<dash>[1-9]…[0-9]`	`-58`	minus achtundfünfzig
`[1-9][0-9]…[0-9][0-9] (>999)`	`2824`	zweitausendachthundertvierundzwanzig
`[1-9][0-9]{3}`	`1500`	eintausendfünfhundert
`[1-9][0-9]{0,2}<dot>[0-9]{3}`	`2.824`	zweitausendachthundertvierundzwanzig
`1000000`	`1.000.000`	eine million
`2000000`	`2.000.000`	zwei millionen
`1000000000`	`1.000.000.000`	eine milliarde

Allowed thousands delimiter: dot only; a space reads as two number groups. Max supported value: 999.999.999.999, read as "neunhundertneunundneunzig milliarden neunhundertneunundneunzig millionen neunhundertneunundneunzigtausend neunhundertneunundneunzig". Beyond that, digits are spelled one by one.

Ordinal numbers

Format	Example input	Lexis
`[1-9]…[0-9]<dot>`	`1.`	erste
`[1-9]…[0-9]<dot>`	`21.`	einundzwanzigste

Note: German writes an ordinal as a number followed by a dot. The ending is "-e" by default; before a month name the ordinal is masculine nominative ("1. Mai" is "erster mai").

Decimals

Decimal separator: comma (komma). Digits after the comma are spelled individually ("2,4527"); a two-digit fraction is read as a number ("-25,78" is "minus fünfundzwanzig komma achtundsiebzig").

Format	Example input	Lexis
`[1-9]…[0-9]<comma>[0-9]…[0-9]`	`2,4527`	zwei komma vier fünf zwei sieben
`<dash>[1-9]…[0-9]<comma>[0-9]…[0-9]`	`-25,78`	minus fünfundzwanzig komma achtundsiebzig

Fractions and units

Format	Example input	Lexis
`[1-99]<slash>[1-99]`	`13/16`	dreizehn schrägstrich sechzehn
`[1-99]<slash>[1-99]`	`45/2`	fünfundvierzig schrägstrich zwei
`[1-99]<slash>[1-99]`	`3/4`	dritter april
`[1-99]<slash>[1-99]`	`7/3`	siebter märz

A slash between two numbers is read as a date when both numbers are a valid day and month ("3/4" is "dritter april", "7/3" is "siebter märz", "5/12" is "fünfter dezember"); a slash between other numbers is read as "schrägstrich" ("13/16", "45/2"). With a unit the slash is read "schrägstrich" as well ("5/12 km" is "fünf schrägstrich zwölf kilometer").

Format	Example input	Lexis
`{vulgar fraction} <unit>`	`½ cup`	½ cup
`[1-99]/[1-99] <unit>`	`3/4 mi`	drei schrägstrich vier meilen
`[1-99]<slash>[1-99] <unit>`	`5/12 km`	fünf schrägstrich zwölf kilometer

A vulgar fraction such as ½ is not converted: the text passes through unchanged.

Digit-by-digit spelling

The dash notation can be used to spell the digit sequence digit by digit. For Lexis, the digits are read in groups of three, with a short pause ([pause], 0.025 s) between the groups. The comma is placed where the input has a space.

Example input	Lexis
`4-2-1-4 2-3-4 7-5-3`	vier zwei eins [pause] vier, zwei drei [pause] vier, sieben fünf [pause] drei

Note: this notation can be used for digit sequences with more than 2 digits. Otherwise it will be verbalized as an interval. E.g. "2-3" is "zwei bis drei".

16-digit card numbers

Example input	Lexis
`5-8-9-6 4-2-6-5 1-2-3-4 7-4-6-8`	fünf acht neun [pause] sechs, vier zwei [pause] sechs fünf, eins [pause] zwei drei vier, [pause] sieben vier sechs [pause] acht
`5-8-9-6-4-2-6-5 1-2-3-4-7-4-6-8`	fünf acht neun [pause] sechs vier zwei [pause] sechs fünf, eins [pause] zwei drei vier [pause] sieben vier sechs [pause] acht

Counter examples

The numbers in between the dashes are read as integers and the dash is pronounced as "bindestrich" if the dash is used more than once.
If only one dash is used, then the digit sequence is handled as an interval.
If no dash is used, the numbers are read as integers.

