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OE in Dutch - Skip General Introduction

Pronunciation: Hear for Yourself

Do take my words for it
Too many examples! Listen just to what looks interesting or useful to you. That's the beauty of a free website - you can just skip what you don't need without feeling bad that you paid for something that's of no use to you. Listen to as many or as few examples as you want. Look for words that may be useful to you. - Can there be too many examples for you students to listen to?
Pay special attention to letters, letter combinations and sounds that you don't have in your own language
These pronunciation pages are not meant for learning vocabulary. The English translations may lack in precision. But if you like, follow the occasional links ‑>> to explanation, examples of usage and/or related words.
Learning Vocabulary

Adjectives in most positions get an -E  ending ‑>>
Several words appear twice on the page. I do not have an infinite number of recordings, and some combinations of letters are rarely or never found in Dutch.

Spelling and Pronunciation

Dutch spelling/pronunciation rules say that: So (de) man click to hear 2 ('man, human adult male) has the plural mannen (man-nen) click to hear 2 while (de) maan click to hear 2 ('moon') has the plural manen (ma-nen) click to hear 2 3

'Long' and 'short' are traditional terms. The difference is actually more of tone than length
More about spelling and pronunciation - another version
Learn the Rules by Studying and Listening to Examples

Major Exceptions to the Phonetic Spelling of Dutch:
- Page 1:   een   -IG   -ISCH   -LIJK  
- Page 2:   -B   -D   SCHR   -TIE   UW   WR

Hear the Dutch Letters in Hundreds of Words:
 AU/OU  CH  E  EI/IJ  EU  F  G  H  L  OE  SCH  U  UI  W  X  Y

'Master Lists' of Dutch words: Dutch to English - English to Dutch

OE in Dutch - Hear for Yourself

 Introduction 
 OEA-OEZ 
 BOE-ZOE 
 French OU 
 Greek OE 
 French OEU 
 OE Compared with Vowels and Other Diphthongs 

(de) oe click to hear
The Dutch OE is like English OO in BOOK, French OU in TOUS and German U in GUT, though probably generally a little longer or shorter
- (het) boek click to hear 2 3 book
- toe! click to hear 2 ~towards // - come on! // - other meanings ‑>>
- goed click to hear 2 (goede click to hear - goed/goede click to hear) ('good, well, correct etc.) ‑>>
Dutch has many words from French with OU pronounced as Dutch OE. There will be a paragraph with examples at the bottom of the page, and I will use one or two in the main list.

Hear a few examples with Dutch OE:
koeien loeien: "boe" click to hear cows moo: 'moo'
de koekoek zegt: 'Koekoek' click to hear the cuckoo says: 'cuckoo
(de) koekoek click to hear 2 3 4 cuckoo
(het) boegeroep click to hear 2 'booing,' - audience shouting disapproval or contempt
(de) bloedgroep click to hear 2 3 blood group, blood type
(het) groenvoer click to hear [green food] ~vegetables
(de) doelgroep click to hear 2 [goal group] target audience
(het) snoepgoed click to hear candy, sweet-snack-stuff
(de) toevoer click to hear 2 supply, provisioning
(het) toedoen click to hear [doings with a certain direction] ~action, ~involvement

In the examples you'll see the F-V and S-Z shift a few times. Dutch words 'cannot' end in V or Z, that's an unusual sound for the Dutch mouth. V and Z need to be followed by a vowel of diphthong. V or Z at the end of a word or before a consonant will change to F or S ‑>>
- (de) boef click to hear 2 / boeven click to hear 2 ('criminal'/'criminals' - often jocular)
- (de) poes click to hear / poezen click to hear 2 3 ('cat'/'cats')

The 'first series' is grouped by the letter before the OE's, the 'second series' is grouped by the letter after the OE's:
- OE first series: OE0-OEZ - OE second series: 0OE-ZOE

the: de click to hear 2 / het click to hear 2 3 - 't click to hear ->>
Plurals always take 'de'
a: (een) - 'n click to hear / one: één click to hear 2 3

Look for letters or letter combinations that are difficult for you. Repeat words after me, try saying them like I do, and record yourself or ask a friend or fellow student to compare how you say them with how I say them. Try to bring your pronunciation of the words closer and closer to how I say them. Use as few or as many examples as you like.

