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Words | Phrases | Grammar |
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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
F
G
H
L
OE
SCH
U
UI
W
X
Y
'Master Lists' of Dutch words: Dutch to English - English to Dutch
the: de
2 /
het
2
3
- 't
->>
Plurals always take 'de'
a: (een) - 'n
/ one: één
2
3
The 'first series' is grouped by the letter after the H's, the 'second series' is grouped by the letter before the H's:
- first series: HA-HZ - short U second series: AH-AZ
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.
HA |
- hachelen
('to bargain' - negotiate for a lower price)
- ik had
2
('I had')
‑>>
- wij hadden
2
3
4
('we had')
‑>>
- heldhaftig
2
('heroic')
- Bernard Haitink
2
(director - music)
- hak
('heel' - shoe // 'garden tool')
- hakken
('heels' // 'to chop, hack')
- houthakker
2
3
('lumberjack, logger')
- gehakt
('ground meat' // 'chopped' - past participle)
- (de) hal
2
3
4
('hall')
- (het) halletje
2
('hallway,' small room behind front door)
‑>>
- half
/
halve
('half')
‑>>
- (het) halfuur
2
('30 minutes, half an hour')
‑>>
- behalve
('except')
- hallo
('hi, hello')
‑>>
- (de) ham
('ham')
- Hamburg
2
(a city in Germany)
- Han
(boys' name)
- Johan
(boys' name)
- hand
('hand')
- (de) handdoek
('towel')
‑>>
- (de) handel
2
('trade, commerce')
‑>>
- (de) handschoenen
2
('gloves' [hand-shoes])
‑>>
- (de) handtekening
('signature')
‑>>
- (het) behang
('wallpaper')
- hangen
('to hang, hang up' - things
- hangen - hing - gehangen ('to hang - hung - hung') - (de) hap ('bite of food' - taken) ‑>> - (het) hapje 2 ('morsel,' small, nice bite of food) - Harm (a boys' name) - (de) harp 2 ('harp') - (de) harpoen ('harpoon') - (de) hars 2 ('resin') - hard ('hard' - not soft // 'intense, powerful' ‑>> // 'loud' ‑>> // 'fast, not slow') ‑>> - hardlopen 2 3 ([to walk fast] - 'to run' ‑>> 2 - (het) hart ('heart') ‑>> - harten 2 ('hearts') (cards) - hartig / hartige 2) ('savory,' not sweet, 'salty' (the fifth basic taste 'umami'?) ‑>> - hooghartig 2 ('haughty') - Hasselt 2 (a town in Belgium) |
HAA | - ha! ('aha!') - Hadewych (a girls' name) - Den Haag 2 ('The Hague,' a city) - behaaglijk 2 3 4 ('comfortable, pleasant, enjoyable' - temperature) - (de) hagedis 2 ('lizard') ‑>> - (de) haai / haaien 2 ('shark' / 'sharks' ‑>> - (de) haak ('hook') / haken ('hooks') - halen 2 ('to get, collect') ‑>>> - (de) hamer ('hammer') ‑>> - (de) haan 2 ('rooster') - haperen 2 3 4 ('to falter,' machinery not working properly) - haar ('hair' // 'her') ‑>> - (de) haring ('herring') ‑>> - (de) haas ('hare') - (de) haas / hazen ('hare / hares') ‑>> - [(de)] haast ('hurry, haste' // 'almost, nearly') ‑>>> - (de) haat ('hate') - (de) haven ('harbor, port') ‑>> - (de) hazelaar ('hazel' - a tree) - hazelnoten 2 ('hazelnuts, filiberts') |
HAU | - (de) hausse ('boom,' "run" on something) |
HE |
hè
- "isn't it?"
‑>>
// - '~bummer!' (disappointment)
‑>>
- hèhè
2
can be said after finishing some tiring or boring work,
but also when you're annoyed that someone says something that
you think is stupid or obvious
- ik heb
('I have')
- hebben
('to have')
‑>>>
- jij hebt
2
('you have')
- heb jij?
2
('do you have?')
‑>>
- zich hechten aan
2
('to become emotionally attached to')
‑>>
- (de) hechting
/
hechtingen
2
3
('suture, medical stitch' / 'sutures')
‑>>
- (de) hefboom
('lever, switch')
- heftig
2
3 /
heftige
2
3)
('violent, vehement, fierce, emotional')
- (de) heg
('hedge')
‑>>
- (de) heggeschaar
('hedge cutters')
- (het) hek
('fence')
‑>>
- (het) hekje
2
('small fence' // 'small gate')
- (de) heks
('witch')
- (de) helling
('slope')
- helder
('clear,' ~visible, ~transparent)
‑>>
- (de) helft
('half - of')
‑>>
- (de) helm
('helmet')
‑>>
- help!