Example input	Lexis
`4532-1234-5678-9012`	viertausendfünfhundertzweiunddreißig bindestrich eintausendzweihundertvierunddreißig bindestrich fünftausendsechshundertachtundsiebzig bindestrich neuntausendzwölf
`4532 1234 5678 9012`	viertausendfünfhundertzweiunddreißig eintausendzweihundertvierunddreißig fünftausendsechshundertachtundsiebzig neuntausendzwölf
`4532-1234-5678`	viertausendfünfhundertzweiunddreißig bindestrich eintausendzweihundertvierunddreißig bindestrich fünftausendsechshundertachtundsiebzig
`4532-1234`	viertausendfünfhundertzweiunddreißig bis eintausendzweihundertvierunddreißig

Telephone numbers

Format	Example input	Lexis
`0[0-9]{2,4} [0-9]{4,9}`	`030 12345678`	null drei null, eins zwei drei vier fünf sechs sieben acht
`0[0-9]{3} [0-9]{7,8}`	`0151 23456789`	null eins fünf eins, zwei drei vier fünf sechs sieben acht neun
`+[0-9]{2} [0-9]{2,4} [0-9]{4,9}`	`+49 30 12345678`	plus neunundvierzig, drei null, eins zwei drei vier fünf sechs sieben acht

Telephone numbers are read digit by digit, with a comma after the area code; the country code is read as a number ("+49" is "plus neunundvierzig").

Combination of numbers and words

Format	Example input	Lexis
`[0-9]…[0-9]<dash>{word}`	`16-Bit`	sechzehnbit
`{word}<dash>[0-9]…[0-9]`	`COVID-19`	covid neunzehn

A space around a dash between a number and a word verbalizes the dash as the word "bindestrich" (e.g. "16 - Bit" becomes "sechzehn bindestrich bit"). A spaced dash between two words is read as a pause (see Dashed words).

Ratio and intervals

Format	Example input	Lexis
`[0-9]…[0-9]<colon>[0-9]…[0-9]`	`16:9`	sechzehn zu neun
`[0-9]…[0-9]<dash>[0-9]…[0-9]`	`16-9`	sechzehn bis neun
`[0-9]…[0-9]<dash>[0-9]…[0-9] {word}`	`3-5 Tage`	drei bis fünf tage

If the ratio values overlap with the time format, the time will be announced. E.g. "24:00" is verbalized as "vierundzwanzig stunden" while "25:00" is "fünfundzwanzig zu null". A colon is read "zu" and a dash between two numbers is an interval ("bis"), so "16-9" is "sechzehn bis neun".

Percentage

Example input	Lexis
`15%`	fünfzehn prozent
`15 %`	fünfzehn prozent
`2,5 %`	zwei komma fünf prozent

Time

Format	Example input	Lexis
`[00-24]<colon>[00-59]<colon>[00-59]`	`12:11:01`	zwölf uhr elf minuten und eine sekunde
`[00-24]<colon>[00-59]`	`23:15`	dreiundzwanzig uhr fünfzehn
`[00-24]<colon>[00-59] Uhr`	`14:30 Uhr`	vierzehn uhr dreißig
`[00-24]<dot>[00-59] Uhr`	`14.30 Uhr`	14. 30 uhr
`[00-24]<colon>00`	`24:00`	vierundzwanzig stunden
`12<colon>00`	`12:00`	zwölf stunden
`00<colon>00`	`00:00`	null stunden
`[1-12] {PM,AM}`	`2 PM`	zwei uhr nachmittags
`[01-12]<colon>[00-59] {PM,AM}`	`02:20 PM`	zwei uhr zwanzig nachmittags

Note: "Uhr" in the input is not read twice. PM is read "nachmittags" ("2 PM" is "zwei uhr nachmittags"); the hour 1 before "Uhr" is "eins" ("1 Uhr" is "eins uhr").

Date

Format	Example input	Lexis
`[1-31]<dot> {month} [0-9]{4}`	`14. Mai 2022`	vierzehnter mai zweitausendzweiundzwanzig
`1<dot> {month} [0-9]{4}`	`1. Juni 2020`	erster juni zweitausendzwanzig
`[00-31]<dot>[00-12]<dot>[0-9][0-9]`	`31.12.19`	einunddreißigster dezember, neunzehn
`[00-31]<dot>[00-12]<dot>[0-9]{4}`	`27.05.2021`	siebenundzwanzigster mai, zweitausendeinundzwanzig
`[00-31]/[00-12]/[0-9][0-9]`	`31/12/19`	einunddreißigster dezember, neunzehn
`[0-9]{4}-[00-12]-[00-31]`	`2022-11-02`	zweiter november, zweitausendzweiundzwanzig
`[1-31]<dot> {month}`	`21. Oktober`	einundzwanzigster oktober
`[1-31]<dot>[1-12]<dot>`	`23.5.`	dreiundzwanzigster mai
`[1-31]<dot>[1-12]<dot>`	`5.12.`	fünfter dezember

