Posts tagged with "pronunciation"

How to Pronounce Diphthongs and Vowel Combinations in Dutch

Posted by heather 1 Comment
Oct 26 2011
That's one way to remember how to pronounce "ei"

That's one way to remember how to pronounce "ei"

If you want to make yourself understood in a foreign language or really sound like a native speaker, then spending some time practising pronunciation is going to be a key factor for you.  In Dutch many of the sounds are quite similar to their English counterparts, although not all, and it is in the diphthongs and vowel combinations that some people really start to get stuck.

To help you out, I have compiled a list of different descriptions on how to pronounce the different diphthongs and vowel combinations you find in Dutch.  Some of the descriptions do seem more like training for the mouth Olympics but this is by no means an exhaustive list, so if none of the descriptions works for you, there are plenty more to be found.

Diphthong/Vowel Combination

Pronunciation

Example

oe

 -like oo in tooth

-as in book but with your lips more rounded

 boek (book), hoek (corner), hoe (how)

eu

 -like ay in day but with rounded lips

-like eu in French feu

-try making the vowel sound in dirt while rounding/pouting your lips tightly

 neus (nose), deur (door), leunen (to lean)

ei/ij

 -similar to y in my or by but starting with e as in get

-a quick combination of eh+ee

-between the English vowel sounds in fate and fight

-in between the English vowel sounds in night and late

 schrijven (to write), tijd (time), mei (May)

ui

 -a quick combination of short a followed by rounded uu (like ee in meet but with rounded lips)

-English vowel sound as in house while tightly pursing your lips and pressing your tongue down

 huis (house), uit (out), tuin (garden)

uw

 -a combination of rounded uu followed by a slight w sound

-combination of uu and oe

 uw (your), duwen (to push), ruw (rough)

ou

 -similar to ou in loud or cloud

-similar to ow in now

-vowel sound as in shout but start by rounding your lips more with your mouth wide open

 koud (cold), oud (old), hout (wood)

aai

 -long aa (similar to a in had or sat) followed bi i

-combo of aa and ie (as in cheat)

 saai (dull), baai (bay), naaien (to sew)

eeuw

 -long ee (similar to ay in day but clipped), followed by short u or w

-combination of ee and oe

 eeuw (century), sneeuw (snow), schreeuwen (to shout)

ooi

 -long oo (similar to o in wrote or oa in boat but clipped), followed by short i

-similar to oy in toy

-combination of oo and ie

 mooi (beautiful), ooit (ever), nooit (never)

oei

 -combination of oe and ie

-long oe followed by short i

 boei (buoy), loeien (to moo), koeien (cows)

ieuw

 -long ie followed by short u or w

-combination of ie and oe

 nieuw (new), kieuw (gill), opnieuw (once again)

How do you remember some of the different sounds in Dutch?  Share your tips, tricks and hints in the Facebook group.

Pronunciation in Dutch

Posted by sarah 5 Comments
Dec 21 2009

One of the biggest obstacles when learning Dutch is pronunciation. In my time in the Netherlands, I’ve found that I can get away with grammar errors, spelling errors, and mixing up all kinds of things, as long as I properly pronounce the words. The trouble with Dutch is that it contains sounds that are often incredibly difficult for native English speakers to wrap their heads around.

I also have a personal theory that English speakers are more accustomed to hearing their language spoken with a variety of accents, whereas the Dutch are far less accustomed to this because they are so adept at speaking English with foreigners. But that’s a different story. If you really want to be understood in Dutch, you have to try very hard to speak like a Dutch person.

A great way to start wrapping your head around the sounds is Luister, Luister, Luister! (Listen, Listen, Listen!) Listen closely to the pronunciation of Dutch words, and repeat. And repeat it again. And repeat it again. And once you think you’ve got it sounding just right, repeat it once again for good measure.

Now, not all of us have the luxury of hearing Dutch spoken every day around us, and even if you are one of those people, the best resource for Dutch pronunciation will always be Dutch people. I personally don’t like to walk around the streets muttering words over and over to myself, so from the privacy of your own home, have a look at the Jeugd Journaal.

Link to the Jeugd Journaal (opens in a separate window)

The Jeugd Journaal is a broadcast of the daily news tailored towards a slightly younger audience. It’s a bit easier to understand than the regular evening news, and often times more fun. At least I think it’s more fun. So have a listen online to the Jeugd Journaal, see how much of it you understand, and try to repeat some of what you hear.

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