2
('help me!' - 'I need
help'
emergencies
- helpen
2
- to help, assist
‑>>
helpen - hielp - geholpen ('to help - helped - helped') - hem ('him') ‑>> 2 - (het) hempje 2 ('small shirt or undershirt' - slang) - hen 2 ('them' ‑>> 2 // 'chicken') - Henk 2 (boys' name) - (de) herfst ('Fall, Autumn') ‑>> 2 - (het) hergebruik 2 ('re-use') - herhalen 2 ('to repeat') ‑>> (de) herhaling 2 ('repetition') - zich herinneren ('to remember') ‑>> - herinneren aan 2 3 ('to remind') ‑>> - (de) herinnering 2 ('memory item') - herkennen ('to recognize') ‑>> - (de) herrie ('noise') ‑>> - (de) hersenen ('the brain' - the body part) ‑>> - (de) hersens - 'brains,' - intelligence ‑>> - (het) herstel ('reparation, rebuilding') ‑>> - herstellen ('to repair, restore, re-establish, rebuild') - (het) hert / herten 2 - 'deer - 1' / 'deer >1') ‑>> - het 2 // 'the' (#2) ‑>>> // 'it') ‑>> 3 - hetzelfde / (dezelfde ) ('the same') ‑>> - hexagonaal ('hexagonal, six-sided') |
HEE | - hé ('hey!' // surprise) ‑>> - heden ('today, at present') ‑>> - hedendaags 2 ('of the present day, modern' / 'modern classical music') ‑>> - heeft-ie ...? ('does he have ...?') - colloquial Dutch - (de) spreektaal 2 3 'spoken language') - hij heeft 2 ('he has') ‑>> - (de) hekel ('strong dislike') - heel ('very' ‑>> 2 // 'whole') ‑>> - hele ('whole') ‑>> - helemaal 2 ('completely, entirely') ‑>> - (de) hemel ('heaven' ‑>> // 'sky') ‑>> - Heemstede (a town) - heen ('~to (direction)' ‑>> // 'gone') - (de) heer 2 3 ('gentleman' // king - cards) - plural: heren - de Heer 2 3 / de Here - God, the Lord ‑>> - heerlijk 2 3 ('delicious, really very nice') ‑>> - (de) heerser 2 3 ('ruler, dictator, autocrat') - hees ('hoarse, husky') - heet 2 3 /hete 2 3 / heet/hete 2 ('hot') - heten 2 ('to be called,' have the name ...) - hevig 2 / hevige 2) ('intense, fierce, serious' [think of 'heavy' and 'hefty']) |
HE‑uh | hear HU below for a similar sound |
HEI | - (de) hei / (de) heide ('heath, moor' // 'heather') - heidenen 2 ('heathens') - (de) heibel ('trouble, commotion' - slang) - heien 2 ('to drive piles into the ground' - for a building foundation on soft soil) - heiïg ('hazy') - heilig / heilige ) ('holy, sacred') ‑>> - (de) heilige ('holy man, saint') - Heiloo 2 (a town) - heilzaam 2 3 ('beneficial,' good for health) - heimelijk 2 ('secretly') - (de) heimwee 2 ('homesickness' - German: Heimweh) - Hein (a boys' name) - Heineken 2 (a family name and a beer brand) - (het) heitje ('a quarter, 25¢ piece' - slang) |
HEU | - (het) geheugen 2 3 ('memory' - the brain faculty) - Verheul 2 3 (a family name) - (de) heup ('hip') ‑>> - heus ('really' - children's talk) - Opheusden (a village) - Van Heusden 2 (a family name) - (de) heuvel / heuvels 2 ('hill' / 'hills') ‑>> |
HI | - (de) hik 2 3 ('hiccup' // 'hiccups') - Hillegom (a town) - Hilversum (a city) - hinderlijk 2 ('irritating, annoying') - (de) Hinkelseberg 2 3 4 (a hill in my home town) - hinkelen 2 (a pattern jumping game) - hinken 2 3 ('jumping on one leg' // 'to limp,' walk with difficulty) - hinniken 2 3 4 ('to neigh' - horses - second I is pronounced as 'voiceless, unstressed E' the 'schwa') - (de) hitte 2 ('heat,' high temperature) - (de) hittegolf 2 3 4 ('heatwave') |
HIE |
- (de) hiel
('heel' - part of foot)
- hier
2
('here')
‑>>
- hierheen!
