Nederlands
Dutch
Germanic
Dutch (Nederlands) is a West Germanic language with ~25M speakers — official in the Netherlands, Belgium (Flanders), Suriname, and the Dutch Caribbean (Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten). Historical ancestor of Afrikaans (South Africa). Sister to German and English (West Germanic) but more conservative than English. Standard Dutch (Algemeen Beschaafd Nederlands, ABN) developed 19c. Distinguished from German by lack of Second Sound Shift (water vs Wasser). Spelling reformed 1995 (Groene Boekje). Notable for grammatical gender simplified to two (common/neuter), V2 word order, separable verbs.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Dutch
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Germanic
| Meaning | Dutch | Belgian Dutch | West Flemish | Afrikaans | Limburgish | Low German | West Frisian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | water /ʋaːtər/ | water /waːtər/ | woater /ˈwɔːtər/ | water /vɑːtər/ | water /vatər/ | Water /vɑːtɐ/ | wetter /vɛtər/ |
| Fire | vuur /vyːr/ | vuur /vyːr/ | vier /viːr/ | vuur /fyːr/ | vuur /vyːr/ | Füer /fyːɐ/ | fjoer /fjuːr/ |
| Sun | zon /zɔn/ | zon /zɔn/ | zunne /ˈzœnə/ | son /sɔn/ | zón /zɔn/ | Sünn /zʏn/ | sinne /sɪnə/ |
| Moon | maan /maːn/ | maan /maːn/ | moane /ˈmɔːnə/ | maan /mɑːn/ | maon /maːʊn/ | Maan /maːn/ | moanne /mwɑnə/ |
| Star | ster /stɛr/ | ster /stɛr/ | sterre /ˈstærə/ | ster /stɛr/ | sjter /ʃtɛr/ | Steern /steːrn/ | stjer /stjɛr/ |
| Night | nacht /nɑxt/ | nacht /nɑxt/ | nacht /nɑxt/ | nag /nax/ | nach /nax/ | Nacht /naxt/ | nacht /nɔxt/ |
| Rain | regen /ˈreːɣən/ | regen /ˈreːɣən/ | regen /ˈreːhən/ | reën /ˈrɪən/ | Rään /rɛːn/ | Regen /ˈreːɡn̩/ | rein /rɛin/ |
| Snow | sneeuw /sneːw/ | sneeuw /sneːw/ | snêeuw /sneːw/ | sneeu /snɪu/ | sjnee /ʃneː/ | Snee /sneː/ | snie /sniə/ |
| Wind | wind /ʋɪnt/ | wind /wɪnt/ | wind /wɪnt/ | wind /vəint/ | wind /vɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | wyn /vin/ |
| Earth | aarde /ˈaːrdə/ | aarde /ˈaːrdə/ | eirde /ˈeːrdə/ | aarde /ˈɑːrdə/ | eerd /eːrt/ | Eer /eːɐ/ | ierde /ˈiədə/ |
| Stone | steen /steːn/ | steen /steːn/ | steen /steːn/ | klip /klip/ | steen /steːn/ | Steen /steːn/ | stien /stiən/ |
| Mountain | berg /bɛrx/ | berg /bɛrx/ | berg /bɛrx/ | berg /bɛrx/ | berg /ˈbɛrəç/ | Barg /barx/ | berch /bɛrx/ |
| Sea | zee /zeː/ | zee /zeː/ | zêe /zeː/ | see /sɪə/ | zieë /ziə/ | See /zeː/ | see /seː/ |
| Mother | moeder /mudər/ | moeder /mudər/ | moeder /ˈmudər/ | moeder /ˈmudər/ | mam /mam/ | Moder /moːdɐ/ | mem /mɛm/ |
| Father | vader /vaːdər/ | vader /vaːdər/ | voader /ˈvɔːdər/ | vader /ˈfɑːdər/ | pap /pap/ | Vader /fɑːdɐ/ | heit /hɛit/ |
| Daughter | dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ | dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ | dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ | dogter /ˈdɔxtər/ | dochter /dɔxtər/ | Dochter /dɔxtɐ/ | dochter /ˈdɔxtər/ |