OE  - (de) klamboe click to hear ('mosquito net' - from Malay) - (de) rimboe click to hear 2 ('jungle' - from Malay) - doe! click to hear ('do!') - ik doe click to hear 2 ('I do, I'm doing') - (het) gedoe click to hear 2 ('fuss, hassle') - (de) koe click to hear ('cow') - moe click to hear 2 3 4 ('tired') ‑>> - "opoe" click to hear 2 ('great- grandmother' - children's language)
OEA  - zouaaf click to hear / zouaven click to hear ('zouave'/'zouaves' - Papal soldier)
OEB  - troebel click to hear ('murky')
OED  - (het) foedraal click to hear ('leather bag' for a tool) - goed click to hear 2 / goede click to hear / goed/goede click to hear ('good, well, correct etc.) ‑>> - goedkoop click to hear 2 3 / goedkope click to hear 2 3 ('cheap, not expensive') ‑>> - een goed mens click to hear 2 3 ('a good person') - (de) hoed click to hear 2 ('hat') ‑>> - (de) voorhoede click to hear 2 3 ('vanguard') ‑>> - (de) achterhoede click to hear 2 ('rearguard') - gloednieuw click to hear 2 3 ([glowing-] 'brand-new') - (de) vloed click to hear ('high tide') ‑>> - (de) invloed click to hear 2 ('influence') - (de) moed click to hear ('courage') - moedig click to hear 2 ('brave, courageous') - (de) moeder click to hear ('mother') ‑>> - moedwillig click to hear 2 ('deliberate') - (het) poeder click to hear ('powder') - [(de)] spoed click to hear ('urgent,' // 'urgency') - (de) broeder click to hear ('friar' - lower clergy // 'male nurse' // 'brother' - all old-fashioned) - (de) gebroeders click to hear 2 ('brothers' - old-fashioned) values' ‑>>) - (de) vroedvrouw click to hear 2 3 ('midwife') - (de) voedingswaarde click to hear 2 ('nutritional - voedzaam click to hear 2 3 ('nutritious') ‑>> - (de) woede click to hear 2 ('anger')
OEE  Doe even serieus! click to hear 2 Be serious 'for a moment' - stop the joking around, it's no joke, it's a serious matter Doe een beetje normaal! click to hear 2 Act normally! Behave! Doe er een postzegel op click to hear 2 3 Put a stamp on it - mail
OEF  - (de) oefening click to hear 2 ('exercise') ->> - oefenen click to hear 2 ('to practice') ‑>> - (de) boef click to hear 2 ('criminal' - also jocular) - (het) boefje click to hear 2 ('naughty boy') - (de) hoef click to hear ('hoof' - horn on horse feet) - (het) hoefijzer click to hear 2 ('hoof iron' - horseshoe) - (de) hoefsmid click to hear 2 3 ([hoof smith] - 'farrier') - bedroefd click to hear / bedroefde click to hear 2 ('sad, sorrowful') - (de) behoefte click to hear ('need, want') - (de) proef click to hear 2 ('experiment') - (het) proefje click to hear 2 ('small experiment,' usually chemistry practice) - (de) drukproef click to hear 2 3 ('galley,' test run of print) - (de) vuurproef click to hear ('trial by fire, a serious challenge') - stroef click to hear ('stiff - with difficulty, not easy' - not lubricated)
OEG  - (de) ploeg click to hear ('plow' // 'team' - old-fashioned) - hij vroeg click to hear 2 3 ('he asked') ‑>> - (de) toegang click to hear 2 3 ('entry, entrance' // 'access') - Hoegaarden click to hear (a town in Belgium and a beer brand) - genoeg click to hear ('enough') ‑>> - goed genoeg click to hear 2 3 ('good enough') - (het) genoegen click to hear ('pleasure, satisfaction' - old-fashioned) - (de) kroeg click to hear ('~bar, ~café') - vroeg click to hear / vroege click to hear) ('early') - 'vroeger' click to hear ('earlier, sooner' // 'in the past') - (de) toegift click to hear 2 ('encore' - music performance) - (de) wroeging click to hear ('remorse, feeling bad about past actions) - (de) vervoeging click to hear 2 ('conjugation') - Joegoslavië click to hear (the former country of Yugoslavia) - Oegstgeest click to hear 2 (a town)
OEH  - (de) metaaalmoeheid click to hear 2 3 4 ('metal fatigue') - (de) aardappelmoeheid click to hear 2 ('potato fatigue' - a plant disease, actually a nutrition deficiency)
Hoe heet je? click to hear What's your name?
OEI The I in OEI is pronounced as Consonant-Y, Dutch J
- (de) boei click to hear 2 ('buoy') - boeiend click to hear 2 3 ('fascinating, gripping') - doei! click to hear ('bye!' - slang) - foei! click to hear 2 ('bad!' - disapproval) - Goeie gunst! click to hear 2 ('Good grief!') - Hoei click to hear (a town in Belgium) - vloeibaar click to hear 2 3 ('liquid') - bloeien click to hear ('to bloom, flower') - gloeiend heet click to hear 2 3 ([glowing -] 'red-hot') - (de) moeite click to hear 2 ('difficulty, exertion') - moeilijk click to hear / moeilijke click to hear ('difficult') - vermoeid click to hear / vermoeide click to hear ('tired') - (de) vermoeidheid click to hear 2 3 4 ('fatigue, tiredness') - knoeien click to hear 2 ('to spill' // 'to swindle, cheat') - (de) snoeischaar click to hear ('pruning clippers') - (de) roeiboot click to hear ('rowboat') - roeien click to hear 2 ('to row') - (de) sproeier click to hear ('sprinkler') - (de) broeikas click to hear 2 ('hothouse') - (de) groei click to hear 2 ('growth') ‑>>
Al wat groeit en bloeit en ons telkens weer boeit click to hear 2 'All things that grow and flower and fascinate us time and again' - title of the nature segment of a popular radio program by Dr. Fop I. Brouwer - boeien click to hear 2 is literally 'to shackle, to handcuff,' but is often used figuratively, 'to captivate, to be fascinating' Het boeide me niet click to hear 'It was not really interesting, I was bored by it'
OEIE  - doe-ie! click to hear ('goodbye' - slang)