2
3
('this way!' - 'this direction')
See and hear also HY - below |
HIJ |
- hij
('he')
‑>>
2
- (de) hijskraan
2
('crane')
- hij belt
2
3
('he's ringing a bell' // 'he's on the phone')
- hij gaat
2
('he's
going') ‑>>
- hij heeft
2
('he has') ‑>>
- hij is
('he is') ‑>>
- hij kan
2
3
('he can, he is
able to') ‑>>
- hij laat
2
3
('he allows'
a.o.) ‑>>
- hij loog
2
('he lied')
- hij mag
('he ~may') ‑>>
- hij moet
2
('he ~must') ‑>>
- hij rookt
2
('he smokes')
- hij slaat
2
3
('he slaps, he hits')
‑>>
- hij stierf
2
3
('he died, he passed
away') ‑>>
- hij tilde
2
3
('he lifted')
- hij vroeg
2
3
('he asked') ‑>>
- hij wil
2
3
('he wants,
he would like to')
‑>>
- hij zal
2
3
('he will' - future tense')
‑>>
also hear HEI above |
HO | - (de) hobby 2 ('hobby, pastime') - (het) hof ('court' // 'courtyard') - (het) hofje ('courtyard with many small houses') - (de) hofnar 2 ('court jester') - hoi ('hi, hello!' // 'goodbye' - both slang-y) ‑>> - (het) hok 2 ('shed, closet' // 'cage, pen') - hol 2 / holle ('hollow,' not solid) - (het) hol 2 ('lair' - burrowing animals or criminal gang home) - 'Hollandse kost' (Dutch home cooking, typical Dutch food) ‑>> - Noord-Holland 2 (a province) ‑>> - Zuid-Holland 2 (a province) - (de) hom 2 ('fish eggs') - (de) hommel 2 3 ('bumblebee') - (de) hond ('dog') ‑>> - het hondje ('little dog') - honderd ('100, a hundred') ‑>> - (de) honger ('hunger') ‑>> - ik heb honger ('I am hungry') ‑>> - hongerig 2 ('hungry') - (de) hop 2 ('hops' - a beer ingredient) - (de) hor 2 3 ('mosquito screen') |
HOO |
- ho!
('stop, halt!')
- (het) hoofd
('head' - human and horse
‑>>
// 'leading person')
‑>>
hoofd- ('main, major, most important') ‑>> - hoog 2 3 / hoge ('high') ‑>> 2 - hoger ('higher') ‑>> - hoogstens ('at most') ‑>> 2 - (het) hooi ('hay') - holen 2 3 ('lairs' - burrowing animals or criminal gang homes) - (de) holenmens 2 ('caveman') - (de) hoon 2 3 4 ('scorn') - (de) honing 2 ('honey') - (de) hoop ('hope' ‑>> // 'heap') ‑>> - hopen 2 ('to hope') ‑>> - hoor ('hear! hark!' ‑>> // 'sure, really' - pragmatic marker) ‑>> - horen ('to hear') ‑>>> 2 - (de/het) hoorn 2 ('horn') - (de) hoos ('whirlwind' // 'downpour') - (het) hotel ('hotel') ‑>> - hoven ('courts' // '~yards') |
HOE | - hoe? ('how?') ‑>> - (de) hoed 2 ('hat') ‑>> - (de) hoek ('corner // angle') ‑>> - hoe laat is het? ('what's the time?') ‑>> 2 3 - (de) hoest ('cough') ‑>> - hoeveel ('how much, how many?') ‑>> - (de) hoeveelheid ('amount, quantity') ‑>> - [niet/geen] hoeven ('don't need, not necessary, don't want, don't have to') ‑>> - hoewel ('although') ‑>> |
HOU |
- houdbaar tot
('best before')
‑>>
- houden
2
('~to hold, to keep')
‑>>>
houden - hield - gehouden to hold - held - held - houden van ('to like, to love') ‑>>> - (de) houding ('attitude') - hou op! 2 3 4 5 ('stop it!') - (het) hout ('wood' - the material) ‑>> - houten 2 ('wooden' - made of wood) - (het) houvast 2 3 ('hold, grip,' "fixed point") - (de) houweel ('pickaxe') - Houweling (a family name) also hear AU above |
HU | - (de) hucht 2 3 ('hill' -or- 'slope, incline' - dialect) - (het) gehucht 2 ('hamlet,' very small village) - (de) hulde 2 ('homage, praise, tribute') - (de) hulp ('help, assistance') ‑>> - hulpeloos 2 3 ('helpless, powerless') - (de) huls 2 ('case, wrapping, shell') - (de) hulst ('holly' - a shrub) - hun 2 ('them' ‑>> 2 // 'their') ‑>> 2 - Hunnen 2 ('Huns') - hup! (encouragement) - huppelen 2 ('to skip, frolic') - hurken ('to squat' - ~sit, crouch) - (de) hut ('hut, cabin, shack') - hutten 2 ('huts') - (de) hutspot (a dish of carrots, potatoes and onion) ‑>> |
