Practicing clear pronunciation | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Practicing clear pronunciation to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Kan ik naar de audio luisteren?

kahn ik nahr duh OW-dee-oh LOOYS-tuh-run? Can I listen to the audio?

Laten we samen luisteren.

LAH-tun wuh SAH-mun LOOYS-tuh-run. Let's listen together.

Het gaat te snel voor mij.

hut ghaht tuh snel fohr may. It's too fast for me.

Ik zet het langzamer.

ik zet ut LAHNG-zah-mur. I'll slow it down.

Hoe spreek ik deze zin uit?

hoo SPRAYK ik DAY-zuh zin OYT? How do I pronounce this sentence?

Luister één keer en zeg het daarna na.

LOOYS-tur ayn kayr en ZEKH ut DAHR-nah nah. Listen once, then repeat after me.

Laat me het nog een keer proberen.

laht muh ut nokh uh KAYR proh-BAY-run. Let me try again.

Dat klinkt nu duidelijker.

daht KLINKT noo DOY-duh-luh-kur. That sounds clearer now.

Word by Word

Kan “Kan” means “can” or “may” here: it asks whether the speaker is allowed to listen. In “Kan ik naar de audio luisteren?” use this opening to ask permission to do something, for example in a classroom.

ik “ik” means “I”, the person speaking. It appears as lowercase “ik” in “Kan ik naar de audio luisteren?” and as capital “Ik” in “Ik zet het langzamer.” Use it for the speaker in questions and statements.

naar In “naar de audio luisteren”, “naar” marks the audio as what the listener directs attention toward. Dutch uses this preposition with luisteren for the thing being listened to, such as audio in a classroom.

de “de” introduces the specific recording in “de audio”. Reuse it directly before a noun when referring to a known thing under discussion, such as lesson audio.

audio “audio” means an audio recording here. In “de audio”, it is the recording the learners are about to listen to, so you can use it for lesson recordings or other sound material.

luisteren “luisteren” means “to listen”. In “Kan ik naar de audio luisteren?” it names the listening action, and in “Laten we samen luisteren.” it names the shared activity. Reuse it with “naar” plus the thing being listened to.

Laten “Laten” in “Laten we samen luisteren.” makes a suggestion for a joint action. Together with we and luisteren, it means “let’s listen together”. Use “Laten we” to propose doing something with another person.

we “we” means “we”, the group including the speaker. In “Laten we samen luisteren.” it refers to the people who will listen together. Use it when suggesting a shared activity.

samen “samen” means “together” in “Laten we samen luisteren.” It shows that the speaker and another person will do the listening as a shared activity. Use it when inviting someone to do something with you.

Het “Het” refers to the thing or situation already being discussed in “Het gaat te snel voor mij.” The same form appears as lowercase “het” in “Ik zet het langzamer.” and “zeg het daarna na”, referring to the thing being adjusted or repeated.

gaat In “Het gaat te snel voor mij.”, “gaat” describes how the audio or situation is proceeding, giving the meaning “is going” in this context. Reuse “Het gaat...” to comment on how an activity or situation is going.

te “te” marks an excessive degree in “te snel”. It shows that the speed is more than comfortable for the speaker in “te snel voor mij”. Use it before a description when something exceeds a suitable level.

snel “snel” means “fast” in “te snel”. It describes the pace of the audio rather than the act of listening. Reuse it when describing a pace that may be too high for someone.

voor “voor” in “voor mij” marks the person relative to whom the speed is too high. Together, “te snel voor mij” means “too fast for me”. Use voor plus a person to show whose perspective or suitability is meant.

mij “mij” means “me” in “voor mij”. It identifies the speaker as the person affected by the speed. Reuse “voor mij” when describing what is suitable or unsuitable for you.

zet In “Ik zet het langzamer.”, “zet” contributes the action of adjusting the thing. With “het langzamer”, the sentence means that the speaker will set it to a slower speed. Use it with an object when describing an adjustment, such as changing audio playback.

langzamer “langzamer” means “slower” in “Ik zet het langzamer.” It names the reduced speed selected for the audio. Reuse “zet het langzamer” when saying that playback should be reduced.

