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Adjectives in most
positions get an -E ending
‑>>
Several words appear twice on the page. I do not have an
infinite number of recordings, and some combinations of letters are
rarely or never found in Dutch.
'Long' and 'short' are traditional terms. The difference is actually
more of tone than length
More about spelling and pronunciation -
another version
Learn the Rules by Studying and Listening to Examples
Major Exceptions to the Phonetic Spelling of Dutch:
- Page 1:
een
-IG
-ISCH
-LIJK
- Page 2:
-B
-D
SCHR
-TIE
UW
WR
Hear the Dutch Letters in Hundreds of Words:
AU/OU
CH
E
EI/IJ
EU
G
H
L
OE
SCH
U
UI
W
X
Y
'Master Lists' of Dutch words:
Dutch to English
- English to Dutch
Examples AU to ZOU | |
Examples AU to AUZ | |
---|
'Jou,' 'Jouw' and 'Je' | |
D 'Softening' | |
---|
French AU | |
French EAU | |
French OU | |
---|
Compared with Other Vowels and the Diphthongs | |
---|
The 'first series' is grouped by the letter before the AU/OU's, the 'second series' is grouped by the letter after the AU/OU's:
the: de
2 /
het
2
3
- 't
->>
Plurals always take 'de'
a: (een) - 'n
/ one: één
2
3
Repeat the words after me, try saying them like I do, and record yourself or ask a friend to compare how you say them with how I say them. Try to bring your pronunciation of the words closer and closer to how I say them. Use as few or as many examples as you like.
0‑ |
- au!
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Auke ![]() ![]() ![]() |
B‑ |
- (de) boude bewering
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Boudewijn ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
C‑ |
- (de) accountant
![]() - Abcoude ![]() |
D‑ |
- (de) dauw
![]() ![]() - Douwe ![]() ![]() |
E‑ |
- de Oudheid
![]() ![]() French EAU, pronounced as 'long O' ![]() ![]() |
F‑ |
- [(de)] fout
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
G‑ |
- gauw
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Gouda ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
H‑ |
- houdbaar
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Houweling ![]() |
I‑ |
- miauw!
![]() |
J‑ |
- jou
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
K‑ |
- (de) kou
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Moskou ![]() |
L‑ |
- (de) laurierblaadjes
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - bont en blauw ![]() - (de) Clauwaerts (Klauwaards) ![]() ![]() ![]() |
M‑ |
- (de) mout
![]() ![]() ![]() - Mau ![]() ![]() ![]() |
N‑ |
- nauw
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Arnoud ![]() ![]() ![]() |
P‑ |
- pauken
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Paul ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
R‑ |
- rauw
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Froukje ![]() ![]() |
S‑ |
- (de) dinosaurus
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Nassau ![]() |
SCH‑ |
- (de) schouder
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Schouten ![]() |
T‑ |
- (de) taugé
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Litouwen ![]() |
V‑ |
- (de) eenvoud
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
W‑ |
- ik wou
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Wout ![]() ![]() |
Z‑ |
- ik zou
![]() ![]() |
‑0 |
- jou
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Jildau ![]() ![]() ![]() |
‑B |
- (de) oubaas
![]() ![]() |
‑D |
oud
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Arnoud ![]() |
‑E |
- nou en?
![]() |
‑G |
- (de) taugé
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
‑I |
- de kou in
![]() |
‑K |
- pauken
![]() - Auke ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
‑L |
- lou loene
![]() - Paul ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
‑M |
- (het) trauma
![]() |
‑N |
- (de) accountant
![]() |
‑P |
- nou pas
![]() |
‑R |
- (de) aureool
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Laura ![]() ![]() ![]() |
‑S |
- (de) paus
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Australië ![]() |
‑T |
- (de) bout
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() - Nauta ![]() - Schouten ![]() ![]() |
‑V |
- (het) houvast
![]() |
‑W |
- lauw
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
‑X |
- (het) bauxiet
![]() |
‑Z |
- (de) pauze
![]() |
't Is jouw beurt
It's your turn
't Is jouw schuld
It's your fault, you are to blame
In spoken language, there is a trend of not pronouncing the
D's in a few first person singular,
'ik' ('I') present tense
verb forms, and also in the 'jij' question mode, for instance:
the D in oude ('old') and koude ('cold') is often
softened to W.