HUU | - hu! 2 ('stop!' // 'go!' - horse calls) - Huub (a boys' name) - Hubert (a boys' name) - Hugo (a boys' name) - (de) humor ('humor') ‑>> - (het) humeur 2 3 ('~mood') - (de) humus 2 3 4 ('humus,' composted and composting leaves) - huren ('to rent, lease, hire') ‑>> - (de) huur 2 ('rent' - usually for a house or room) ‑>> - (het) huwelijk ('marriage') ‑>> - (de) huur 2 ('rent' of a house, room or building) - huren ('to rent') ‑>> - (de) huurder ('tenant') - (het) huurhuis ('rented house, house for rent') - (de) huurling 2 ([soldier-for-rent] - 'mercenary' - old-fashioned) |
HUI | - Huibers 2 (a family name) - Huibert 2 (a boys' name) - (de) huid 2 ('skin') ‑>> - (de) huifkar ('covered wagon') - (de) huig ('uvula,' a part of the throat) - huilen ('to cry - shed tears') ‑>> - (het) huis 2 ('house') ‑>> - (de) huisarts 2 ('family doctor, primary care physician') ‑>> - huiveren (2) ('to shiver, shudder from fear') - huizen ('houses') |
HY | - (de) hyena 2 ('hyena') - (de) hygiëne 2 3 ('hygiene') - (de) hygiënisch 2 ('hygienic') - hyper 2 3 4 5 ('hyper') - hypercorrect ('hypercorrect') - (de) hypotheek ('mortgage') - (de) hypothese ('hypothesis') |
AH | - bah! ('yuck!' - expression of disgust) - "wah" (interjection - dialect) |
AAH | - Abraham (a boys' name, a Biblical figure') - (de) djahé ('ground ginger' - from Malay) - ja hoor! ('Yes, sure!' // 'absolutely!') |
AUH | - Kenau Hasselaer - also known as Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer 2 leader of the women of Haarlem during the siege by the Spanish army (1573) |
BH | - ik heb honger ([I have hunger'] - 'I am hungry') - ik heb hoofdpijn 2 3 ('I have (a) headache') |
CH |
- (de) lach
('laugh')
- echt
2
('real')
- dicht
('closed')
- toch
2
('yet, still'
‑>> //
'anyway')
‑>>
- (de) zucht
2
3
4
5
('sigh')
psychisch
2
3
4
('psychological, mental')
There will be a separate page about CH |
DH | - heldhaftig 2 3 ('heroic') - (de) windhandel (['wind trading'] - 'fishy dealings') - naaldhakken 2 ('stiletto heels') - (de) mondharmonica ('mouth harp') - (de) brandhaard ('hotbed' // 'where a large fire started') - benodigdheden ('necessary items') - gloeiend heet 2 3 ([glowing -] 'red-hot') - kokend heet ('boiling-hot') - (de) wreedheid ('cruelty') - (de) bereidheid 2 ('readiness, willingness') - (de) vermoeidheid 2 3 4 ('fatigue, tiredness') - (de) geestesgesteldheid ('mental state') - de Oudheid ('Antiquity') - Noord-Holland 2 (a province of The Netherlands) ‑>> - (de) waldhoorn 2 3 4 ('French horn') - Eindhoven 2 (a city) - Badhoevedorp (a town) - (de) stadhouder 2 (Heads of State of the Dutch Republic from 1568 to 1795) ‑>> - (het) brandhout 2 ('firewood') - (de) beeldhouwer 2 ('sculptor') - (het) ochtendhumeur 2 ('bad mood in the mornings') - (het) badhuis ('bathhouse') - (het) stadhuis 2 3 4 5 6 ('city hall') |
EH | - hèhè 2 can be said after finishing some tiring or boring work, but also when you're annoyed that someone says something that you think is stupid or obvious |
EEH |
- (de) B.H.