OEJ  See also OEI above
- Goejanverwellesluis click to hear a hamlet near Gouda click to hear 2 - in 1787 a local militia stopped and detained the stadhouder's wife, the sister of the king of Prussia
Wat doe je nou? click to hear 2 What in heaven's name are you doing? (it looks stupid or questionable) Wat doe je me aan! click to hear 2 The things you do to me! You're causing me much grief Doe je best! click to hear 2 [Do your best] - Give it your best! Waarom doe je dat? click to hear 2 3 Why do you do that? Why are you doing that? Zó doe je dat! click to hear 2 3 That's the way to do it
OEK  - Oekraïne click to
   hear ('Ukraine') - (het) boek click to hear 2 3 ('book') - (het) boekje click to hear 2 ('"small, little" book') - (het) boekweit click to hear 2 ('buckwheat') - (de) boekwinkel click to hear 2 3 ('bookstore') - (de) doek click to hear 2 ('cloth,' piece of fabric) - (de) handdoek click to hear 2 ('towel') - Doeke click to hear (a boys' name) - (de) hoek click to hear ('corner // angle') - Hoeks click to hear 2 (a family name) - om de hoek click to hear 2 3 ('around the corner') - driehoeken click to hear ('triangles') ‑>> - (de) eethoek click to hear 2 ('dining area') - rechthoekig click to hear 2 / rechthoekige click to hear 2 ('rectangular') - (de) koek click to hear 2 ('~cake') - (het) koekje click to hear ('cookie') - (de) kruidkoek click to hear 2 3 ('spice cake') - (de) koekoek click to hear 2 3 4 ('cuckoo') - Loek click to hear (a boys' name) - (de) vloek click to hear ('curse') - (de) snoek click to hear 2 ('pike' - a fish) - (de) roek click to hear ('rook' - a bird) - (de) broek click to hear 2 ('pants, trousers') ‑>> - zoek click to hear 2 ('gone, lost, not to be found, missing') - zoeken click to hear 2 ('to search, to seek') ‑>>
OEL  - 'n boel click to hear 2 (much, many, a lot') - 'n heleboel click to hear 2 (very much, very many, really a lot') - doel click to hear ('goal, objective') - (de) doelgroep click to hear 2 ('target audience') - doelbewust click to hear 2 ('purposeful,' focused on goals) - (de) foelie click to hear ('mace,' a spice) - krioelen click to hear 2 3 ('teeming, swarming, crawling') - koel click to hear 2 3 4 5 6 ('cool' - temperature only) - (de) koelkast click to hear ('fridge, refrigerator') - (de) poel click to hear 2 ('puddle') - (de) spoel click to hear 2 3 4 ('spool' - for winding string etc.) - Roel click to hear (a boys' name) - Roelof click to hear (a boys' name) - (de) stoel click to hear ('chair') - voelen click to hear 2 ('to feel') ‑>> - (het) gevoel click to hear / gevoelens click to hear 2 ('feeling'/'feelings' - irregular plural) - zwoel click to hear 2 / zwoele click to hear / zwoel/zwoele click to hear 2 ('sultry, sensual')
OEM  - (de) doem click to hear ('doom') - (de) bloem click to hear 2 3 ('flower' ‑>> // 'flour') - (het) bloemetje click to hear 2 ('small flower' // 'bouquet,' a bunch of cut flowers) - Bloemfontein click to hear / Bloemhof click to hear 2 (towns in South Africa) - (de) bloemkool click to hear 2 ('cauliflower') - (het) bloempje click to hear 2 ('small flower') - noemen click to hear 2 ('to call, name') - (de) poema click to hear ('puma, mountain lion') - (de) roem click to hear 2 3 4 ('fame') - beroemd click to hear ('famous') - Roemenië click to hear ('Rumania') - roemloos click to hear ('inglorious, no fame or renown') - toe maar! click to hear 2 ('don't exaggerate' // 'go ahead') - (de) ketoembar click to hear ('coriander' - a spice, a word from Malay)
OEN  - (de) oen click to hear 2 ('a stupid guy,' a person who habitually acts in a stupid way)
Hij is een oen click to hear He is stupid - (de) boenwas click to hear ('polishing wax' for wooden floors) - doen click to hear 2 3 ('to do') ‑>> - uitdoen click to hear 2 3 (1. 'to turn off' - lights etc. 2. 'to take off' - clothes) - Bargoens click to hear 2 ('~slang') ‑>> - (de) hoen click to hear ('chicken') - (de) kampioen click to hear 2 ('champion') - (het) miljoen click to hear 2 ('million') - Koen click to hear 2 (a boys' name) - (de) watermeloen click to hear ('watermelon') - limoenen click to hear ('limes' - actually an old word for 'lemons') - (de) poen click to hear ('money' - slang) - (de) harpoen click to hear ('harpoon') - groen click to hear 2 3 / groene click to hear 2 3 4 ('green') - (de) groente click to hear ('vegetables') ‑>> - Groenland click to hear 2 (Greenland) - (het) fatsoen click to hear ('decency, good manners') - (de) schoenmaker click to hear 2 3 ([shoe repairman] - 'cobbler') - (de) schoen click to hear / schoenen click to hear ('shoe'/'shoes') - (het) schoentje click to hear 2 ('small, little shoe') - toen click to hear 2 3 ('then' // 'when') ‑>> - (het) katoen click to hear ('cotton') - (de) toename click to hear 2 ('increase') - (de) woensdag click to hear ('wednesday') ‑>> - (de) zoen click to hear ('kiss')
OEO  geen boe of bah click to hear 2 ['neither boo nor yuck'] - 'without a word'' Veel gedoe om niks click to hear 'Much ado about nothing'
OEOU  Hoe oud ben je? click to hear 2 3 'How old are you? What is your age?' Hoe oud ben je geworden? click to hear 2 'How old [have you become] are you now?' - Birthday
