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Dutch pronunciation: the g, ch, ui, ij, eu and oe sounds
Dutch pronunciation in two short game lessons on the sounds English speakers find hardest. Listen, repeat and test your ear. Every word has audio.
Good to know
g and chch is like the ch in Scottish loch; g is the same sound, but voiced.Source: Wiktionary โ Appendix: Dutch pronunciation
uiNo English equivalent: try saying tie with rounded lips.Source: Wiktionary โ Appendix: Dutch pronunciation
ij / eiBetween the vowels of tie and day.Source: Wiktionary โ Appendix: Dutch pronunciation
eu and oeeu is a bit like hurl or French deux; oe is like you, but shorter.Source: Wiktionary โ Appendix: Dutch pronunciation
Dutch pronunciation: sounds and example words
The example sentences and words from both lessons. Tap โถ to hear each one, then say it out loud.
How to pronounce the Dutch g and ch
ch is like the ch in Scottish loch; g is the same sound, but voiced. (Source: Wiktionary โ Appendix: Dutch pronunciation)
Example conversation
- Goedemorgen! Gaat het goed?Good morning! Are you doing well?
- Ja, heel goed. Het is een gezellige dag!Yes, very well. It's a lovely, cosy day!
Word list
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de gracht | canal |
| de dag | day |
| groen | green |
| gezellig | cosy, pleasant, sociable |
| lachen | to laugh |
โถ Practise this as a game: The g and ch sound
How to pronounce ui, ij, eu and oe
The vowel sounds that don't exist in English. (Source: Wiktionary โ Appendix: Dutch pronunciation)
Example conversation
- Mijn broer heeft een huis met een tuin.My brother has a house with a garden.
- Leuk! Wij gaan op reis en eten ijs.Nice! We're going on a trip and eating ice cream.
Word list
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de ui | onion |
| de tuin | garden |
| de muis | mouse |
| het ijs | ice cream, ice |
| de reis | journey, trip |
| de neus | nose |
| de kleur | colour |
| de broer | brother |
| de schoen | shoe |
โถ Practise this as a game: ui, ij, eu and oe
How to practise Dutch pronunciation
Listen first, then copy. Tap a word, listen to it a few times and say it out loud straight after, as close to the recording as you can.
Work on one sound at a time. Practise the g and ch with goed, acht and gracht, then move on to ui with tuin and muis, and ij with ijs and reis.
Record yourself on your phone and compare it with the audio in the lessons. Small differences are easier to hear in your own voice than while you speak.
Come back to these two lessons every few days: Dutch pronunciation improves with short, regular practice more than with one long session.
Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce the Dutch g?
Make the ch of Scottish loch at the back of your throat, and add voice. The Dutch ch is the same sound without voice.
How do you pronounce ui in Dutch?
There is no English equivalent. Try saying tie with your lips rounded, as in tuin (garden) and huis (house).
How do you pronounce ij in Dutch?
Somewhere between the vowels in tie and day, as in ijs (ice cream).
What does gezellig mean?
Gezellig means cosy, pleasant and sociable, for example a gezellige avond (a cosy evening).
Related on The Dutch Daily
- Untranslatable Dutch: beyond grammar, into culture
- The โEnglish trapโ: why expats fail at Dutch and how to fix it
Word meanings checked against Wiktionary. Audio uses your deviceโs Dutch voice where available.