Les 2) Letters en klanken/ Alphabet and Pronouncing

KLANKWOORDEN (Sound words):

KLANKWOORDEN (sound words) are words with (a combination) of fixed letter(s) that present a distinctive pronunciation.

There are the words with a short sound , like VIS (fish) and POP (doll), words with an combination of –NG or –NK, like LANG (long) and KLANK (Sound), woorden met -SCH like SCHIP (boat) and SCHEREN (shaving), words with -CHT like LICHT (light) or words with two-character sounds, like KOEK (cookie), THUIS (at home) or KEUKEN (kitchen).

 

Or for example words with -IJ like IJS (ice) or ZEIL (sail), words with -OU or -AU, like FOUT (wrong) or AUTO (car)

You have to learn some of those words, cause there are no grammatical rules to get to know how to write or say them. Learning them is important specially when you also want to learn to write Dutch.

Also important -for the speech part- are KORTE KLANKEN (short sounds) and LANGE KLANKEN (long sounds):

The LANGE KLANKEN (long sounds) are: aa, ee, oo, uu en ie

The KORTE KLANKEN (short sounds) are a, e, o, u en i

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There are words that Dutch people always pronounce incorrectly. An example of this is “HEERLIJK”. In a conversation you will hear that (almost) every Dutch person says ‘heerlUk’. So that is actually not correct, but for some words it is normal and accepted. Below are the most common ‘mistakes’ even Dutch Natives make:

 

English	Nederlands	wrong pronunciation	correct pronunciation
Espresso	Espresso	eXpresso
Avocado	Avocado	aDvocado
Bell pepper	Paprika	pAprika
Medal	Medaille	medaLje
Porsche	Porsche	Porsj
Vanilla	Vanille	vanieLje
Europe	Europa	UUropa
Puzzle	Puzzel	pUUzel
Identity	Identiteit	iNdentiteit
At that time	Toentertijd	toenDertijd
Wedding	Huwelijk	huwelUk/ huuwlijk
Car	Auto	OOto
Restaurant	Restaurant	RestUrrant
Only	Enige	enigSTe
Seven	Zeven	zeuven/ zeeve
Orange	Sinaasappel	sineappel/ sienusappel
Drawer	Lade	laa
Chocolate	Chocolade	sjookolaa
Earthworm	Worm	wUrm
Tremendous	Ontzettend	ontzettOnt
Morning	Ochtend	ochtOnt
House	Huis	hEUs

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Klinkers (vowel) en medeklinkers (consonant)

Klinkers (vowels) are the following characters: a, o, u, e, i (and y )

Medeklinkers (consonants) are the following characters: b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, z (and y )