OEP  - (de) hoepel click to hear ('hoop') - (de) loupe (loep) click to hear ('magnifying glass') - floep! click to hear (exclamation about a quick movement or rapid development) - (de) sloep click to hear 2 3 ('sloop' - small rowboat) - (het) snoep click to hear ('candy') - (het) snoepje click to hear ('piece of candy') - (de) roep click to hear ('call, cry, shout') - roepen click to hear 2 3 ('to call' - by voice) - (de) roeping click to hear 2 3 ('calling, mission, vocation') - (het) beroep click to hear 2 3 4 ('job, occupation') - (de) groep click to hear ('group') - troepen click to hear 2 ('soldiers, military units') - (de) soep click to hear ('soup') - (de) stoep click to hear 2 3 4 ('sidewalk' - "stoop") - (de) Koepoort click to hear ('Cow Gate' - in city wall) - (het) soepvlees click to hear 2 ([soup meat] - 'stew beef')
OER  - oerdom click to hear 2 ('very stupid') - (het) oerwoud click to hear 2 3 ([primeval forest] - 'jungle') - (de) boer click to hear ('farmer') - (de) boerderij click to hear ('farm') - hoera! click to hear 2 ('hurrah, hurray, hooray') - (de) koers click to hear 2 ('course, direction, course') - (de) vloer click to hear ('floor, ~bottom') - loeren click to hear ('to leer') - jaloers click to hear 2 ('jealous') - (de) moer click to hear ('nut' - for bolt) - (het) moeras click to hear ('swamp') - (het) rumoer click to hear 2 3 4 ('hubbub' - many people shouting or muttering) - (het) snoer click to hear 2 ('cable, string') - (het) roer click to hear 2 ('rudder' - ship steering) - (de) broer click to hear 2 ('brother') - (het) broertje click to hear ('little brother') - beroerd click to hear 2 3 ('miserable, sick') - (de) beroerte click to hear 2 ('stroke' - old-fashioned - a more modern word is - (de) hersenbloeding click to hear 2 ('brain-hemorhage') - roeren click to hear 2 3 ('to stir, mix') - (het) roerei click to hear 2 ('scrambled eggs') - roerloos click to hear ('motionless' - living beings) - Roermond click to hear (a town) - Toerkonje click to hear (a town in Belgium - (het) toertje click to hear ('very small trip') - (het) voer click to hear / (het) veevoer click to hear ('feed, fodder' - food for animals) - Woerden click to hear 2 ('a town')
OES  - Does click to hear (a boys' name) - Doesburg click to hear (a town) - Goes click to hear (a town) - (de) hoes click to hear ('cover, sleeve') - (de) hoest click to hear ('cough') - Loesje click to hear 2 (a girls' name) - (de) bloesem click to hear ('bloom, blossom') - (de) moes click to hear ('pulp,' mashed food) - (de) smoes click to hear 2 3 ('fake excuse') - (het) smoesje click to hear ('fake excuse') - (de) poes click to hear ('cat') - (de) roes click to hear ('high,' intoxication) - (de) toeslag click to hear 2 3 ('premium, surcharge, extra payment') - (de) toespraak click to hear 2 ('speech, address') - (de) roest click to hear ('rust') - roestig click to hear 2 3 ('rusty') - Soest click to hear (a town) - (het) toestel click to hear ('machine, apparatus') - (de) woestijn click to hear ('desert')
OET  - Oeteldonk click to hear (Carnival name of the city of Den Bosch click to hear) - (de) boete click to hear ('fine,' money punishment) - Doetinchem click to hear (a town) - (het) koetje click to hear 2 ('little cow') - (de) koets click to hear ('stagecoach') - (de) moet click to hear 2 3 ('dent,' - impression of print in paper) - hij moet click to hear 2 ('he has to, he should') - (de) snoet click to hear ('face' - snout) - (de) poet click to hear 2 3 ('loot' - slang) - (de) poets click to hear 2 ('practical joke, trick') - (het) roet click to hear 2 ('soot') - (de) groet click to hear 2 3 ('greeting') - [(het)] bankroet click to hear 2 ('bankrupt') - (het) toetje click to hear ('dessert') - (de) toets click to hear 2 3 ('key' of keyboard // 'test') - (het) toetsenbord click to hear 2 ('keyboard') - (de) voet click to hear 2 / voeten click to hear 2 ('foot'/'feet') - (het/de) voetbal click to hear ('soccer' // 'soccer ball') - zoet click to hear / zoete click to hear 2 3 / zoet/zoete click to hear 2 ('sweet') - (de) zoetigheid click to hear 2 3 ('sweets, candy'- sweet stuff') - (de) zoetwatervis click to hear ([sweet-] 'freshwater fish') - zoetzuur click to hear 2 3 ('sweet-sour' - pickles taste variety)
OEU  See French OEU - below
OEUI  Hij zie er moe uit click to hear He looks tired
OEV  - (de) rivieroever click to hear ('river bank') - boeven click to hear 2 ('criminals' - often jocular) - (de) hoeveelheid click to hear / hoeveelheden click to hear 2 ('amount'/'amounts') - hoeven click to hear ('hooves' // ‑>>) - droevig click to hear / droevige click to hear ('sad') - (de) steengroeve click to hear ('stone quarry') - proeven click to hear 2 ('to taste' // 'experiments') - schroeven click to hear ('screws' // 'to screw screws') - (het) toeval click to hear ('chance, coincidence') - toevoegen click to hear 2 ('to add') - zoeven click to hear 2 ('~to move quickly, to zoom, swish')
OEW  - hoewel click to hear ('although')
Hoe werkt 't? click to hear 2 How does it work, how does it go, what's the mechanism? Hoe weinig we weten click to hear 2 How little we know
OEY  - Adriaan Boeyens click to hear 2 3 (Adrian VI, the first Dutch pope 1522-23)
OEZ  - (de) boezem click to hear 2 ('bosom') - doezelen click to hear 2 ('to snooze,' half-sleep) - hoezee! click to hear 2 ('hurrah!' - old-fashioned, formal) - hoezo? click to hear 2 3 ('How so? What do you mean?') - (de) jaloezie
click to hear 2 ('envy')
- smoezen click to hear (having informal, often somewhat questionable discussions) - snoezelen click to hear (a sensory stimulation therapy) ‑>> - poezen click to hear 2 3 ('cats')