2
('bra' - the word is sometimes written as 'beha'
but 'beeha' would be better phonetically for the Dutch
because the E in the prefix BE- is always pronounced
as 'voiceless, unstressed E'
(the 'schwa')
- tussen twee haakjes 2 ('between [two] parentheses') - tenzij je 'n beter idee hebt 2 3 ('unless you have a better idea') - twee halve waarheden ('two half-truths) |
E‑uhH | - gehakt ('ground meat') - gehaast 2 3 ('hurried') - geheel ('entirely, completely') - [(het)] geheim 2 ('secret') - geheugen 2 3 ('memory' - the brain function) - ik heb geholpen 2 ('I have helped, assisted') - ik ben geholpen 2 ('I was helped, I have been helped, I was attended to') ‑>> - ik had gehoopt ('I had hoped, I was hoping') - gehoor ('the sense of hearing' // 'audience') - gehoorzaam 2 3 ('obedient') - gehucht 2 ('hamlet') - gehuwd 2 ('married') - (de) Duitse Herder 2 ('German Shepherd' - a dog breed) - de Heer 2 3 ('the Lord' - God) - Ze hielp hem ontsnappen 2 3 ('She helped him escape') - (de) behoefte ('need for, want of') - om de hoek 2 3 ('around the corner') - behouden 2 3 ('to keep, hold on to, retain, conserve') - (het) tehuis 2 ('a home' for people needing extra or special care) |
EIH | - keihard 2 3 ('hard, powerful, high-energy, with much effort' // 'very loud') |
FH | - afhangen van 2 3 ('to depend, depend on') ‑>> - afhankelijk / afhankelijke ('dependent') - onafhankelijk ('independent') - onafhankelijkheid ('independence') - afhalen 2 (' to pick up, collect' // 'to strip off, remove covers' - beds, vegetables) - Wil je kaas of ham op je brood? ('Would you like cheese or ham on your bread?') - of heb ik dat verkeerd? 2 3 ('or am I wrong about that?') - (de) liefhebber 2 ('lover of things, enthusiast') - Wolfheze 2 (a town) - scheef houden 2 ('to hold at an angle, to tilt') |
GH |
- (de) waaghals
2
('daredevil')
- hooghartig
2
('haughty, arrogant')
- Hooghaarlemmerdijks
('hypercorrect Dutch')
- Willighagen
2
(a family name)
- Laaghalen
2
3
4
5
(a village)
- leeghalen
2
3
('to empty')
- Hooghalen
2
3
(a village)
- gezaghebbend
('authoritative')
- (de) gekkigheid
2
3
('silliness, craziness')
- (de) veiligheid
2
3
('safety, security')
- (de) narigheid
2
3
('misery, woe, trouble')
- in de gauwigheid
('in the rush of things, because I had to act quickly')
- Hooghoudt
2
3
(a family name)
- Biddinghuizen
(a village)
- (de) yoghurt
2
('yogurt')
G not pronounced: - Veghel (a town) - Vught (a town) Some Dutch names end in GH - that H at the end is usually not pronounced: - Van Gogh 2 (a family name) - Vincent van Gogh 2 3 4 5 (famous Dutch painter, 1853-1890) - Jan Adriaansz Leeghwater 2 (a prominent 17th Century land reclamation engineer) - Hendrik Sorgh 2 3 (Dutch painter, 1610-1670) |
IH | - (de) taaiheid ('toughness') - this I is a consonant-I, pronounced as Dutch J, English consonant-Y |