| I | ik /ɪk/ | ik /ɪk/ | ik /ɛk/ | ek /ɛk/ | ich /ɪç/ | ik /ɪk/ | ik /ɪk/ |
| You | jij /jɛi/ | gij /ɣɛi/ | gie /hi/ | jy /jəi/ | doe /du/ | du /duː/ | do /do/ |
| We | wij /ʋɛi/ | wij /wɛi/ | wieder /ˈwidər/ | ons /ɔns/ | veer /veːr/ | wi /viː/ | wy /vi/ |
| Name | naam /naːm/ | naam /naːm/ | noame /ˈnɔːmə/ | naam /nɑːm/ | naam /naːm/ | Naam /naːm/ | namme /ˈnamə/ |
| Person | mens /mɛns/ | mens /mɛns/ | — | mens /mɛns/ | Minsch /minʃ/ | Minsch /mɪnʃ/ | minske /ˈmɪnskə/ |
| Head | hoofd /ɦoːft/ | hoofd /ɦoːft/ | kop /kɔp/ | kop /kɔp/ | kop /kɔp/ | Kopp /kɔp/ | holle /ˈhɔlə/ |
| Eye | oog /oːx/ | oog /oːx/ | ooge /ˈoːhə/ | oog /oːx/ | oug /ɔux/ | Oog /oːx/ | each /ɪəx/ |
| Ear | oor /oːr/ | oor /oːr/ | oor /oːr/ | oor /uər/ | oear /uər/ | Ohr /oːr/ | ear /iər/ |
| Nose | neus /nøːs/ | neus /nøːs/ | neuze /ˈnøːzə/ | neus /nɪəs/ | naas /naːs/ | Nees /neːs/ | noas /noːs/ |
| Mouth | mond /mɔnt/ | mond /mɔnt/ | mound /mont/ | mond /mɔnt/ | móndj /mʊɲɟ/ | Muul /muːl/ | mûle /ˈmuːlə/ |
| Tooth | tand /tɑnt/ | tand /tɑnt/ | tand /tɑnt/ | tand /tant/ | tandj /tantʃ/ | Tähn /tɛːn/ | tosk /tosk/ |
| Tongue | tong /tɔŋ/ | tong /tɔŋ/ | toenge /ˈtuŋə/ | tong /tɔŋ/ | tóng /tɔŋ/ | Tung /tʊŋ/ | tonge /ˈtɔŋə/ |
| Hand | hand /ɦɑnt/ | hand /ɦɑnt/ | and /ɑnt/ | hand /ɦant/ | handj /hanʲ/ | Hand /hant/ | hân /hɔːn/ |
| Foot | voet /vut/ | voet /vut/ | voet /vut/ | voet /fut/ | voot /voːt/ | Foot /fɔʊ̯t/ | foet /fuə̯t/ |
| Heart | hart /ɦɑrt/ | hart /ɦɑrt/ | erte /ˈærtə/ | hart /ɦart/ | hart /hart/ | Hart /haɐt/ | hert /hɛrt/ |
| Bone | bot /bɔt/ | bot /bɔt/ | been /bɛːn/ | been /bɪən/ | knaok /knɔːk/ | Knaken /ˈknaːkən/ | bonke /ˈbɔŋkə/ |
| Blood | bloed /blut/ | bloed /blut/ | bloed /blut/ | bloed /blut/ | blood /bloːt/ | Bloot /bloːt/ | bloed /blut/ |
| Poop | poep /pup/ | poep /pup/ | — | poep /puəp/ | poep /pup/ | Schiet /ʃiːt/ | kak /kɑk/ |
| Love | liefde /lifdə/ | liefde /lifdə/ | liefde /ˈliːvdə/ | liefde /ˈlifdə/ | leefde /leːfdə/ | Leev /leːf/ | leafde /lɪəfdə/ |
| Tree | boom /boːm/ | boom /boːm/ | boom /boːm/ | boom /boːm/ | boum /bʌʊm/ | Boom /boːm/ | beam /bɪəm/ |
| Dog | hond /ɦɔnt/ | hond /ɦɔnt/ | hound /hont/ | hond /ɦɔnt/ | hóndj /hɔnʲ/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | hûn /huːn/ |
| Cat | kat /kɑt/ | kat /kɑt/ | katte /ˈkɑtə/ | kat /kat/ | kat /kat/ | Katt /kat/ | kat /kɑt/ |
| Fish | vis /vɪs/ | vis /vɪs/ | vis /vɪs/ | vis /fəs/ | vis /vɪs/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | fisk /fɪsk/ |
| Bird | vogel /ˈvoːɣəl/ | vogel /ˈvoːɣəl/ | veugel /vøːhəl/ | voël /fuəl/ | veugel /ˈvøːɣəl/ | Vagel /ˈfaːɣəl/ | fûgel /ˈfuːɡəl/ |
| Butterfly | vlinder /ˈvlɪndər/ | vlinder /ˈvlɪndər/ | — | skoenlapper /ˈskunlapər/ | kapel /kaˈpɛl/ | Sommervagel /ˈzɔmɐfaːɣəl/ | flinter /ˈflɪntər/ |
