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Folk Dance Federation of California, South, Inc.

Dutch
By Dick Oakes


A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g,
H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p,
Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v,
W w, X x, Y y, IJ ij, Z z


Dutch is a West Germanic language spoken by more than 20 million people.

The letter b is pronounced p at the end of a word (b elsewhere).

The letter d is pronounced t at the end of a word (d elsewhere).

The letter e is probounced eh in unaccented syllables.

The letter g is pronounced x at the start of a word.

The letter h after t is silent.

The letter n at the end of a word is softened or even silent.

The letter i after a vowel is pronounced as the y in away.

The letter r is usually silent before g (r elsewhere).

The letter ij was once written y (now used only in foreign words).

There is also the addition of a diacritical mark called the "trema" (ä, ë, ï, ü), indicating that the vowel is pronounced separately from the preceding vowel.

Letters not listed below are pronounced approximately as in English.


A, a   - a as in above; a as in father
E, e   - a as in hat; e as in wet; a as in face
I, i   - i as in pin; also i as in machine
O, o   - also o as in gone; o as in note
U, u   - a as in about; ew as in dew
Y, y   - i as in pin; also i as in machine
 
C, c   - k as in king; s as in sing
G, g   - ch as in loch
R, r   - slightly rolled; when used as a vowel as er in pert
IJ, ij   - e as in eye
W, w   - v as in vine
 
DIPTHONGS:
 
Ai, ai   - ai as in jai alai
Au, au   - ou as in proud
Ea, ea   - letters are pronounced separately
Ei, ei   - e as in eye
Eu, eu   - eu as in fleur
Eeuw, eeuw   - ch as in loch
Ia, ia   - letters are pronounced separately
Ie, ie   - i as in machine
Ieuw, ieuw   - ew as in new
Io, io   - letters are pronounced separately
Oe, oe   - oo as in boot
Ou, ou   - ou as in loud
Ui, ui   - ir as in bird
Uw, uw   - ew as in new
 
OTHER SOUNDS:
 
Ch, ch   - ch as in loch
dt   - at the end of a word is pronounced as a t in bat
ig   - at the end of a word is pronounced as a in bubba
isch   - at the end of a word is pronounced i as in line with the ch silent
Kn, kn   - k(e)n as in broken
lijk   - at the end of a word is pronounced as a in above
Ng, ng   - ng as in sing
Sch, sch   - ch as in church
Tj, tj   - ch as in church