IEH | - (de) combinatiehaak ('combination square' - carpentry) - ruzie hebben 2 3 ('~to be quarreling') ‑>> - Wie heeft er gewonnen? ('Who won?') ‑>> - driehoeken ('triangles') |
IJH |
- hij heeft
2
('he has')
- (de) blijheid
2
('happiness, being cheerful')
- (de) vrijheid
2
('freedom, liberty')
- vrijheid blijheid
2
('freedom brings along, creates happiness')
In the name of the village of Wijhe H is pronounced as Consonant Y (Dutch J) also hear EI above |
JH |
In (de) taaiheid
('toughness') - I is a consonant-I,
pronounced as Dutch J, English
Consonant-Y
In the name of the village of Wijhe H is pronounced as Consonant Y (Dutch J) |
KH | - (de) jakhals 2 ('jackall') - (de) boekhandel 2 ('bookstore') - werkhandschoenen ('work gloves') - (de) verstekhaak 2 ('45° marking tool' - carpentry) - (de) sprinkhaan 2 3 ('locust, grasshopper') - "gek hè" 2 ('crazy, isn't it?') - (de) gelijkheid 2 3 ('equality') ‑>> - (de) werkelijkheid 2 ('reality') - (de) kinkhoest 2 ('whooping cough') - (het) kerkhof 2 ('graveyard') - (de) waakhond 2 ('guard dog') - (de) eekhoorn 2 ('squirrel') - (de) boekhouder 2 ('bookkeeper') - (het) pakhuis ('warehouse, storehouse') - plural: pakhuizen 2 - (het) spookhuis 2 3 ('haunted house' - fairground) - Enkhuizen 2 (a town) |
LH | - (het) Walhalla 2 3 4 ('heaven, the afterlife' in Germanic mythology) - winkelhaken ('carpenter's squares') - kielhalen 2 ('to keelhaul') - Rem Koolhaas (an architect) - welhaast 2 3 ('almost, well nigh' - old-fashioned) - Wilhelmina (a girls' name) - snelheden 2 3 ('speeds') - hoeveelheden 2 ('amounts') - (de) snelheid 2 ('speed') - (de) veelheid (['muchness'] - 'large amount, large number of') - (de) hoeveelheid ('amount') - (de) hondsdolheid ([dogs' craziness] - 'rabies') - koolhydraten 2 3 ('carbohydrates') - (het) doolhof ('maze, labyrinth') - volhouden 2 ('to persevere, carry on, insist') - (het) vogelhuisje 2 ('birds feeder') |
MH | - ademhalen 2 3 4 5 ('to breathe') - (de) ademhaling 2 ('breath, breathing') - diep ademhalen ('to breathe deeply') - stom hè? 2 3 ('stupid, isn't it?') - (de) omhelzing 2 3 ('embrace, hug') - (de) remhendel 2 ('brake lever') - omheen ('~around') - Bloemhof 2 (a town in South Africa) - omhoog 2 3 ('up' - direction) - (de) stamhouder (oldest son of the oldest son etc, 'carrying the family name') - Wormhoudt (a town in France) - omhullen 2 ('to envelop,' cover from all sides) |
NH |
- 'n half
/ 'n halve
('a half, half a')
- Ten Hag
(a family name)
- van harte!
2
([from the heart] - 'sincerely, heartfelt')
- aanhalingstekens
('quote marks:' "...")
- Den Haag
2
(The Hague - a major city)
- (de) beunhaas
2
3
4
('unlicensed and/or tax-evading construction worker')
- Den Helder
2
(a town)
- Wat 'n herrie!
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
('such a lot of noise!')
- zin hebben
2
('to be useful,' - to make sense)
- 'n heleboel
2
('very much, very many, a lot')
- 'n heel verhaal
2
3
('quite a long story')
- mijn hemel!
([my -] 'good heavens!')