| Egg | ei /ɛi/ | ei /ɛi/ | ei /ɛi/ | eier /ˈɛiər/ | ei /ɛi/ | Ei /ai/ | aai /aːi/ |
| Bear | beer /beːr/ | beer /beːr/ | beir /beːr/ | beer /bɪər/ | beer /beːr/ | Boor /boːr/ | bear /bɪər/ |
| Horse | paard /paːrt/ | paard /paːrt/ | peird /peːrt/ | perd /pɛrt/ | Péërt /peə̯rt/ | Peerd /peːrt/ | hynder /ˈhindər/ |
| House | huis /ɦœʏs/ | huis /ɦœys/ | uus /ʏːs/ | huis /ɦœɪs/ | hoes /huːs/ | Huus /huːs/ | hûs /huːs/ |
| Milk | melk /mɛlk/ | melk /mɛlk/ | melk /mɛlk/ | melk /mɛlk/ | melk /mɛlk/ | Melk /mɛlk/ | molke /ˈmolkə/ |
| Honey | honing /ˈɦoːnɪŋ/ | honing /ˈɦoːnɪŋ/ | zêem /zeːm/ | heuning /ˈɦɪønɪŋ/ | honing /ˈhoːnɪŋ/ | Honnig /ˈhɔnɪç/ | huning /ˈhynɪŋ/ |
| Salt | zout /zʌut/ | zout /zɔut/ | zout /zɔut/ | sout /səut/ | zout /zɔut/ | Solt /zɔlt/ | sâlt /sɔːlt/ |
| Wine | wijn /ʋɛin/ | wijn /wɛin/ | wyn /win/ | wyn /vəin/ | wien /ʋiːn/ | Wien /viːn/ | wyn /viːn/ |
| Rice | rijst /rɛist/ | rijst /rɛist/ | — | rys /rɛis/ | ries /riːs/ | Ries /riːs/ | rys /ris/ |
| Chocolate | chocolade /ʃoːkoːˈlaːdə/ | chocolade /ʃoːkoːˈlaːdə/ | — | sjokolade /ʃukuˈlɑːdə/ | sjoekelaat /ʃukəˈlaːt/ | Schokolaad /ʃokoˈlaːt/ | sûkelade /suːkəˈlaːdə/ |
| Iron | ijzer /ˈɛizər/ | ijzer /ˈɛizər/ | yzer /ˈiːzər/ | yster /ˈəistər/ | iezer /ˈiːzər/ | Iesen /ˈiːzn̩/ | izer /ˈiːzər/ |
| Wheel | wiel /ʋiːl/ | wiel /wiːl/ | wiel /wiːl/ | wiel /vil/ | wiel /ʋiːl/ | Rad /raːt/ | tsjil /tsjɪl/ |
| Silk | zijde /ˈzɛidə/ | zijde /ˈzɛidə/ | — | sy /səi/ | ziej /ziː/ | Sied /ziː/ | side /ˈsidə/ |
| Book | boek /buk/ | boek /buk/ | — | boek /buk/ | book /boːk/ | Book /boːk/ | boek /buk/ |
| Eat | eten /eːtə/ | eten /eːtən/ | eetn /ˈeːtn̩/ | eet /ɪət/ | ete /eːtə/ | eten /eːtn̩/ | ite /iːtə/ |
| Drink | drinken /drɪŋkə/ | drinken /drɪŋkən/ | drienkn /ˈdriŋkn̩/ | drink /drɪŋk/ | drinke /drɪŋkə/ | drinken /drɪŋkn̩/ | drinke /drɪŋkə/ |
| Sleep | slapen /ˈslaːpə/ | slapen /ˈslaːpən/ | sloapn /sloːpn̩/ | slaap /slɑːp/ | slaope /ˈslɔːpə/ | slapen /ˈslaːpn̩/ | sliepe /ˈsliəpə/ |
| One | een /eːn/ | een /eːn/ | êen /eːn/ | een /ɪən/ | eine /ɛɪnə/ | een /eːn/ | ien /iːn/ |
| Two | twee /tʋeː/ | twee /tweː/ | twêe /tweː/ | twee /tʋɪə/ | twee /tweː/ | twee /tveː/ | twa /twa/ |
| Three | drie /driː/ | drie /driː/ | drie /driː/ | drie /driː/ | drie /driː/ | dree /dreː/ | trije /ˈtrijə/ |
| Four | vier /viːr/ | vier /viːr/ | — | vier /fir/ | veer /veːr/ | veer /feːɐ̯/ | fjouwer /ˈfjɔuər/ |
| Five | vijf /vɛif/ | vijf /vɛif/ | vuuf /vyːf/ | vyf /fəif/ | vief /viːf/ | fief /fiːf/ | fiif /fiːf/ |
| Hundred | honderd /ˈɦɔndərt/ | honderd /ˈɦɔndərt/ | — | honderd /ˈɦɔndərt/ | hóndert /ˈhɔndərt/ | hunnert /ˈhʊnɐt/ | hûndert /ˈhuːndərt/ |
| Hello | hallo /ɦɑloː/ | hallo /ɦɑloː/ | goeiendag /ˌhujənˈdɑh/ | hallo /ɦaˈlo/ | hallo /halo/ | Moin /mɔɪn/ | hoi /hɔi/ |
