German is a West Germanic language spoken primarily in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and parts of Belgium and Italy. It is also one of the official languages of the European Union. German is part of the Indo-European language family and shares similarities with other Germanic languages such as English, Dutch, and Swedish. Here are some key features of the German language: Alphabet: German uses the Latin alphabet with the addition of four special characters: ä, ö, ü, and ß (called "asset" or "sharp S"). Pronunciation: German pronunciation can be challenging for non-native speakers due to its unique sounds. Some sounds, like "ch" (as in "ich") and "r," may be difficult to master.