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Dutch Consonants Review

Hear Dutch Vowels Compared
Dutch Pronunciation (general) - Learning Dutch? (Lessons - Suggested Method)
Everyday Dutch Words Basic vocabulary for conversation and reading - Useful Words and Phrases for Travelers

Double and Single, Long and Short Vowels

Please note that:

double vowels (aa, ee, oo and uu) and diphtongs (ie, au/ou, ei/ij, eu, oe and ui) are always long;
but a vowel written as one single letter can be either short or long:
single vowels are short unless they're at the end of a word (except for e), or at the end of a syllable, (usually) when there's only one consonant between vowels.

la lat laat latten (lat-ten) lade (la-de) laden (la-den) - hear - 2 - fully explained.

Doubled Consonants

A pair of consonants ("two of a kind") is pronounced exactly the same as one single consonant; a doubled consonant usually means that a preceding single vowel is short; occasionally it is found after a double vowel.

maken makker willen wielen - hear - 2
vlot vlotten vloot vloten lood loden - hear
grote grootte hete heette late haatte - hear

B and P

Only a B at the end of a word is pronounced as a P; otherwise B is B like in English

slab slap slabben slappe - hear
heb step hebben steppen - hear
lip lippen rib ribben - hear
kap lab kapel tabel - hear (kapel and tabel have the stress on the second syllable)
baard paard brak prak - hear - 2

The final B's in parts of compound words keep their P-pronunciation, and also before the '-je' of diminutives:
eb ebben ebstroom wipstaart - hear
ribje hapje slabbetje - hear - 2

D and T

Only a D at the end of a word is pronounced as a T; otherwise T is T and D is D

dak tak deken teken - hear
wat wad watten wadden - hear
raat raten raad raden - hear
rat ratten pad padden paden - hear
dadel datum kader kater - hear
lid wit midden witte - hear
pet bed petten bedden - hear
blad plat bladeren platen - hear

Mid-word, DT is pronounced as T, and mid-word TD is pronounced as D. Only in very deliberate speech are the letters pronounced separately, but DT at the end of a verb is always T.

ontdekken ontdaan ont-dekken ont-daan - hear
windtunnel badtas wind-tunnel bad-tas - hear
houtduif broodtafel loodtest rotdag - hear
ontzien onthouden - hear - 2
ik word hij wordt - hear - 2

The final D's in parts of compound words keep their T-pronunciation, and also before the '-je' of diminutives:

huidaandoening doodop rondom - hear - 2
platform bladvorm nachtvorst braadworst - hear
kruid kruit buidel sluiter kruidvat kruitvat - hear
brandje krantje eindje geintje - hear

CH, G and K

CH and G represent the same sound. Keep in mind that single vowels before CH are always short, CH functions as GG. There is no double CH in Dutch.

dak dag pek pech - hear
slager slachten klagen klachten - hear
slak slag brokkelen rochelen - hear
richel diggelen wikkelen - hear
kachel waggelen wakker - hear
kuiken juichen duigen - hear
vlag lach laag vlaggen lachen lagen - hear
onrecht onterecht trechter - hear
rechten rekten recht rekt zegt - hear - 2
chroom chrysanten chronisch - hear
gifgas lachgas - hear - 2

The CH in SCHR is not pronounced:
scheut schreeuw schijf schreien - hear - 2

The CH in 'Christus' (Christ) and derived words and names is usually pronounced as K:
Christus christen christelijk Chris - hear
("christelijk" usually refers to orthodox Protestantism)

F, V and W

duif duiven - hear
zalf zalven - hear
vlinders fladderen - hear - 2
fee vee wee - hear
fier vier wier - hear
fel vel fase vazen - hear
wal val Waal vaal - hear
even effen boven boffen - hear
laf laffe laven lava boven boffen - hear
waffel wafel zwavel luifel zuivel - hear - 2
oefenen toeven toeval hoewel - hear
duf duw suf sluw - hear ('uw' is always long)
walm walmen (zalm) bedwelmen - hear - (2)

W in Combinations

dwaling dwang dwepen dwingen - hear
kwaken kwakkelen kweken kwekken kwik kwiek - hear
zwaan zwanger zweven zwerven - hear - 2
zwalken zwelgen zwerm - hear

W before R is said as V:
wervel wrevel - hear
vrees wreed vraag wraak - hear

More Dutch W

KN

Unlike in English, K before N is pronounced

nijptang kniptang - hear
knaap knap knapen knappe - hear
knoop knop knopen knoppen - hear
knarsen knerpen knallen knetteren - hear - 2 - 3
knikken knokken knul - hear

NG

zang zanger - hear
ding dingen - hear
lang langer langst - hear
streng strenger strengst - hear
gang ging gong - hear
hangen kreng strekking - hear

S and Z

gras grassen grazen - hear
les lessen lezen - hear
zo'n sombere zomer - hear
veinzen grijnzen linzen grenzen - hear

Miscellaneous

prompt strict arts strak - hear - 2
stipt huig luwte duwde - hear
barst vorst worst dorstig - hear
krant stronk brink - hear
bazen Pasen wasem vazen - hear
smak smaak smeren snert smachten smikkelen - hear
smet smid smeden smoren smullen - hear
snip snode sneeuw snavel - hear - 2
kraan kraam traan raam - hear
braaf brave blaas blazen - hear
vochtig zwichten - hear
wringen stengel kronkel drempel - hear
middel model gevel bevel gedwee ongedwongen - hear

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Don't be a dief (thief) - dievegge (female thief) - diefstal (theft) - stelen (to steal) - heler (dealer in stolen goods) - hear Dutch - 2