- (de) oneffenheid
2
('unevenness, irregularity' - a bump in the road or also
figuratively, an 'irregularity, a roughness,' a problem)
- (de) eenheid
2
('unit' // 'unity')
- (de) schoonheid
2
('beauty')
- (het) onheil
2
3
('disaster, doom,' bad things)
- Van den Heuvel
2
(a family name)
- het Binnenhof
2
(['the Inner Court'] - the area of the Dutch parliamentary buildings]
- Van Holland
2
(a family name)
- (de) wanhoop
2
3
4
5
('despair')
- (de) puinhoop
2
3
(literally, 'a heap of rubble' but usually figuratively 'a
mess, a failure')
- (de) eenhoorn
2
('unicorn')
- rayonhoofden
('regional chiefs')
- Zestienhoven
(the Rotterdam airport)
- van hout
('wooden,' '[made] of wood')
- Aerdenhout
2
(a town)
- (de) inhoud
('contents' // 'table of contents')
- onhoudbaar
2
3
('cannot be held' - literally or figuratively)
- ver van huis
2
('far from home')
- (het) ziekenhuis
2
('hospital')
- (het) seinhuis
('signals cabin, signals tower')
H not pronounced: - Arnhem (a city) |
OH | - Goh 2 ('Gee' - mild surprise) |
OOH | - Johan (a boys' name) - Johanna 2 (a girls' name) - Johannes 2 (a boys' name, a gospel writer) - Johannesburg (a city in South Africa) - Job Cohen 2 (a politician) - (de) alcohol 2 ('alcohol') |
OEH | - doe-het-zelf ('DIY, do-it-yourself') - hoe hou je 't uit? 2 3 4 ('how can you stand it?') |
OUH | OU see and hear AU above |
PH |
PH pronounced as F is rare in modern Dutch: just in a few mostly old names
"F" - Philip (a boys' name) - Philips (a family name and an electronics company) - Sint-Philipsland (a former island in the province of Zeeland 2 - Sophie (a girls' name) - Zutphen 2 3 (a town) - Alphen aan de(n) Rijn 2 (a town) - Orpheus 2 (Greek mythological figure) "P-H" - ophangen ('to hang' - items or criminals) - ophalen is literally 'to haul up,' usually 'to raise, lift up, bring up' - but it can also mean something like 'to collect, pick up' - (de) ophaalbrug 2 ('drawbridge') - (de) ophef ('fuss, ado, commotion') - (de) opheffing ('closing down, discontinuing') - (de) schaapherder ('shepherd' - [sheep-herder]) - Opheusden (a town) - Schiphol (Amsterdam airport) - ophouden 2 ('to stop, end, come to an end - (het) koophuis 2 ('house owned by occupants' // house for sale') - (het) rasphuis 2 (16th/17th Century poorhouse or place of punishment where people ground or pulped wood) |
RH | - anderhalf 2 ('1½ - one-and-a-half') - (de) kleerhanger ('clothes hanger') - verharden 2 3 ('to become harder' - less soft, less flexible - also figuratively, 'less tolerant') - (het) verhaal 2 ('story') - (het) verhaaltje 2 3 4 ('little story') - verhalen ('stories' // 'to relate, tell') - (het) overhemd ('shirt, dress shirt') - waarheen? 2 ('which way?' - which direction?) - daarheen! 2 3 ('that way!') - ver heen 2 ('far gone') - hierheen! 2 3 ('this way!') - de Mookerhei (area in the East of The Netherlands, 1574 historical battle) - de waarheid ('the truth') - (de) waarheid 2 ('truth') ‑>> - onwaarheden ("untruths," 'lies') - (de) meerderheid 2 ('majority') - (de) minderheid 2 3 ('minority') - minderheden 2 ('minorities') ‑>> - verhit ('heated') - (het) warhoofd 2 ('muddlehead,' confused person) - (het) voorhoofd 2 ('forehead, brow') - (de) verhoging ('elevation' // "temperature," 'light fever') - (de) vingerhoed (['finger-hat'] - 'thimble') - (de) voorhoede 2 3 ('vanguard') ‑>> - (de) achterhoede 2 ('rearguard') - (het) onderhoud 2 ('maintenance' // 'serious conversation') - (het) timmerhout ('wood for carpentry') - (de) verhouding ('relationship') // 'relation, proportion') - (de) verhuur ('renting out') - verhuren 2 ('to rent out') - naar huis 2 ('towards home, homeward') - (het) huurhuis ('rented house') - verhuizen 2 3 (moving to another place or house to live) ‑>> |
