Frysk
West Frisian
Germanic
West Frisian (Frysk) is the closest living relative of English among continental Germanic languages, sharing the Anglo-Frisian *k-palatalisation (cf. tsiis/cheese, tsjerke/church). Spoken by ~470K in Friesland province of the Netherlands and co-official with Dutch since 1956. The 1951 Kneppelfreed ("Truncheon Friday") riot in Leeuwarden led to courtroom and education-language rights. Modern standardized orthography established 1980; rich saga and lyric tradition since the medieval Old Frisian period.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in West Frisian
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Germanic
| Meaning | West Frisian | Saterland Frisian | Belgian Dutch | Dutch | Low German | North Frisian | Limburgish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | wetter /vɛtər/ | Woater /ˈvɔːtər/ | water /waːtər/ | water /ʋaːtər/ | Water /vɑːtɐ/ | wååder /ˈvɔːdɐ/ | water /vatər/ |
| Fire | fjoer /fjuːr/ | Fjuur /fjuːr/ | vuur /vyːr/ | vuur /vyːr/ | Füer /fyːɐ/ | iilj /iːlʲ/ | vuur /vyːr/ |
| Sun | sinne /sɪnə/ | Sunne /ˈsʊnə/ | zon /zɔn/ | zon /zɔn/ | Sünn /zʏn/ | san /san/ | zón /zɔn/ |
| Moon | moanne /mwɑnə/ | Moune /ˈmoːu̯nə/ | maan /maːn/ | maan /maːn/ | Maan /maːn/ | moune /ˈmɔʊ̯nə/ | maon /maːʊn/ |
| Star | stjer /stjɛr/ | Stiern /stiərn/ | ster /stɛr/ | ster /stɛr/ | Steern /steːrn/ | steer /steːr/ | sjter /ʃtɛr/ |
| Night | nacht /nɔxt/ | Noacht /nɔːxt/ | nacht /nɑxt/ | nacht /nɑxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | nåcht /nɔxt/ | nach /nax/ |
| Rain | rein /rɛin/ | Rien /rin/ | regen /ˈreːɣən/ | regen /ˈreːɣən/ | Regen /ˈreːɡn̩/ | rin /rin/ | Rään /rɛːn/ |
| Snow | snie /sniə/ | Snee /sneː/ | sneeuw /sneːw/ | sneeuw /sneːw/ | Snee /sneː/ | snii /sniː/ | sjnee /ʃneː/ |
| Wind | wyn /vin/ | Wíend /viːnd/ | wind /wɪnt/ | wind /ʋɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | win /vɪn/ | wind /vɪnt/ |
| Earth | ierde /ˈiədə/ | Äide /ˈɛɪ̯də/ | aarde /ˈaːrdə/ | aarde /ˈaːrdə/ | Eer /eːɐ/ | jard /jard/ | eerd /eːrt/ |
| Stone | stien /stiən/ | Steen /steːn/ | steen /steːn/ | steen /steːn/ | Steen /steːn/ | stiinj /stiːɲ/ | steen /steːn/ |
| Mountain | berch /bɛrx/ | Bierich /ˈbiːrɪx/ | berg /bɛrx/ | berg /bɛrx/ | Barg /barx/ | bärj /bɛrj/ | berg /ˈbɛrəç/ |
| Sea | see /seː/ | See /seː/ | zee /zeː/ | zee /zeː/ | See /zeː/ | siie /ˈsiːə/ | zieë /ziə/ |
| Mother | mem /mɛm/ | Mäme /ˈmɛːmə/ | moeder /mudər/ | moeder /mudər/ | Moder /moːdɐ/ | mam /mam/ | mam /mam/ |
| Father | heit /hɛit/ | Babe /ˈbaːbə/ | vader /vaːdər/ | vader /vaːdər/ | Vader /fɑːdɐ/ | taatje /ˈtaːtʲə/ | pap /pap/ |
