2 syllables: kauf, mann. Stress on kauf.
KAWF-muhn
/ˈkɔfmən/
kaufmann is pronounced KAWF-muhn (/ˈkɔfmən/). It has two syllables (kauf-mann), with the stress on "kauf". A proper noun of German origin, typically a surname meaning “merchant” or relating to a merchant. It is used as a family name in German-speaking regions and appears in compounds and historical contexts. In pronunciation discussions, it is treated as a borrowed word with German phonology applied to its syllables.
A proper noun of German origin, typically a surname meaning “merchant” or relating to a merchant. It is used as a family name in German-speaking regions and appears in compounds and historical contexts. In pronunciation discussions, it is treated as a borrowed word with German phonology applied to its syllables.
"The historian mentioned the Kaufmann family in the archival records."
"She consulted the Kaufmann archive for merchants' ledgers from the 19th century."
"In German, Kaufmann is a common surname that denotes a merchant."
US/UK/AU pronunciation hinges on German roots. Phonetic guide: /ˈkaʊfˌmɑːn/ (US) or /ˈkaʊfˌман/ but many English speakers adopt /ˈkɔːfˌmæn/ in casual speech. Start with /kaʊ/ as in cow, then /f/ with lip-close, then /mɑːn/ (US) or /mæn/ (UK/AU). Emphasize the first syllable; the second is secondary but clear. Tip: keep the /au/ diphthong tight and the /f/ unaspirated until you finish the syllable. Audio reference: Pronounce app or dictionaries with German name entries can help you hear native cadence.
Two frequent errors: 1) Anglicizing /kaʊ/ into /kæ/ or /kɔː/; keep /kaʊ/ as in cow. 2) Merging the two syllables too quickly or pronouncing the second as /man/ instead of /mɑːn/ (US) or /mæn/ (UK/AU); treat /f/ as a separate, crisp consonant and maintain a slight pause between syllables. Practice with a two-syllable rhythm and a clear /f/ followed by the vowel of /mɑːn/.
In US, you’ll hear /ˈkaʊfˌmɑːn/ with a longer final vowel and clear rhotics; UK often shifts to /ˈkɔːfˌmæn/ with less rounded first vowel and a shorter final; Australian blends toward /ˈkɔːfˌmæn/ with a flatter intonation and broad vowels. Regardless, the first syllable remains stressed; the second syllable varies in quality. Real listeners rely on the German root kau- and Mann, so trying to approximate German phonotactics yields the closest natural feel.
The challenge lies in the German-origin diphthong /aʊ/ and the final long /aː/ or short /æ/ depending on accent. The consonant cluster /fˌm/ requires precise timing: light /f/ followed quickly by /m/ and a stretched syllable boundary. The syllable boundary and the final nasal can be hard for non-German speakers who default to /-man/ or misplace the stress. Focus on separating the two syllables and maintaining the German-length vowel in the second part.
No, there are no silent letters in Kaufmann as pronounced in German-influenced contexts. Every letter contributes to the sound: K-a-u-f-m-a-n-n. The double n at the end indicates a length or emphasis on the final nasal, depending on speaker. In English contexts, some may drop the final nasal slightly or de-diphthong the /aʊ/ slightly, but there is no true silent letter.
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Kaufmann derives from the German words kaufen (to buy) and Mann (man). The surname originated as an occupational name for a person who was a buyer, seller, or merchant. Its earliest attestations appear in medieval German-speaking areas, where surnames often reflected trade, place, or status. The form Kaufmann is spelled with the capital K in German, mirroring standard capitalization rules for proper nouns. The double n at the end is typical of German masculine surnames. As with many German surnames, the name spread to other parts of Europe through migration, and in Anglophone contexts it is occasionally rendered as Kaufmann or Kaufman, with “man” retaining its Germanic meaning rather than the English “man.” The first known uses are documented in merchant guild records and tax documents dating to the late Middle Ages, with the meaning stabilizing around “merchant” or “tradesman” by the early modern period. In the modern era, it functions primarily as a surname rather than a common noun in everyday language, though it remains recognizable as the compound of kaufen and Mann in German.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "kaufmann" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "kaufmann"
-man sounds
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