Note: Dates are day first, so "5.12." is the 5th of December. The final dot is required for the short numeric form. Years are read as one word ("zweitausendzweiundzwanzig"); years from 1100 to 1999 are read in hundreds ("1999" is "neunzehnhundertneunundneunzig"). A two-digit year is read as a number ("neunzehn"). Day 1 is read "erster".

Units

Format	Example input	Lexis
`{amount}{unit}`	`2,5GB`	zwei komma fünf gigabyte
`{amount}<space>{unit}`	`1,5 GB`	ein komma fünf gigabyte
`{amount}{unit}/{unit}`	`1500MB/s`	eintausendfünfhundert megabyte pro sekunde
`{amount}<space>{unit}/{unit}`	`1400 MB/s`	eintausendvierhundert megabyte pro sekunde

Supported unit abbreviations

Each reading shows the singular / the plural form: the unit is read after "1" and after "2". The readings come from the processor's built-in unit table.

Abbreviation	Lexis
`mm`	millimeter
`cm`	zentimeter
`m`	meter
`km`	kilometer
`Km`	kilometer
`m²`	quadratmeter
`m2`	quadratmeter
`m³`	kubikmeter
`m3`	kubikmeter
`"`	"
`in`	zoll
`'`	'
`ft`	fuß
`yd`	yd
`mi`	meile / meilen
`mph`	meile pro stunde / meilen pro stunde
`MPH`	mph
`h`	stunde / stunden
`hr`	stunde / stunden
`min`	minute / minuten
`mins`	mins
`s`	sekunde / sekunden
`g`	gramm
`gm`	gm
`kg`	kilogramm
`Kg`	kilogramm
`oz`	oz
`lb`	pfund
`lbs`	pfund
`ml`	milliliter
`mL`	milliliter
`l`	liter
`L`	liter
`gal`	gal
`cup`	cup
`Hz`	hertz
`hz`	hertz
`kHz`	kilohertz
`MHz`	megahertz
`GHz`	gigahertz
`W`	watt
`kW`	kilowatt
`MW`	megawatt
`GW`	gw
`V`	volt
`mA`	milliampere
`A`	ampere
`dB`	dezibel
`kb`	kb
`mb`	mb
`gb`	gb
`tb`	tb
`pb`	pb
`kB`	kilobyte
`MB`	megabyte
`GB`	gigabyte
`TB`	terabyte
`PB`	pb
`bps`	bps
`Kbps`	kbps
`Mbps`	megabit pro sekunde
`Gbps`	gbps
`Tbps`	tbps
`kBps`	kbps
`MBps`	mbps
`GBps`	gbps
`TBps`	tbps
`PBps`	pbps
`°C`	grad celsius
`°c`	grad celsius
`°F`	grad fahrenheit
`°f`	grad fahrenheit

Note: Short abbreviations that are also words or letters (in, min, h, m, A, s, l) are read as units only when they follow a number; "in" after a number is "zoll" ("5 in the box" is "fünf zoll the box").

Words

Abbreviations and spelling

Lexis passes words in capital letters through unchanged and the Lexis model reads them (e.g. ABC, JOHN). Dotted capital abbreviations keep their dots (e.g. B.C.).

Format	Example input	Lexis
`[A-Z]…[A-Z]`	`ABC`	abc
`[A-Z]…[A-Z]`	`JOHN`	john
`[A-Z]<dot>[A-Z]<dot>`	`B.C.`	b. c
`[A-Z]&[A-Z]`	`R&D`	err und deh

Between capital letters, "&" is read "und" and the letters are spelled ("R&D" is "err und deh").