| Daughter | dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ | Dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ | dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ | dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ | Dochter /dɔxtɐ/ | doochter /ˈdoːxtər/ | dochter /dɔxtər/ |
| I | ik /ɪk/ | iek /ik/ | ik /ɪk/ | ik /ɪk/ | ik /ɪk/ | ik /ɪk/ | ich /ɪç/ |
| You | do /do/ | du /du/ | gij /ɣɛi/ | jij /jɛi/ | du /duː/ | dü /dʏ/ | doe /du/ |
| We | wy /vi/ | wie /vi/ | wij /wɛi/ | wij /ʋɛi/ | wi /viː/ | we /ve/ | veer /veːr/ |
| Name | namme /ˈnamə/ | Noome /ˈnoːmə/ | naam /naːm/ | naam /naːm/ | Naam /naːm/ | noome /ˈnoːmə/ | naam /naːm/ |
| Person | minske /ˈmɪnskə/ | Moanske /ˈmɔːnskə/ | mens /mɛns/ | mens /mɛns/ | Minsch /mɪnʃ/ | minsk /mɪnsk/ | Minsch /minʃ/ |
| Head | holle /ˈhɔlə/ | Haud /haːu̯d/ | hoofd /ɦoːft/ | hoofd /ɦoːft/ | Kopp /kɔp/ | hood /hoːd/ | kop /kɔp/ |
| Eye | each /ɪəx/ | Oge /ˈoːɣə/ | oog /oːx/ | oog /oːx/ | Oog /oːx/ | uug /uːx/ | oug /ɔux/ |
| Ear | ear /iər/ | Oor /oːr/ | oor /oːr/ | oor /oːr/ | Ohr /oːr/ | uur /ˈuːɐ̯/ | oear /uər/ |
| Nose | noas /noːs/ | Noose /ˈnoːzə/ | neus /nøːs/ | neus /nøːs/ | Nees /neːs/ | noos /noːs/ | naas /naːs/ |
| Mouth | mûle /ˈmuːlə/ | Muule /ˈmuːlə/ | mond /mɔnt/ | mond /mɔnt/ | Muul /muːl/ | müs /myːs/ | móndj /mʊɲɟ/ |
| Tooth | tosk /tosk/ | Tusk /tʊsk/ | tand /tɑnt/ | tand /tɑnt/ | Tähn /tɛːn/ | täis /tɛɪ̯s/ | tandj /tantʃ/ |
| Tongue | tonge /ˈtɔŋə/ | Tunge /ˈtʊŋə/ | tong /tɔŋ/ | tong /tɔŋ/ | Tung /tʊŋ/ | Tung /tʊŋ/ | tóng /tɔŋ/ |
| Hand | hân /hɔːn/ | Hounde /ˈhoːu̯ndə/ | hand /ɦɑnt/ | hand /ɦɑnt/ | Hand /hant/ | hönj /hœɲ/ | handj /hanʲ/ |
| Foot | foet /fuə̯t/ | Fout /foːu̯t/ | voet /vut/ | voet /vut/ | Foot /fɔʊ̯t/ | fötj /føtj/ | voot /voːt/ |
| Heart | hert /hɛrt/ | Haat /haːt/ | hart /ɦɑrt/ | hart /ɦɑrt/ | Hart /haɐt/ | hart /hart/ | hart /hart/ |
| Bone | bonke /ˈbɔŋkə/ | Bunke /ˈbʊŋkə/ | bot /bɔt/ | bot /bɔt/ | Knaken /ˈknaːkən/ | knooke /ˈknoːkə/ | knaok /knɔːk/ |
| Blood | bloed /blut/ | Bloud /bloːu̯d/ | bloed /blut/ | bloed /blut/ | Bloot /bloːt/ | blödj /blœdʲ/ | blood /bloːt/ |
| Poop | kak /kɑk/ | Skiet /skiːt/ | poep /pup/ | poep /pup/ | Schiet /ʃiːt/ | schit /ʃɪt/ | poep /pup/ |
| Love | leafde /lɪəfdə/ | Ljoowe /ˈljoːvə/ | liefde /lifdə/ | liefde /lifdə/ | Leev /leːf/ | liiwde /ˈliːwdə/ | leefde /leːfdə/ |
| Tree | beam /bɪəm/ | Boom /boːm/ | boom /boːm/ | boom /boːm/ | Boom /boːm/ | buum /buːm/ | boum /bʌʊm/ |
| Dog | hûn /huːn/ | Huund /huːnd/ | hond /ɦɔnt/ | hond /ɦɔnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | hün /hʏn/ | hóndj /hɔnʲ/ |
| Cat | kat /kɑt/ | Kat /kat/ | kat /kɑt/ | kat /kɑt/ | Katt /kat/ | kåt /kɔt/ | kat /kat/ |
| Fish | fisk /fɪsk/ | Fisk /fɪsk/ | vis /vɪs/ | vis /vɪs/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | fasch /faʃ/ | vis /vɪs/ |
