In terms of pronunciation, Standard German is associated with the Hochdeutsch spoken in Northern Germany. Although there are many regional dialects throughout the country, and Southern German varieties share many similarities with Austrian German, most formal speech stays fairly close to Standard High German. This variant of German is easy to understand, with sharp enunciation of consonants at the ends of words. Additionally, an “s” sound at the start of a word is pronounced like a “z.” Vowel sounds are also standardized, and “ch” sounds, such as in “ich,” are formed with a hissing sound. Standard German is often spoken with more formality and directness. Conjugation and vocabulary match what is found in German textbooks.