|
Vowels
|
---|
IPA |
Examples |
English approximation
|
---|
Monophthongs
|
---|
ɑ
|
dak |
dog (but more open), father (but shorter)
| a
|
baan |
pa (but shorter)
| aː
|
daar |
pa
| ɛ
|
bed |
bed
| e
|
beet |
bait (without the 'y' sound at the end)
| ɛː
|
crème |
yeah, or RP English bare
| ɪ
|
zit |
sit
| ɪː
|
beer |
sit (but longer)
| i
|
ziet |
seat (but shorter)
| iː
|
zier |
seat
| ɔ
|
post |
boss
| ɔː
|
door |
door
| o
|
boot |
boat
| ø
|
leuk |
somewhat like hurl; French deux (but shorter)
| u
|
poets |
you but shorter, took but more closed/tense
| uː
|
boer |
you
| ʏ
|
nut |
much like the one below (y), but with the tongue slightly further from the lips
| ʏː
|
deur |
somewhat like er; French œuf
| y
|
nu |
French rue
| yː
|
zuur |
French rue, but longer
| Diphthongs
|
---|
ɛi̯
|
wijd, eis |
between tie and day (the latter more as in Australia)
| ɑu̯
|
hout, blauw |
how
| œy̯
|
huid |
Similar to French fauteuil, no exact equivalent in English. Approximated as tie with rounded lips, or how with fronted lips.
| eːu̯ or ɪːu̯
|
eeuw |
like the 'i' in sit, and mouth slightly closing
| iːu̯
|
nieuw |
somewhat like new, but with the mouth widener
| Reduced vowels
|
---|
ə
|
halte |
comma, label, chatter
|
|