| Bird | fûgel /ˈfuːɡəl/ | Fugel /ˈfuːɣəl/ | vogel /ˈvoːɣəl/ | vogel /ˈvoːɣəl/ | Vagel /ˈfaːɣəl/ | föögel /ˈføːɡəl/ | veugel /ˈvøːɣəl/ |
| Butterfly | flinter /ˈflɪntər/ | Flitterke /ˈflɪtərkə/ | vlinder /ˈvlɪndər/ | vlinder /ˈvlɪndər/ | Sommervagel /ˈzɔmɐfaːɣəl/ | flenerk /ˈflenərk/ | kapel /kaˈpɛl/ |
| Egg | aai /aːi/ | Oai /ɔːɪ̯/ | ei /ɛi/ | ei /ɛi/ | Ei /ai/ | oi /ɔi̯/ | ei /ɛi/ |
| Bear | bear /bɪər/ | Boar /bɔːr/ | beer /beːr/ | beer /beːr/ | Boor /boːr/ | Beer /beːr/ | beer /beːr/ |
| Horse | hynder /ˈhindər/ | Houngst /hoːu̯ŋst/ | paard /paːrt/ | paard /paːrt/ | Peerd /peːrt/ | haingst /haɪ̯ŋst/ | Péërt /peə̯rt/ |
| House | hûs /huːs/ | Huus /huːs/ | huis /ɦœys/ | huis /ɦœʏs/ | Huus /huːs/ | hüs /hyːs/ | hoes /huːs/ |
| Milk | molke /ˈmolkə/ | Molk /molk/ | melk /mɛlk/ | melk /mɛlk/ | Melk /mɛlk/ | molke /ˈmɔlkə/ | melk /mɛlk/ |
| Honey | huning /ˈhynɪŋ/ | Huunich /ˈhuːnɪx/ | honing /ˈɦoːnɪŋ/ | honing /ˈɦoːnɪŋ/ | Honnig /ˈhɔnɪç/ | honning /ˈhɔnɪŋ/ | honing /ˈhoːnɪŋ/ |
| Salt | sâlt /sɔːlt/ | Soalt /sɔːlt/ | zout /zɔut/ | zout /zʌut/ | Solt /zɔlt/ | sålt /sɔlt/ | zout /zɔut/ |
| Wine | wyn /viːn/ | Wien /vin/ | wijn /wɛin/ | wijn /ʋɛin/ | Wien /viːn/ | win /vɪn/ | wien /ʋiːn/ |
| Rice | rys /ris/ | Ries /riːs/ | rijst /rɛist/ | rijst /rɛist/ | Ries /riːs/ | ris /rɪs/ | ries /riːs/ |
| Chocolate | sûkelade /suːkəˈlaːdə/ | Sukkeloade /sʊkəˈlɔːdə/ | chocolade /ʃoːkoːˈlaːdə/ | chocolade /ʃoːkoːˈlaːdə/ | Schokolaad /ʃokoˈlaːt/ | sakelaad /sakəˈlaːd/ | sjoekelaat /ʃukəˈlaːt/ |
| Iron | izer /ˈiːzər/ | Iersen /ˈiəzn̩/ | ijzer /ˈɛizər/ | ijzer /ˈɛizər/ | Iesen /ˈiːzn̩/ | iisen /ˈiːsən/ | iezer /ˈiːzər/ |
| Wheel | tsjil /tsjɪl/ | Jool /juːl/ | wiel /wiːl/ | wiel /ʋiːl/ | Rad /raːt/ | fiilj /fiːlʲ/ | wiel /ʋiːl/ |
| Silk | side /ˈsidə/ | — /—/ | zijde /ˈzɛidə/ | zijde /ˈzɛidə/ | Sied /ziː/ | siisen /ˈsiːsən/ | ziej /ziː/ |
| Book | boek /buk/ | Bouk /boːu̯k/ | boek /buk/ | boek /buk/ | Book /boːk/ | bök /bøk/ | book /boːk/ |
| Eat | ite /iːtə/ | iete /ˈitə/ | eten /eːtən/ | eten /eːtə/ | eten /eːtn̩/ | ääse /ˈɛːzə/ | ete /eːtə/ |
| Drink | drinke /drɪŋkə/ | drinke /ˈdrɪŋkə/ | drinken /drɪŋkən/ | drinken /drɪŋkə/ | drinken /drɪŋkn̩/ | drainke /ˈdraɪ̯ŋkə/ | drinke /drɪŋkə/ |
| Sleep | sliepe /ˈsliəpə/ | släipe /ˈslɛɪpə/ | slapen /ˈslaːpən/ | slapen /ˈslaːpə/ | slapen /ˈslaːpn̩/ | släipe /ˈslɛɪ̯pʰə/ | slaope /ˈslɔːpə/ |
| One | ien /iːn/ | aan /aːn/ | een /eːn/ | een /eːn/ | een /eːn/ | ån /ɔn/ | eine /ɛɪnə/ |
| Two | twa /twa/ | twäin /tvɛɪ̯n/ | twee /tweː/ | twee /tʋeː/ | twee /tveː/ | tou /tɔʊ̯/ | twee /tweː/ |
| Three | trije /ˈtrijə/ | trjo /trjɔ/ | drie /driː/ | drie /driː/ | dree /dreː/ | trii /triː/ | drie /driː/ |
| Four | fjouwer /ˈfjɔuər/ | fjauer /ˈfjaːu̯ər/ | vier /viːr/ | vier /viːr/ | veer /feːɐ̯/ | fjouer /ˈfçɔʊ̯ɐ/ | veer /veːr/ |