De Gouden Eeuw
Major Exceptions to the Phonetic Spelling of Dutch:
Hear the Dutch Letters in Hundreds of Words: 'Basic' Dutch Words
- Pictures Dictionary
- Words by Subject
- Easy Dutch
- Phrases and Conversation Templates
- Names
- Place Names
- verbs
email -
Copyright © Marco Schuffelen 2022.
All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed,
or hotlinked to.
houden ik houd ik hou
(to hold) - houden van
(to like, to love)
Ik hou(d) niet van vis
(I don't like fish)
Ik hou(d) niet van vlees snijden
(I don't like cutting meat)
daar hou(d) ik niet van
(I don't like that)
jij houdt / hou(d) jij?
(you 'hold ' / do you 'hold'?)
("Do you like opera? - I don't.")
more
One could say Dutch always has a W-sound after AU and OU, but (to my
ears) it gets more prominent when followed by voiceless E:
oud oude ouwe
(old)
oude man
- oude baas
- ouwe baas
('old man' - in South-African this further evolved into
oubaas
2)
ouwe koeien uit de sloot halen
2
([haul - dredge up old cows from the ditch]
pointless talk about foregone matters, flogging a dead horse)
kouwe drukte
2
([cold busy-ness] fake bustle)
French AU
AU and EAU in Dutch words of French origin are pronounced like
Dutch 'long O:'
2
Also note French G's, CH's, J's and LL's in these lists.
- (de) auto
/ auto's
/ auto/auto's
2
('car/cars')
- autootjes
('small cars' or 'toy cars')
- (de) automaat
2
('machine, automatic,' car with automatic gear shifting)
- automatisch
/ automatische
/ automatisch/automatische
('automatic, automatically')
- (het) automatisme
('automatism')
- automobilisten
2
3
('car drivers')
automatisch, zonder erover na te denken
2
3
4
automatically, without thinking
Some people say words like these with a Dutch AU, for instance:
auto
but to me that sounds awful. Hear:
automaat
('something "automatic"')
and
autochtoon
('original inhabitant')
but I don't like it. In the fast-food vending machine
(de) automatiek
2
it's OK with me. Opinions differ on the pronunciation of these French
AU's - feel free to say them as you like. You will be understood
whatever way you say them.
- aubergine
2
('eggplant')
- (de) chauffeur
2
('driver' - car, bus, truck)
- (de) buschauffeur
2
3
('bus driver')
- mauve
('mauve' - a color)
- restaurant
2
('restaurant')
- (de) marechaussee
2
('military police')
French EAU
French EAU, pronounced as 'long O'
- bigarreaux
2
('candied cherries')
- (het) bureau
('desk' // 'office')
- (het) bureautje
('small desk' // 'small office' - jocular)
- (het) bureaublad
2
('desktop' - also 'computer desktop')
- (de) bureaulamp
('desk lamp')
- (de) bureaustoel
('desk chair')
- (het) politiebureau
2
('police station')
- (het) cadeau
('present, gift')
- (de) Eau de Cologne
('Cologne')
- (het) niveau
('level')
- (het) plateau
2
3
('plateau')
French OU
In Dutch words from French, OU is like English OO,
Dutch OE
(de) gouverneur
('governor')
- (de) blouse
('dress shirt' - ladies')
- (de) route
('route, way, course')
- (de) routine
('routine, habit')
- (de) troubadour
2
('troubadour, minstrel')
- (de) loupe
(small magnifying glass)
- (de) tournee
2
('tour')
- (het) tournooi
2
('tournament' - also written as toernooi)
- (de) coureur
('race car driver, motorcycle racer')
- coupletten
('verses' - of a song)
- (de) courgette
('zucchini')
- (de) rouge
('make-up item, red')
- (de) bougie
('spark plug')
- (de) douche
('shower')
- ik douche
2
('I'm taking a shower')
- (de) gouache
('gouache' - painting)
- (het) journaal
('TV News')
- (de) journalist
2
('reporter')
- (de) bouillon
2
('beef broth')
- (het) bouillonblokje
2
('beef cube')
- fouilleren
2
('to frisk, body-search, pat down')
- (de) souffleur
('stage whisperer')
- (de) zouaaf
('zouave' - Papal soldier)
- (de) zouaven
('zouaves')
- (de) douane
2
3
('customs' - at the border)
- Bourgondië
2
(Burgundy) ‑>>
- Louis
(a boys' name)
AU and OU Compared with
the Other Vowels and Diphthongs
(from the Hear the Vowels and Diphthongs next to Each Other
page)
A
- (het) houvast
2
3
('something to hold onto, point of support')
- (de) bouwval
2
('a building in very bad shape,
about to colllapse')
- (de) trouwdag
2
('wedding day, anniversary')
- nou pas?
