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Folk Dance Federation of California, South, Inc.
Dutch |
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 |