OE  - oefenen click to hear 2 ('to practice') ‑>> - (de) oefening click to hear 2 ('exercise') ->> - Oegstgeest click to hear 2 (a town) - Oekraïne click to
   hear ('Ukraine') - (de) oen click to hear 2 ('a stupid guy,' a person who habitually acts in a stupid way)
Hij is een oen click to hear He is stupid - oerdom click to hear 2 ('very stupid') - (het) oerwoud click to hear 2 3 ([primeval forest] - 'jungle') - Oeteldonk click to hear (Carnival name of the city of Den Bosch click to hear)
BOE  - (de) boef click to hear 2 / boeven click to hear 2 ('criminal'/'criminals' - often jocular) - (het) boefje click to hear 2 ('naughty boy') - (het) boegeroep click to hear 2 ('booing,' - audience shouting disapproval or contempt) - (de) boei click to hear 2 ('buoy') - boeiend click to hear 2 3 ('fascinating, gripping') - (het) boek click to hear ('book') - (het) boekweit click to hear 2 ('buckwheat') - (de) boekwinkel click to hear 2 3 ('bookstore') - 'n boel click to hear 2 (much, many, a lot') - 'n heleboel click to hear 2 (very much, very many, really a lot') - (de) boenwas click to hear ('polishing wax' for wooden floors) - (de) boer click to hear ('farmer') - (de) boerderij click to hear ('farm') - (de) boerenkaas click to hear (cheese made with raw milk) - (de) boete click to hear ('fine,' money punishment) - (de) boezem click to hear 2 ('bosom')
COE  - Coevorden click to hear 2 (a town - Vancouver, Canada is named after the Englishman George Vancouver whose family originally came from Coevorden - Jan Pieterszoon Coen click to hear 2 (an early governor of the Dutch East Indies)
DOE  - doe! click to hear ('do!') - (de) doedelzak click to hear ('bagpipes') - doe-het-zelf click to hear ('DIY, do-it-yourself') - (de) doek click to hear 2 ('cloth,' piece of fabric) - (de) handdoek click to hear 2 ('towel') - Doeke click to hear (a boys' name) - doel click to hear ('goal, objective') - (de) doelman click to hear ('goalkeeper' - usually the English word 'keeper' is used) - (het) doelpunt click to hear ('goal! // goal scored') - doeltreffend click to hear 2 ([goal-scoring] - 'effective') - (de) doem click to hear ('doom') - doen click to hear 2 3 ('to do') ‑>> - duur doen click to hear 2 ('showing off,' acting as if you're rich or important) - uitdoen click to hear 2 3 ('to turn off' - lights etc. // 'to take off' - clothes) - Does click to hear (a boys' name) - Doesburg click to hear (a town) - Doetinchem click to hear (a town) - doezelen click to hear 2 ('to slumber, half-sleep')
FOE  - (de) foedraal click to hear ('leather bag' for a tool) - foei! click to hear 2 ('bad!' - disapproval) - (de) foelie click to hear ('mace,' a spice)
GOE  - goed click to hear 2 / goede click to hear / goed/goede click to hear ('good, well, correct etc.) ‑>> - goedkoop click to hear 2 3 / goedkope click to hear 2 3 ('cheap, not expensive') ‑>> - Bargoens click to hear 2 ('~slang') ‑>> - Goeie gunst! click to hear 2 ('Good grief!') - goeiemorgen! click to hear 2 ('good morning! - colloquial for - goedemorgen click to hear - also: môhge click to hear 2 3 - goeie reis! click to hear 2 ('have a safe and nice trip!) - colloquial for - goede reis! click to hear - Goeree Overflakkee click to hear (an area in the province of Zuid Holland click to hear 2 - Goes click to hear (a town) - Hugo van der Goes click to hear 2 (a painter, ~1440 - ~1482) - also known as - Hugo van Goes click to hear
HOE  - hoe? click to hear ('how?') ‑>>
Hoe doe je dat? click to hear How do you do that? - (de) hoed click to hear 2 ('hat') ‑>> - (de) vingerhoed click to hear (['finger-hat'] - 'thimble') - (de) voorhoede click to hear 2 3 ('vanguard') ‑>> - (de) achterhoede click to hear 2 ('rearguard') - (de) hoef click to hear / hoeven click to hear ('hoof'/'hooves' - horn on horses' feet) - see also - (het) hoefijzer click to hear 2 ('hoof iron' - horseshoe) - (de) hoefsmid click to hear 2 3 ([hoof smith] - 'farrier') - Hoegaarden click to hear (a town in Belgium and a beer brand) - Hoei click to hear (a town in Belgium) - (de) hoek click to hear ('corner // angle') ‑>> - Hoeks click to hear 2 (a family name) - (de) hoen click to hear ('chicken') - hoepla! click to hear 2 3 (an exclamation) - (de) hoest click to hear ('cough') ‑>> - (de) hoestbui click to hear 2 ('coughing fit') - hoeveel click to hear ('how much, how many?') ‑>> - (de) hoeveelheid click to hear ('amount, quantity') ‑>> - [niet/geen] hoeven click to hear ('don't need, not necessary, don't want, don't have to') ‑>> - hoewel click to hear ('although') ‑>> - hoezo? click to hear 2 3 ('How so? What do you mean?')
IEOE  The I in IOE is pronounced as Consonant-Y, Dutch J in - (het) pensioen click to hear ('pension')
but is more often pronounced as English EE, Dutch Long I, IE: - krioelen click to hear 2 3 ('teeming, swarming, crawling') - (de) kampioen click to hear 2 ('champion') - (de) schorpioen click to hear 2 ('scorpion') - (het) visioen click to hear 2 ('vision')
JOE  - Joegoslavië click to hear - (het) miljoen click to hear 2 ('million')
KOE  (de) koe click to hear / koeien click to hear / koe/koeien click to hear 2 3 ('cow'/'cows' - irregular plural) - (de) koek click to hear 2 ('~cake') - (het) koekje click to hear ('cookie') - (de) kruidkoek click to hear 2 3 ('spice cake') - koel click to hear 2 3 4 5 6 ('cool' - temperature only) - (de) koelkast click to hear ('fridge, refrigerator') - (de) koelte click to hear ('coolth') - Koen click to hear 2 (a boys' name) - (de) Koepoort click to hear ('Cow Gate' - in city wall) - (de) koers click to hear 2 ('course, direction, course') - (de) akoestische gitaar click to hear 2 ('acoustic guitar')
LOE  - Loe (Lou) click to hear (a boys' name) - (het) bloed click to hear ('blood') - (de) bloeddruk click to hear 2 3 ('blood pressure') - (de) bloedgroep click to hear 2 3 ('blood group, blood type') - gloednieuw click to hear 2 3 ([glowing-] 'brand-new') - (de) vloed click to hear ('high tide') - (de) ploeg click to hear ('plow // team') - sloeg click to hear ('slapped, hit' - simple past singular) - vloeibaar click to hear 2 3 ('liquid') - Loek click to hear (a boys' name) - (de) vloek click to hear ('curse') - (de) bloem click to hear 2 3 ('flower' // 'flour') - floep! click to hear (exclamation: something happening quickly) - (de) sloep click to hear 2 3 ('sloop' - small rowboat) - jaloers click to hear 2 ('jealous') - (de) vloer click to hear ('floor, surface') - (de) bloesem click to hear ('bloom, blossom') - Loesje click to hear 2 (a girls' name)
MOE  - moe click to hear 2 3 4 ('tired') ‑>> - (de) moed click to hear ('courage') - (de) armoede click to hear 2 ('poverty') - moedwillig click to hear 2 ('deliberate') - (de) gemoedsrust click to hear 2 3 ('peace of mind') - vermoeid click to hear / vermoeide click to hear ('tired') - (het) rumoer click to hear 2 3 4 ('noise, hubbub, commotion') - moes click to hear ('something mashed') - (de) moestuin click to hear 2 ('vegetables garden, kitchen garden') - hij moet click to hear 2 ('he ~must') ‑>> - (de) mammoet click to hear ('mammoth') - smoezen click to hear (having informal, often somewhat questionable discussions)
NOE  - (de) gnoe click to hear 2 ('gnu,' "wildebeest") - genoeg click to hear ('enough') - knoeien click to hear 2 ('to spill' // 'to swindle, cheat') - (de) snoeischaar click to hear ('pruning clippers') - (de) snoek click to hear 2 ('pike' - a fish) - (de) kornoelje click to hear ('cornel' - a tree) - noemen click to hear 2 ('to call, name') - het noenmaal click to hear ("noon meal" - 'lunch' - very old-fashioned) - (het) snoep click to hear ('candy') - (het) snoer click to hear 2 ('cable, string') - (de) knoest click to hear ('knot' - in wood) - (de) snoet click to hear ('face' - snout)
