Dear Friends,

I made this document initially for my own use and as a ready reckoner for reference, to get
the basic sounds and pronunciations of the Dutch language right. As I am pretty much self-
learning using materials available freely online, this is my tool to keep handy to cross check
basics.

I found this golden video on youtube that I think is the best one available to get the basics of
alphabet and pronunciation right. Best way to use the document below is to watch this video
and then use this document in conjunction as a start. (Credit to Mr. Bart de Pau of
learndutch.org for this video)

Reference Video: https://youtu.be/ZCA2DyqYvF0

Needless to say, this document will only benefit those who can read devnagari/sanskrit script
and its correct pronunciation.

If you think there is a mistake or misrepresentation, please reach out to me and we can
correct the document after a discussion on it. As you can imagine, the exact sounds of the
language can be sometimes difficult to represent in another language. However, I trust the
richness and technical finesse of devnagari script to make things easy. But I’m only human
and there can be mistakes in my understanding.

I have used mainly three diacritics in the devnagari script to explain sounds
- ◌् where this is under a letter – denotes short sound of the syllable
- ऽ where this follows a letter – denotes extended (prolonged) sound of the syllable.
- : where this follows letter or follows the ऽ it denotes emphasized sound

I confess I find the last word in this document most difficult to get right J

Happy learning and best wishes!

- Sandeep Sakharkar

Below document contains four sections :

• All dutch alphabet and their pronunciation

• Pronunication of each letter in detail in various situations/word types
• Vowel combination pronunciations
• Consonant combination pronunciations
 1. Dutch alphabet and pronunciation

Letter Pronunciation Remarks

a आ
b बे
c से
d दे
e ए
f एफ
g खे
h हा
i इ् Note the diacritic below the इ to keep the
sound short
j ये
k का
l एल ्
m एम ्
n एन ्
o ओ
p पे
q कू pronounced quick combination of क & ऊ

r ए्र7
s एस
t टे
u उ pronounced quick combination of अ & उ

v :हे
w वे
x ए<स
y ऐ pronounced quick combination of ए & य

z झेद
 2. Correct pronunciation of the letters in different word types

Example Words
Letter Dutch English
Pronunciation Remarks
word word
kat cat कात ् Short: आ्
katten cats कातन Short: आ्
aआ raam window रा2ऽम Long: आऽ
ramen windows रा2ऽमन Long: आऽ
Bart बात2
b बे web web वेप b at end pronounced at प
civiel civil सीवीय ्ल य is almost silent
c से castricum का;<ीकम c pronounced as क
dat that दात
d दे woord word वोत2 d at end of word pronounced as ट
gek crazy खे ्क Short: ए्
veel many Aहे ऽल Long: एऽ
een a अ्न Exception: sound in article ‘a’
eए
een 1 एऽन same spelling but long sound
when digit 1
lopen to walk लोऽपन

f एफ fiets bicycle फDऽEस

g खे groot big Fोऽत

h हा hand hand हाGद

kip chicken कDप ् Short:

lief lovely लHऽफ Long:
i इ् smerig dirty ;मीरख i followed by g is pronounced ‘uh’
notaris notary नोताऽरHस

j ये jaar year याऽर

k का klomp clog IलोJप dutch wooden shoe

l एल ् laat late लाऽत

m एम ् man man मान ्

nu now नू pronounced quick combo of न

n एन ्
and उ
bos forest बोस ् Short: ओ
o ओ boom tree बोऽम Long: ओऽ
p पे potlood pencil पोतलोद
 aquarium aquarium आIवारHअम Only used in foreign words
q कू followed by u
r ए्र7 raam window रा2ऽम

s एस stom stupid ;तोम ्

taal language ताऽल

t टे politie police पोलHऽEसी Exception when t is followed by e
(sometimes only)
bus bus बस Short: उ
uउ muur wall मऽू र Long: उऽ
veel Many Aहे ल V is pronounced close to f in
v :हे many dutch words
water water वाऽतर
w वे wraak revenge AMाऽक

x ए<स xylofoon xylophone Iझीलोफोन क is pronounced silent

xylofoon xylophone Iझीलोफोन pronounced dutch i इ्

y ऐ rayon रायोन Pronounced dutch j ये
z झेद zon sun झोन ्
 3. Combinations of vowels (diphthongs)

Example Words
Vowels
Pronunciation Dutch English Pronunciation
combinations
word meaning
ei ए + इ् = ऐऽ weinig few वैऽनख

ij इ् + ये = Also pronounced ऐऽ jij you याऽऐ

Exception to Then ‘lijk’ pronounced as लख
् lelijk ugly लेलख
्
above - when
‘ij’ appears
between I
and k =
lijk.
ou ओ + उ = आऽउ koud cold काउट

au आ + उ = Also pronounced pauze break पाउझऽ

आऽउ
oe ओ + ए = उऽ: koe cow कुऽ:

ui उ + ई = अँऽव huis house हँऽAस

eu ए + उ = ए्ओ leuk funny लओ्क

eeuw इऽउ leeuw lion Tलऽउ

ieuw ईउ nieuw new नीउ

aai आऽय fraai nice Uाऽय

ai आँय

ooi ओऽइ mooi beautiful मोऽइ

oi ओय hoi Hi होइ

oei ऊऽइ
 4. Combinations of certain consonents

Example Words
Consonent
Pronunciation Dutch English Pronunciation
combinations
word meaning
ch Like ख Same sound as the lachen laugh लाखन्
letter ‘g’
Almost exhaling air through
mouth while pronouncing
or like शऽ chocolade chocolate शोकोलाऽद
sj शऽऽ meisje girl मैऽWय

sch ;खऽऽ school school ;खोऽल

perhaps most difficult
combination in dutch. But
important to get right as
many words start with this
ng Gग ding thing डींऽग

nk Gक dank thanks डांऽक

kn क् न knie knee क् नी
Pronounce both syllables
separately in quick
succession

Some tough words

Dutch word English meaning Dutch pronunciation

huisgenoten housemates हँAसखऽनो[न
achtentachtig eightyeight आखटन
् टाख
् टख
्
ruggengraat backbone रखनFाऽत
्
koeieuier cow’s udder कुइ्यआ\यरु