SH | - (de) bushalte ('bus stop') - (het) washandje ('wash cloth') - (de) grashark ('grass rake') - (de) voorzittershamer ('chairperson's' hammer') - (de) maatjesharing 2 ('young, "virgin" herring' - to eat) - (de) fietshelm ('bicycle helmet') - plural: - fietshelmen 2 - (de) versnellingshendel 2 3 ('gears shift lever') - (de) wijsheid 2 3 ('wisdom') - de mensheid 2 ('mankind, humankind') - (de) machteloosheid 2 3 ('powerlessness, helplessness, impotence') - dit huis hier ('this house here') - wie is hij? 2 ('who is he?') - is hij aan de beurt? 2 3 4 ('is it his turn?') - (het) gerechtshof 2 ('court of justice') - (het) bushokje ('bus stop shelter') - (de) voorhoofdsholte ([brow cavity] - 'sinus') - (de) molshoop 2 3 ('mole [heap] hill') - (de) neushoorn 2 ([nose-horn] - 'rhino, rhinoceros') - [(het)] huishouden 2 3 4 ('household' // 'running a household' // 'to rampage') - (het) kruishout (marking tool - carpentry) - 't is hun geld ('it's their [own] money') - Lucas Hugensz. 2 (painter, 1494-1533 - also known as: Lucas van Leyden ) - buitenshuis 2 ('outdoors' [outside the house]) - het Mauritshuis 2 (art museum in The Hague) - Paushuize 2 (a historical building in the city of Utrecht 2 3) |
TH |
H after T, H in TH is often not pronounced: - Thailand - (de) catharsis ('catharsis') - Martha (a girls' name) - (de) euthanasie 2 3 4 5 ('euthanasia') - Balthasar 2 (a boys' name) - (de) thermosflessen ('thermos bottles') - thermometers 2 ('thermometers') - (de) thee ('tea') - Thea (girls' name) - theedoeken ('dishtowels') - (de) bibliotheek ('library') - (de) apotheek 2 ('pharmacy') - (de) apotheker 2 3 ('pharmacist') - (de) hypotheek ('mortgage') - de Theems (the river Thames) - (het) thema ('theme') - Theo (a boys' name) - (de) theorie 2 ('theory') - (de) therapie ('therapy') - (de) hypothese ('hypothesis') - synthetisch ('synthetic') - theoloog / theïne ('theologist / theine' = caffeine) - (de) mythe ('mythe') - (het) atheneum 2 (secondary school type) - homeopathisch ('homeopathic') - (het) lithium ('lithium,' an element) - Thijs (a boys' name) - (de) triathlon ('a swimming/running/bicycling contest') - (de) marathon 2 ('a running contest') - (de) methode 2 ('method') - Tholen (a former island in the province of Zeeland 2) - katholiek 2 ('catholic' - Roman) - Thomas (a boys' name) - Posthumus 2 (a family name) - Arthur 2 (a boys' name) - thuis ('at home') ‑>> - Prometheus 2 (Greek mythological figure) - Agaath 2 (a girls' name) - Ageeth 2 (a girls' name) - Elizabeth (a girls' name) - Esther (a girls' name) - Judith 2 (a girls' name) Compare: - thans/tand ('at present/tooth') - thee/teen ('tea/toe') - ether/eter ('ether/eater') But ... Compound Words: next to TH's with silent H Dutch has many compound words connecting between T and H and then H is not silent - listen: - Goethals (a family name) - (de) groothandel 2 ('wholesale') - (de) kunsthars 2 ('synthetic resin' - old word for 'plastic') - witheet 2 ([white-] 'red-hot') - (de) dichtheid ('density') - (de) bevolkingsdichtheid 2 ('population density') - (de) botheid ('rudeness') - (de) grootheid 2 [grandness] - 'greatness, eminence, majesty') - (de) apartheid 2 ('~segregation' - the former racist inequality system in South Africa) - (de) vluchtheuvel ('traffic island' [hill of refuge]) - (het) schoothondje 2 ('lapdog') - onthoofden 2 3 ('to decapitate') - (de) mesthoop 2 3 ('dungheap, dunghill') - Van Beethoven (German composer) - Bilthoven (a town) - (de) eethoek 2 ('dining area') - rechthoekig 2 / rechthoekige 2 ('rectangular') - 't uithouden 2 3) ('to endure, bear,' "stand") ‑>> - onthouden 2 3 ('to remember' // 'to withhold, not give' // 'to abstain from, stay away from something') ‑>> - (de) geheelonthouder 2 ('teetotaler') - onthoudingsverschijselen 2 ('withdrawal symptoms') - vasthouden 2 ('holding on to something, to grip firmly') ‑>> - (de) granaathuls 2 ('grenade casing' - ordinance) - (het) buurthuis 2 3 4 ('~community center' ['neighborhood house']) A simple rule is that H in TH as the first or last letters of a word will be silent, but that of course does not cover all cases. |
UH |
- U hebt
('you have' - polite 'you')
- U heeft
2
3
('you have' - polite 'you')
(U hebt is not wrong, but I prefer U heeft) |
WH | - (de) klauwhamer ('clawhammer') - (het) bouwhout ('construction wood' - a word I made up) - (de) ruwheid ('roughness') |
XH | - MaxHavelaar (famous 1860 novel by Multatuli 2 (Latin: 'I have carried, suffered much') - the pen name of Eduard Douwes Dekker 2 ‑>> |
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
F
G
H
L
OE
SCH
U
UI
W
X
Y
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Gij zult niet stelen
'Thou shalt not steal'