Common abbreviations

Example input	Lexis
`Prof.`	professor
`Dr.`	doktor
`Hr.`	herr
`Fr.`	frau

Dashed words

Example input	Lexis
`E-Mail`	e-mail
`Baden-Baden`	baden-baden
`Berlin - München`	berlin [pause 0.2 s] münchen
`Berlin-München`	berlin-münchen

URLs and e-mails

URLs

Format	Example input	Lexis
`(www)<dot>{word}<dot>{domain}`	`www.google.com`	weh weh weh punkt google punkt com
`http(s)://{word}<dot>{domain}`	`https://google.com`	hah teh teh peh ess doppelpunkt doppelter schrägstrich google punkt com
`http(s)://www<dot>{word}<dot>{domain}`	`https://www.google.com`	hah teh teh peh ess doppelpunkt doppelter schrägstrich weh weh weh punkt google punkt com
`(http(s)://)(www)<dot>{word}<dot>{domain}<slash>{sequence}`	`https://www.google.com/news=123`	hah teh teh peh ess doppelpunkt doppelter schrägstrich weh weh weh punkt google punkt com schrägstrich news gleichheitszeichen einhundertdreiundzwanzig
`(http(s)://)(www)<dot>{non-word}<dot>{domain}`	`www.123.com`	weh weh weh punkt einhundertdreiundzwanzig punkt com

URLs are read without commas between their parts.

E-mails

Format	Example input	Lexis
`{word}@{word}<dot>{domain}`	`info@omilia.com`	i n f o, at omilia, punkt com

In an e-mail address the "@" is read "at"; elsewhere it is read "ät" ("hallo @ welt" is "hallo ät welt").

Currency

Format	Example input	Lexis
`{amount} {symbol}`	`25,10 €`	fünfundzwanzig euro und zehn cent
`{amount}{symbol}`	`25,10€`	fünfundzwanzig euro und zehn cent
`{symbol}{amount}`	`$25,10`	fünfundzwanzig dollar und zehn cent
`{amount} {code}`	`25 USD`	fünfundzwanzig u s dollar
`{amount} {quantity} {code}`	`1,3 Mio. USD`	eins komma drei mio. usd
`{symbol}{amount} {quantity}`	`$1,3 Millionen`	eins komma drei millionen dollar

Note: Currency names stay singular after a number ("zwei euro", "zwei u s dollar"). No "von" follows "million/millionen". "Mio." and "Mrd." are not expanded ("1,3 Mio. USD" is "eins komma drei mio. usd"); "Millionen" written out is read as it is. A zero cent amount is omitted ("25,00 €" is "fünfundzwanzig euro").

Currency codes and symbols

Each reading shows the singular / the plural form. The subdivision is read after "und" when the amount has decimals ("1,01" and "2,50").

Code	Lexis	Subdivision
`USD`	u s dollar	cent
`EUR`	euro	cent
`GBP`	britisches pfund / britische pfund	penny / pence
`AUD`	australischer dollar / australische dollar	cent
`CAD`	kanadischer dollar / kanadische dollar	cent
`JPY`	unsupported: `1 JPY` reads eins jpy	none

Symbol	Lexis
`$`	dollar
`€`	euro
`£`	pfund
`¥`	unsupported: `¥1` reads ¥ eins

Punctuation and character processing

Supported characters

Char	Description	Used as/in	Lexis
`.`	period	sentence end / thousands separator / date separator / ordinal	✅
`,`	comma	sentence break / decimal separator	✅
`-`	dash	number group / minus sign	✅
`@`	at sign	email address	✅
`%`	percent	percentage value, in URLs	✅
`&`	ampersand	"und" (between capital letters the letters are spelled)	✅
`$ € £`	currency signs	part of currency	✅
`=`	equal sign	in URLs	✅
`;`	semicolon	in URLs	✅
`? !`	question mark, exclamation mark	sentence end (see intonation)	✅
`: / ( )`	colon, slash, brackets	time, ratio, URLs, fractions, dates, phone numbers	✅
`° ² ³ " '`	degree, superscripts, quotes	units	✅
`„ “`	German quotation marks	quotations, passed on unchanged	✅
`» «`	guillemets	dropped, no spoken output	✅

The slash is read "schrägstrich". Other symbols are read by name: _ "unterstrich", + "plus" and $ "dollar". Outside times, ratios and URLs a colon or semicolon is replaced by a full stop, and brackets are passed on unchanged. The symbols \, ^, =, #, * and ~ are passed on unchanged in text ("=" is "gleichheitszeichen" only in URLs). The vulgar fraction ½ and the yen sign ¥ are not converted.

Punctuation intonation

Char	Lexis effect
`.`	falling intonation
`?`	rising intonation for yes/no questions
`,`	falling intonation
`!`	a lone exclamation mark is rewritten as a full stop (falling intonation)
space / dash	short pause (a spaced dash is a fixed pause of 0.2 s)
no punctuation at the end of a sentence	a period is added automatically