POE  - "opoe" click to hear 2 ('great- grandmother' - children's language) - [(de)] spoed click to hear ('urgent,' 'urgency') - (de) poedel click to hear 2 ('poodle' - a dog) - (het) poeder click to hear ('powder') - (de) kroepoek click to hear ('deep- fried shrimp crackers - from Malay) - (de) poel click to hear 2 ('puddle') - (de) spoel click to hear 2 3 4 ('spool' - for winding string etc.) - Spoelstra click to hear 2 (a family name) - Swanepoel click to hear (a family name) - (de) poema click to hear ('puma, mountain lion') - (de) poen click to hear ('money' - slang) - (de) harpoen click to hear ('harpoon') - (de) poes click to hear ('cat') - poeslief click to hear 2 3 ('sweet as a cat' - insincere) - poetsen click to hear ('to polish') ‑>> - poezen click to hear 2 3 ('cats')
ROE  - (de) roe click to hear ('rod, a bundle of small twigs' - a punishment instrument) - troebel click to hear ('murky') - (de) gebroeders click to hear 2 ('brothers' - old-fashioned) - (de) wichelroede click to hear ('divining rod') - (de) vroedvrouw click to hear 2 3 ('midwife') - bedroefd click to hear / bedroefde click to hear 2 ('sad, sorrowful') - (de) droefenis click to hear 2 3 ('sadness, distress') - (de) droefheid
click to hear 2 ‑>> ('sorrow,
sadness') - (het) proefwerk click to hear 2 3 ('written test' - in secondary school) - (de) proef click to hear 2 ('experiment') - (het) proefje click to hear 2 ('small experiment,' usually chemistry practice) - (de) schroef click to hear / schroeven click to hear ('screw'/'screws') ‑>> - stroef click to hear ('stiff' - 'with difficulty, not easy' - not lubricated) - (de) kroeg click to hear ('~bar, ~café') - vroeg click to hear / vroege click to hear ('early') - vroeger click to hear ('earlier, sooner' // 'in the past') (de) wroeging click to hear ('remorse, feeling bad about past actions) ‑>> - (de) roeiboot click to hear ('rowboat') - roeien click to hear 2 ('to row') - (de) broeikas click to hear 2 ('hothouse') - (de) groei click to hear 2 ('growth') - groeien click to hear 2 3 ('to grow') - (de) roek click to hear ('rook' - a bird) - (de) broek click to hear 2 ('pants, trousers') - Roel click to hear (a boys' name) - Roelof click to hear (a boys' name) - (de) roem click to hear 2 3 4 ('fame') - beroemd click to hear ('famous') - roemloos click to hear ('inglorious, no fame or renown') - Jeroen click to hear (a boys' name) - (de) citroen click to hear 2 ('lemon') - groen click to hear 2 3 / groene click to hear 2 3 4 ('green') - Groenland click to hear 2 (Greenland) - (de) groente click to hear ('vegetables') ‑>> - (de) roep click to hear ('call, cry, shout') - roepen click to hear 2 3 ('to call' - by voice) - (de) roeping click to hear 2 3 ('calling, mission, vocation') - (het) beroep click to hear 2 3 4 ('job, occupation') ‑>> - (de) groep click to hear ('group') - troepen click to hear 2 ('soldiers, military units') - (het) roer click to hear 2 ('rudder' - ship steering) - (de) broer click to hear 2 ('brother') - beroerd click to hear 2 3 ('miserable, sick') - (de) roes click to hear ('high,' intoxication) - Kroes click to hear 2 (a family name) - (de) roest click to hear ('rust') - roestig click to hear 2 3 ('rusty') - (het) roet click to hear 2 ('soot') - (de) groet click to hear 2 ('greeting') - [(het)] bankroet click to hear 2 ('bankrupt') - proeven click to hear 2 ('to taste' // 'experiments') - (de) beproeving click to hear 2 3 4 ('challenge, test, hardship')
SOE  - (het) fatsoen click to hear ('decency, good manners') - fatsoenlijk click to hear 2 ('decent, according to good manners') - een kop soep click to hear 2 ('a cup of soup') - soepel click to hear 2 3 ('supple, flexible') - Soest click to hear (a town)
SCHOE  - (de) schoen click to hear / schoenen click to hear ('shoe'/'shoes') - (het) schoentje click to hear 2 ('small, little shoe') - (de) schoenmaker click to hear 2 3 ([shoe repairman] - 'cobbler')
TOE  - toe click to hear ('~towards // come on!') - toe nou! click to hear ('come on!') - (de) toegang click to hear 2 3 ('entry, entrance' // 'access') - stoeien click to hear 2 ('pretend-fighting with children) - (de) stoel click to hear ('chair') - toen click to hear 2 3 ('then' // 'when') ‑>> - (het) katoen click to hear ('cotton') - toepassen click to hear 2 3 ('to apply, put into practice') - stoep click to hear 2 ('sidewalk,' "stoop") - (het) toertje click to hear ('very small trip') - (de) toeslag click to hear 2 3 ('premium, surcharge, extra payment') - (de) toespraak click to hear 2 ('speech, address') - (het) toestel click to hear ('machine, apparatus') - (het) toetje click to hear ('dessert') - (de) toets click to hear 2 3 ('key' of keyboard // 'test') - (het) toeval click to hear ('chance, coincidence') - toevallig wel! click to hear 2 ("Just by accident" 'I happen to be right') - (de) toevoer click to hear 2 ('supply, provisioning')
VOE  - ondervoed click to hear 2 3 (underfed, malnourished') - voederen click to hear 2 ('to feed - animals) - (de) voeding click to hear 2 ('nutrition') - (het) voedsel click to hear ('food') - toevoegen click to hear 2 ('to add') - (de) toevoeging click to hear 2 ('addition') - (het) voorvoegsel click to hear 2 ('prefix') - (het) achtervoegsel click to hear 2 3 ('suffix') - voelen click to hear 2 ('to feel') ‑>> - aanvoelen click to hear 2 3 ('to sense,' to notice non-verbally, intuitively) - (het) gevoel click to hear / gevoelens click to hear 2 ('feeling'/'feelings' - irregular plural) - gevoelig click to hear 2 ('sensitive') - (het) voer click to hear / (het) veevoer click to hear ('feed, fodder' - food for animals) - (de) afvoer click to hear 2 ('drain') - (het) vervoer click to hear ('transportation') - (de) woordvoerder click to hear 2 3 4 ('spokesperson') - (de) vervoering click to hear 2 3 ('extasy,' "transport") - (de) voet click to hear 2 / voeten click to hear 2 ('foot'/'feet') - stapvoets click to hear 2 3 ('step-by-step, slow, measured')
WOE  - (de) woede click to hear 2 ('anger') - woedend click to hear 2 3 ('very angry') - woelen click to hear 2 ('to toss, turn about' // 'to churn, turn up' - soil) - (de) woelwater click to hear 2 ('fidget,' hyperactive child or person) - (de) woensdag click to hear ('wednesday') ‑>> - Woensdrecht click to hear 2 (a town) - Woerden click to hear 2 ('a town') - (de) woestijn click to hear ('desert') - zwoel click to hear 2 / zwoele click to hear / zwoel/zwoele click to hear 2 ('sultry, sensual')
- zweren / zwoer / gezworen click to hear
('to swear / swore / sworn')
ZOE  - zoek click to hear 2 ('gone, lost, not to be found, missing') - zoeken click to hear 2 ('to search, to seek') ‑>> - (het) aanzoek click to hear ('marriage proposal') ‑>> - (het) bezoek click to hear 2 ('company' - one or more visitors) ‑>> - opzoeken click to hear ('to look up things, search for information' // 'to look up people, to visit') - (het) onderzoek click to hear 2 ('examination, investigation, research') - (het) verzoek click to hear 2 ('request') - (de) zoen click to hear ('kiss') - (het) seizoen click to hear ('season') ‑>> - zoet click to hear / zoete click to hear 2 3 / zoet/zoete click to hear 2 ('sweet')