2
3
('only now? - surprise at something delayed,
happening later than expected')
- (het) bladgoud
2
('[leaf gold] gold leaf')
- (de) landbouw
2
3
4
('agriculture')
- (het) brandhout
('firewood')
AA
- [(het)] blauwpaars
2
3
4
('blue-purple, violet')
- houdbaar
2
3
([can be kept] - 'shelf-stable,'
'non-perishable')
- (het) trauma
('trauma, hurtful memory')
- (de) kraamvrouw
('very new mother')
E
- (de) goudverf
2
3
4
('gold paint')
- nou en?
('[now and?] so what?')
- rauw spek
('raw (uncooked) bacon')
EE
- (de) houweel
('pickaxe')
- oud zeer
([old wounds] - 'historical grievances')
- (de) eenvoud
2
('simplicity')
- (het) meervoud
2
('plural')
E-uh
- (het) touwtje
2
3
('small piece of rope or string')
- (de) foutje!
2
3
('Oops! - I made a mistake')
- (het) sausje
2
('sauce')
- (de) pauze
2
3
4
('pause')
- (de) schouder
('shoulder')
- (het) berouw
('remorse, repentance')
- benauwd
('short of breath // stuffy
// afraid, anxious')
- (het) gebouw
2
('building')
- Mevrouw
2
3
('Ma'am // Mrs.')
I
- (de) trouwring
2
('wedding band,
wedding ring')
- (de) goudvink
2
('[goldfinch] - bullfinch')
- (de) houding
('attitude')
- [(het)] lichtblauw
2
3
4
('light blue')
- (de) inhoud
('contents')
IE
- (de) vouwfiets
('folding bicycle')
- (de) vrieskou
2
3
('frost, freezing cold weather')
O
- hou op!
2
3
4
5
('stop it! stop
what you're doing!')
- (de/het) kauwgom
2
3
('chewing gum')
- (de) bosbouw
2
3
4
('forestry, forest management')
- tot gauw!
('[till soon] see you soon!')
- (de) opbouw
2
3
('build-up, construction, structure')
- (het) blok hout
2
('largish piece of wood')
OO
- blauw oog
2
('[blue] black eye - injury')
- (de) hoogbouw
2
3
4
('high-rises, a group of
high-rise buildings')
U
- [(de)] juffrouw
2
3
4
('Miss' // 'female elementary
school teacher' (address)
- (de) schouwburg
2
('theatre' - old-fashioned)
- (de) blauwdruk
('blueprint')
- (de) augurk
2
('pickle')
UU
- (de) buurvrouw
2
('adult female neighbor')
- (het) koudvuur
2
("cold fire" - probably nonsensical)
- (het) zoutzuur
('hydrochloric acid, HCl')
- Zou U ...?
2
('would you ...?')
AU/OU
- (de) blauwkous
2
('bluestocking,' intellectual
or literary woman)
- oud goud
2
('old, antique gold')
- (het) bouwhout
2
3
('wood used in construction' - a word I made up)
- blauw zout
('blue salt')
EI/IJ
- (de) goudmijn
2
('goldmine')
- ijskoud
('cold as ice')
- (het) vijfvoud
2
3
('five-fold, five copies')
- (de) wijnbouw
2
3
('[wine cultivation] growing grapes
and making wine')
EU
- (de) houtgeur
2
3
('wood-smell, smell of wood')
- (de) zeurkous
('a person who nags a lot,
complains about everything')
OE
- (de) rouwstoet
2
3
('[mourning] funeral procession')
- (het) oerwoud
2
3
('[primeval forest] jungle')
- toe nou!
('come on!')
- (de) vroedvrouw
2
3
('midwife')
UI
- (de) huisvrouw
2
3
('housewife, female homemaker')
- (het) kruishout
('parallel line marking tool' - woodworking)
y - (de) uitbouw
2
('extension, addition' to a building')
- oud vuil
2
3
('[old garbage] absolute garbage,
stuff that has to go')
([The Golden Century] - 'the Dutch 17th Century')
‑>>
- Page 1:
een
-IG
-ISCH
-LIJK
- Page 2:
-B
-D
SCHR
-TIE
UW
WR
'Master Lists' of Dutch words:
Dutch to English
- English to Dutch
AU/OU
CH
E
EI/IJ
EU
F
G
H
L
OE
SCH
U
UI
W
X
Y
Gij zult niet stelen
'Thou shalt not steal'