| Five | fiif /fiːf/ | fieuw /fiu̯/ | vijf /vɛif/ | vijf /vɛif/ | fief /fiːf/ | fiiw /fiːv/ | vief /viːf/ |
| Hundred | hûndert /ˈhuːndərt/ | hunnert /ˈhʊnərd/ | honderd /ˈɦɔndərt/ | honderd /ˈɦɔndərt/ | hunnert /ˈhʊnɐt/ | hunert /ˈhʊnɐt/ | hóndert /ˈhɔndərt/ |
| Hello | hoi /hɔi/ | Moin /mɔy̯n/ | hallo /ɦɑloː/ | hallo /ɦɑloː/ | Moin /mɔɪn/ | moin /mɔin/ | hallo /halo/ |
| Thank you | tankewol /tɑŋkəvɔl/ | Tonk /tɔŋk/ | dank je /dɑŋk jə/ | dank je /dɑŋk jə/ | Dankschöön /daŋkʃøːn/ | toonk /toːŋk/ | merci /mɛrsi/ |
| Good | goed /ɡuət/ | goud /ɣoːu̯d/ | goed /ɣut/ | goed /ɣut/ | goot /ɡoːt/ | gödj /ɡœdʲ/ | good /ɡoːt/ |
| New | nij /nɛi/ | näi /nɛɪ̯/ | nieuw /niːw/ | nieuw /niːw/ | nee /neː/ | nai /naɪ̯/ | nuuj /nyːj/ |
| Red | read /rɪət/ | rood /roːd/ | rood /roːt/ | rood /roːt/ | root /roːt/ | rüüdj /ryːdʲ/ | road /roːt/ |
| White | wyt /viːt/ | wiet /vit/ | wit /wɪt/ | wit /ʋɪt/ | witt /vɪt/ | wit /vɪt/ | wit /ʋɪt/ |
| Black | swart /svart/ | swot /svɔt/ | zwart /zwɑrt/ | zwart /zʋɑrt/ | swart /svart/ | suurt /suːrt/ | zwart /zʋart/ |
| Green | grien /ɡriən/ | gräin /ɣrɛɪ̯n/ | groen /ɣrun/ | groen /ɣrun/ | gröön /ɡrøːn/ | gräin /ɡrɛɪ̯n/ | greun /ɡrøːn/ |
| Blue | blau /blau/ | blau /blaːu̯/ | blauw /blɑu/ | blauw /blɑu̯/ | blau /blaʊ/ | ween /veːn/ | blauw /blɑu/ |
| Cuckoo | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ | Kukuuk /ˈkukuk/ | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ | Kukuk /ˈkuːkuk/ | Kukütj /kuˈkytj/ | kókkók /ˈkoːkoːk/ |
| Computer | kompjûter /kɔmˈpjuːtər/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtər/ | computer /kɔmˈpjutər/ | computer /kɔmˈpjutər/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtɐ/ | kompjuuter /kɔmˈpjuːtər/ | computer /kɔmˈpjuːtər/ |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | — | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | Sushi /ˈzuʃi/ | — | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ |
| Tea | tee /teː/ | Tee /teː/ | thee /teː/ | thee /teː/ | Tee /teː/ | — | tei /tɛi/ |
| Coffee | kofje /ˈkɔfjə/ | Koafje /ˈkɔːfjə/ | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | Koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | kafe /ˈkafə/ | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ |
| Sugar | sûker /ˈsuːkər/ | Sukker /ˈsʊkər/ | suiker /ˈsœykər/ | suiker /ˈsœʏkər/ | Sucker /ˈzʊkɐ/ | — | sókker /ˈsɔkər/ |
| Orange | sinesappel /ˈsinəsɑpəl/ | — | sinaasappel /ˈsinɑsɑpəl/ | sinaasappel /ˈsinɑsɑpəl/ | Apelsien /apəlˈziːn/ | — | sinaasappel /ˈsinaːsapəl/ |
| Dopamine | dopamine /doːpaˈminə/ | — | dopamine /doːpaˈminə/ | dopamine /doːpaˈminə/ | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | — | dopamine /doːpaˈminə/ |
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