French OU

There are many words in Dutch from French, with an OU that sounds like Dutch OE click to hear and sometimes a French G ‑>> or other French letters
- (de) blouse click to hear ('shirt') - (de) bougie click to hear ('spark plug') - (de) bouillon click to hear 2 ('broth') - (het) bouillonblokje click to hear 2 ('beef cube') - Ze zijn gebrouilleerd click to hear 2 3 ('They are not on good terms, they're not speaking to each other' - posh) - coupletten click to hear ('verses' - songs, poetry) - (de) coureur click to hear ('race car driver, motorcycle racer') - (de) courgette click to hear ('zucchini') - (de) douche click to hear ('shower' - washing') - ik douche click to hear 2 ('I'm taking a shower') - fouilleren click to hear 2 ('to frisk, pat down, body-search') - (de) gouache click to hear ('gouache') -(de) gouverneur click to hear ('governor') - (het) journaal click to hear ('TV News') ‑>> - (de) journalist click to hear 2 ('reporter') - Louis click to hear (boys' name) - (de) loupe click to hear ('small magnifying glass') - (de/het) rouge click to hear ('make-up item, red') - (de) route click to hear ('route, way, course') - (de) routine click to hear ('routine, habit') - (de) souffleur click to hear ('stage whisperer') - (de) tournee click to hear 2 ('tour' - by performers or sports people) - (het) tournooi click to hear 2 ('tournament' also written as 'toernooi') - (de) troubadour click to hear 2 ('troubadour, minstrel') - (de) zouaaf click to hear ('zouave' - Papal soldier) - zouaven click to hear ('zouaves')

Greek OE

OE in words from Greek is in Dutch pronounced as Dutch EU click to hear
- (het) oedeem click to hear ('edema, oedema,' water retention) - oecumenisch click to hear 2 3 ('ecumenical') - Oedipus click to hear 2 3 (Greek mythological figure - 'U' is pronounced as OO, Dutch OE click to hear) - oedipaal click to hear ('like Oedipus')

French OEU

Frech OEU is pronounced much like 'voiceless E' or Dutch short U click to hear but longer: - (het) oeuvre click to hear ('an artist's works' - manoeuvre click to hear 2 ('maneuver, strategic move') - but in the Dutchified verb manoeuvreren click to hear 2 ('to maneuver') the OEU is pronounced as OO (Dutch OE click to hear)

