a / aa
↔
more short
more long
long in an open syllable
0/4
BLOK 1
Alfabet en uitspraak
But these letters often combine to create a remarkably wide range of sounds — some highly characteristic of Dutch, and quite different from those you may already know.
Headphones recommended · tap every word
01
BEGIN WITH A WHOLE WORD
One word, three discoveries
goed
good
GBack of the throatFriction, similar to a strong Spanish j.
OEOne vowel sound: /u/Comparable to the vowel sound in shoe.
DAt the end, say TAlthough you spell it with a D, it sounds like a T.
g+oe+d→
02
THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE
A vowel can change the whole word
A short vowel is usually trapped by consonants.
A long vowel is often doubled, or sits at the end of a syllable.
e / ee
↔
more short
more long
long in an open syllable
i / ie
↔
more short
more long
long in an open syllable
o / oo
↔
more short
more long
long in an open syllable
u / uu
↔
more short
more long
long in an open syllable
The quiet schwa /ə/
At the end of a word, e is usually unstressed, similar to the final sound in English sofa.
A steadier long E
Before l or r, long ee loses some of its glide and sounds more like a sustained continental e.
Let the E appear slightly
Before l or r, the ending of ie can become a little more audible.
Keep the sound round
Before r, oo is steadier and closer to a prolonged continental o.
Do not just hold the vowel longer. The quality of the sound changes too. Listen to each pair twice, then repeat it without looking.
PRONUNCIATION CHECK
Say each pair. Then check it.
Pronounce both words before pressing play. Then listen and compare the sounds.
03
READ THEM AS A TEAM
Two vowels, one new sound
Do not pronounce these letters separately.
Treat every combination as its own sound.
au · ouone sound
ei · ijone sound
eu/øː/
eeuw/eːu/
ieu/jøː/
oe/u/
ui/œy/
uw/yu/
nieuwis the useful exception
In French-origin words such as milieu, ieu has one sound. Before w, as in nieuw, it shifts closer to English “new”.
-lijka frequent ending
At the end of a word, the combination -lijk is reduced. In eerlijk, it sounds close to the English word “lick”.
PRONUNCIATION CHECK
Keep the combinations apart.
Read each pair aloud first. Then press play and listen for the small difference between the two words.
04
FOCUS ONLY ON THE SURPRISES
Most consonants are familiar
You do not need to relearn the alphabet.
Focus your attention on the sounds that are different.
A sound from the back
Make friction at the back of your throat. It is closer to a strong Spanish j than to an English g.
J sounds like English Y
Start jaar as you would start the English word yes.
The ending changes
At the end of a word, b is heard as p and d is heard as t.
Shift both sounds
Dutch v is close to English f. Dutch w is close to English v.
A familiar ending
At the end of many words, -tie is pronounced approximately like tsee.
Read them as a team
CH often echoes the guttural g, NG works as in English, and SCH usually begins with s + ch.
THE COMPLETE CONSONANT MAP
Every consonant, with its own examples
Open a letter for the rule. Pink dots mark the sounds that deserve extra attention.
A characteristic Dutch sound, comparable to a strong Spanish j.
PRONUNCIATION CHECK
Three words. One detail changes.
Pronounce every row first. Then listen to each recording and compare the sounds closely.
05
NO MICROPHONE · JUST YOUR EARS
Which word did you hear?
Play the sound as many times as you need. Then choose the written word.
LISTEN 1 OF 6
Listen for the long aa.