Hoe “Hoe” means “how” in “Hoe spreek ik deze zin uit?” and asks about the manner of an action. Use it at the beginning of a question when asking how something is done, especially in a language lesson.

spreek In “Hoe spreek ik deze zin uit?”, “spreek” is the speaking part of the expression for pronouncing something. Together with “uit” and “deze zin”, it asks how to pronounce this sentence. Use this question when you need pronunciation guidance.

deze “deze” means “this” in “deze zin” and points to the particular sentence being studied. Reuse it before a noun when identifying a specific item in the current discussion.

zin “zin” means “sentence” in “deze zin”. It names the group of words that the learner wants to pronounce. Use “deze zin” when asking about a sentence currently being studied.

uit In “spreek ik deze zin uit?”, “uit” completes the expression for pronouncing the sentence; it does not carry that whole meaning by itself. In this question it comes after the object, so keep it when reusing the pronunciation pattern.

Luister “Luister” is an instruction meaning “listen”. In “Luister één keer...” it tells the learner to listen once before doing the next activity. Use it at the beginning of an instruction when guiding listening practice.

keer “keer” means “time” or “occurrence” in “één keer”. Here it counts one listening. Reuse “één keer” when specifying that an action should happen once.

en “en” means “and” and joins the two instructions in “Luister één keer en zeg het daarna na.” It connects listening with the following speaking action. Use it between linked actions or instructions.

zeg “zeg” means “say” in “zeg het daarna na”. It tells the learner to produce the item aloud, while “na” adds the idea of saying it back. Use “zeg” when instructing someone to say words aloud.

daarna “daarna” means “afterwards” or “then” in “zeg het daarna na”. It orders the repeating action after the initial listening. Use it to mark an action that follows something already mentioned.

na In “Luister één keer en zeg het daarna na.”, “na” adds the meaning of saying the heard words back. It appears at the end of this speaking expression, after the object and “daarna”. Use it when instructing a learner to repeat what they heard.

Laat “Laat” in “Laat me het nog een keer proberen.” asks someone to allow the speaker to do something. Together with “me” and “proberen”, it means “let me try it again”. Use “Laat me” when asking to take a turn or make an attempt.

me “me” identifies the speaker as the person who will try in “Laat me het nog een keer proberen.” It follows “Laat” in this request. Reuse “Laat me” when asking someone to allow you to act.

nog “nog” contributes the idea of an additional repetition in “nog een keer”. Together with “een keer”, it means “again” or “one more time” in this context. Use the phrase when requesting another attempt during practice.

een In “nog een keer”, “een” counts one further occurrence, while the full phrase means “again” or “one more time”. Use this phrase when asking for one additional attempt.

proberen “proberen” means “to try”. In “Laat me het nog een keer proberen.” it names the action the speaker wants to perform after “Laat me”. Reuse “Laat me ... proberen” when asking to try something.

Dat “Dat” means “that” and points to the sound or result just heard in “Dat klinkt nu duidelijker.” It introduces a reaction to that result. Reuse “Dat klinkt...” when responding to how something sounds.

klinkt “klinkt” means “sounds” in “Dat klinkt nu duidelijker.” It describes the listener’s impression of the pronunciation or audio. Use it with a description when commenting on how speech or audio sounds.

nu “nu” means “now” in “Dat klinkt nu duidelijker.” It locates the clearer result at the current moment, after practice. Use it to refer to the present result of an action or change.

duidelijker “duidelijker” means “clearer” in “Dat klinkt nu duidelijker.” It describes the current pronunciation as easier to understand after practice. Use it when giving positive feedback on a clearer sound or explanation.

Grammar Points

spreek ... uit

Ik spreek de zin uit.

ik SPRAYK duh zin OYT.

I pronounce the sentence.

In Dutch, the prefix moves to the end of the clause: spreek ... uit.

zeg ... na

Ik zeg de zin na.

ik ZEKH duh zin nah.

I repeat the sentence.

This separable verb also places na at the end of the clause: zeg ... na.

Dutch Vocabulary

audio noun

OW-dee-oh audio

daarna adv

DAHR-nah afterwards

één num

ayn one

keer noun

kayr time

langzamer adj

LAHNG-zah-mur slower

luisteren verb

LOOYS-tuh-run to listen

nazeggen verb

nah-ZEGH-un to repeat after someone zeg ... na

nog adv

nոկh again; still

samen adv

SAH-mun together

snel adj

snel fast

uitspreken verb

OYT-SPRAY-kun to pronounce spreek ... uit

zin noun

zin sentence

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Can I listen to the audio?

Show Answer

Kan ik naar de audio luisteren?

Let's listen together.

Show Answer

Laten we samen luisteren.

It's too fast for me.

Show Answer

Het gaat te snel voor mij.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to listen

Show Answer

luisteren

audio

Show Answer

audio

together

Show Answer

samen

time

Show Answer

keer