| Thank you | dank je /dɑŋk jə/ | dank je /dɑŋk jə/ | merci /mɛrˈsi/ | dankie /ˈdaŋki/ | merci /mɛrsi/ | Dankschöön /daŋkʃøːn/ | tankewol /tɑŋkəvɔl/ |
| Good | goed /ɣut/ | goed /ɣut/ | goed /hut/ | goed /xut/ | good /ɡoːt/ | goot /ɡoːt/ | goed /ɡuət/ |
| New | nieuw /niːw/ | nieuw /niːw/ | nieuw /niːw/ | nuut /nyːt/ | nuuj /nyːj/ | nee /neː/ | nij /nɛi/ |
| Red | rood /roːt/ | rood /roːt/ | rood /roːt/ | rooi /roːi/ | road /roːt/ | root /roːt/ | read /rɪət/ |
| White | wit /ʋɪt/ | wit /wɪt/ | wit /wit/ | wit /vət/ | wit /ʋɪt/ | witt /vɪt/ | wyt /viːt/ |
| Black | zwart /zʋɑrt/ | zwart /zwɑrt/ | zwort /zwɔrt/ | swart /svart/ | zwart /zʋart/ | swart /svart/ | swart /svart/ |
| Green | groen /ɣrun/ | groen /ɣrun/ | groene /ˈhrunə/ | groen /xrun/ | greun /ɡrøːn/ | gröön /ɡrøːn/ | grien /ɡriən/ |
| Blue | blauw /blɑu̯/ | blauw /blɑu/ | — | blou /bləu/ | blauw /blɑu/ | blau /blaʊ/ | blau /blau/ |
| Cuckoo | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ | kókkók /ˈkoːkoːk/ | Kukuk /ˈkuːkuk/ | koekoek /ˈkukuk/ |
| Woof | waf waf /ʋɑf ʋɑf/ | waf waf /wɑf wɑf/ | — | woef woef /vuf vuf/ | — | — | — |
| Cock-a-doodle-doo | kukeleku /kykələˈky/ | kukeleku /kykələˈky/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Computer | computer /kɔmˈpjutər/ | computer /kɔmˈpjutər/ | computer /kɔmˈpjutər/ | rekenaar /ˈreːkənɑːr/ | computer /kɔmˈpjuːtər/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtɐ/ | kompjûter /kɔmˈpjuːtər/ |
| Wi-Fi | wifi /ˈʋifi/ | wifi /ˈwifi/ | — | Wi-Fi | — | — | — |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | — | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | Sushi /ˈzuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ |
| Tea | thee /teː/ | thee /teː/ | thee /teː/ | tee /tɪə/ | tei /tɛi/ | Tee /teː/ | tee /teː/ |
| Coffee | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | kaffie /ˈkɑfi/ | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | Koffie /ˈkɔfi/ | kofje /ˈkɔfjə/ |
| Sugar | suiker /ˈsœʏkər/ | suiker /ˈsœykər/ | suyker /ˈsykər/ | suiker /ˈsœɪkər/ | sókker /ˈsɔkər/ | Sucker /ˈzʊkɐ/ | sûker /ˈsuːkər/ |
| Orange | sinaasappel /ˈsinɑsɑpəl/ | sinaasappel /ˈsinɑsɑpəl/ | sinaasappel /ˈsinɑsɑpəl/ | lemoen /ləˈmun/ | sinaasappel /ˈsinaːsapəl/ | Apelsien /apəlˈziːn/ | sinesappel /ˈsinəsɑpəl/ |
| Ninety-nine | negenennegentig /ˈneːɣənənˌneːɣəntəx/ | negenennegentig /ˈneːɣənənˌneːɣəntəx/ | — | nege-en-negentig /ˈnɪəxə ən ˈnɪəxəntəx/ | — | negenunnegentig /ˈneːɡn̩ʊnˌneːɡn̩tɪç/ | — |
| Dopamine | dopamine /doːpaˈminə/ | dopamine /doːpaˈminə/ | — | dopamien /dopaˈmin/ | dopamine /doːpaˈminə/ | Dopamin /dopaˈmiːn/ | dopamine /doːpaˈminə/ |
| At sign | apenstaartje /ˈaːpənstaːrtjə/ | apenstaartje /ˈaːpənstaːrtjə/ | — | aapstert /ˈɑːpstɛrt/ | — | — | — |
| Internet laughter | haha /ˈɦaːɦaː/ | — | — | LMGA | — | — | — |
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