Compared with the Other Vowels and Diphthongs

(from the Hear the Vowels and Diphthongs next to Each Other page)

A click to hear - hoe lang? click to hear 2 3 ('how long?') - hoektand click to hear 2 3 ('[corner tooth] incisor') - broeikas click to hear 2 ('hothouse' - heated greenhouse) - moeras click to hear ('swamp') - woensdag click to hear ('Wednesday')
- dagboek click to hear ('diary') - stapvoets click to hear 2 3 ('step-by-step, slow, measured') - bankschroef click to hear ('vise') - kalkoen click to hear 2 ('turkey') - lakmoes click to hear 2 ('litmus')
AA click to hear - toestaan click to hear 2 ('to allow, permit') - toespraak click to hear 2 ('speech, formal address to an audience') - hoera! click to hear 2 ('hurrah, hurray, hooray') - bloedblaar click to hear 2 3 ('blood blister') - hoepla! click to hear 2 3 ('an exclamation')
- nadoen click to hear 2 3 ('to imitate') - aanzoek click to hear ('marriage proposal')
E click to hear - proefwerk click to hear 2 3 ('written test in elementary and secondary school') - hoe ver? click to hear ('how far?') - bloemperk click to hear 2 3 ('[flower area] flowerbed') - toestel click to hear ('machine, apparatus, gear') - hoewel click to hear ('although')
- zwembroek click to hear 2 ('swimming trunks (men)') - pensioen click to hear ('pension')
EE click to hear - soepvlees click to hear 2 ('[soup meat] stew beef') - schoensmeer click to hear 2 ('shoe cream, shoe polish') - hoezee! click to hear 2 ('hurrah! - old-fashioned)
- preekstoel click to hear ([preaching, sermon chair] - 'pulpit') - veevoer click to hear ('fodder, animal feed') - smeerpoets click to hear 2 3 ('a person who's always dirty')
E-uh click to hear - noemen click to hear 2 ('to call,' give a name // 'to mention, name') - groeten click to hear ('greetings // to greet') - groente click to hear ('vegetables') - moeder click to hear ('mother') - voedsel click to hear ('food')
- beroep click to hear 2 3 ('occupation, profession, job') - gedoe click to hear 2 ('hassle, fuss, trouble,' "ado") - 'n boel click to hear 2 ('a lot, a large amount of') - beroemd click to hear ('famous') - verzoek click to hear 2 ('request') - genoeg click to hear ('enough')
I click to hear - proefschrift click to hear 2 ('PhD thesis') - roeping click to hear 2 ('calling' - to an important task) - hoefsmid click to hear 2 3 ('farrier,' installer of horseshoes)
- plicht roept click to hear 2 3 ('duty calls') - gifgroen click to hear 2 3 4 5 ([poison green] - 'very bright green') - miljoen click to hear 2 ('(a) million')
IE click to hear - poeslief click to hear 2 3 ('sweet 'as a cat' - insincere') - foelie click to hear ('mace - a spice) - koetsier click to hear ('coachman, horse carriage driver')
- citroen click to hear 2 ('lemon') - niet goed click to hear 2 3 ('not good, not well, bad')
O click to hear - voetvolk click to hear 2 3 ('[foot people] foot soldiers') - oerdom click to hear 2 ('very stupid') - stofdoek click to hear 2 ('dusting cloth, dusting rag') - kom soep click to hear 2 3 ('a bowl of soup')
OO click to hear - goed zo! click to hear 2 3 ('well done!' // 'Serves them right!') - hoezo? click to hear 2 3 ('[how so?] What do you mean?') - bloemkool click to hear 2 ('cauliflower') - roerloos click to hear ('motionless') - goedkoop click to hear 2 ('inexpensive, cheap')
- voordoen click to hear 2 ('to show, demonstrate something') - kookboek click to hear ('cookbook')
U click to hear - (de) bloeddruk click to hear 2 3 ('blood pressure') - (het) doelpunt click to hear ('goal! // goal scored')
- (de) drukproef click to hear 2 3 ('galley,' test run of print)
UU click to hear - zoetzuur click to hear 2 3 ('sweet-and-sour,' a taste of for instance pickles)
- (het) rumoer click to hear 2 3 4 ('hubbub' - many people shouting or muttering) - duur doen click to hear 2 ('showing off,' acting as if you're rich or important)
AU/OU click to hear - (het) oerwoud click to hear 2 3 ('[primeval forest] jungle') - toe nou! click to hear ('come on!') - (de) vroedvrouw click to hear 2 3 ('midwife') - (de) rouwstoet click to hear 2 3 ('[mourning] funeral procession')
EI/IJ click to hear - woestijn click to hear ('desert') - roerei click to hear 2 ('[stir- egg] scrambled eggs') - boekweit click to hear 2 ('buckwheat') - proeftijd click to hear 2 3 ('trial period') - zoek zijn click to hear 2 3 ('to be gone, lost, cannot be found')
- seizoen click to hear ('season') - mijn boek click to hear 2 ('my book') - hij vroeg click to hear 2 3 ('he asked')
EU click to hear - (de) bloedneus click to hear 2 ('nosebleed')
- (het) kleurboek click to hear 2 ('coloring book')
UI click to hear - (de) hoestbui click to hear 2 ('coughing fit') - (de) moestuin click to hear 2 ('vegetables garden, kitchen garden')
- (de) kruidkoek click to hear 2 3 ('~spice cake') - uitdoen click to hear 2 3 (1. 'to turn off' - lights etc. 2. 'to take off' - clothes)

Major Exceptions to the Phonetic Spelling of Dutch:
- Page 1:   een   -IG   -ISCH   -LIJK  
- Page 2:   -B   -D   SCHR   -TIE   UW   WR

Hear the Dutch Letters in Hundreds of Words:
 AU/OU  CH  E  EI/IJ  EU  F  G  H  L  OE  SCH  U  UI  W  X  Y

'Master Lists' of Dutch words: Dutch to English - English to Dutch

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Gij zult niet stelen click to hear 'Thou shalt not steal'