Language is more than a collection of sounds used to express our thoughts and emotions. Sounds also carry emotional meaning, and the same sound can have a completely different meaning or impact in another language. This can trigger unexpected reactions, from embarrassment to outright shock! It’s worth remembering that your interpretation isn’t necessarily the correct one.
In the first article in this series, you learned about the pronunciation of a certain lady from a certain part of town. This is all too familiar to me, as I was born in South Africa. Although I’m not fluent in Afrikaans, differences in how Dutch vowels are pronounced can lead to some hilarious misunderstandings.
Huursubsidie or Hoersubsidie? A Funny Dutch Pronunciation Mistake
Many moons ago, I worked at a housing corporation in Amsterdam. At the time, the system was called huursubsidie, meaning a rent subsidy. The system is now part of what’s known as toeslagen. The toeslagenaffaire (benefits scandal) eventually brought down the Dutch government, but that’s another story!
You already know that huur means rent, a topic high on the list of concerns for many expats in Amsterdam. When you see a te huur (for rent) sign, Amsterdammers might joke that it will be te duur (too expensive).
One day, someone came into the housing corporation’s office to apply for what he thought was huursubsidie. Instead of pronouncing it with the Dutch uu sound, he asked for hoersubsidie… and there we were, back to that certain lady from a certain part of town!
Naturally, my colleagues had a good laugh. So remember: getting the Dutch uu sound right can make quite a difference! U heeft de huur nog niet betaald means “You haven’t paid the rent yet” (formal).
The Most Challenging Dutch Vowel: The Tricky “Uu” Sound
Around the same time, a friend of mine worked for the Dutch Railways, NS, which stands for Nederlandse Spoorwegen. NS was developing speech-recognition software for customer service. Customers could press a button and get help from a computer. One day, a gentleman who wasn’t Dutch needed information.
The computer asked, “Op welk station bevindt u zich?”(“Which station are you at?”).
The man answered, “Oetrecht.”
The computer replied, “You are at Zoetermeer station.”
“No, no,” the man insisted. “Oetrecht!”
The computer repeated, “You are at Zoetermeer station.”
“No, OETRECHT!”
Sometimes, learning Dutch pronunciation can challenge both the speaker and the listener!
How to Practise Dutch Pronunciation: Master the “Uu” Sound
It’s important to practise your long Dutch vowel sounds, especially uu. The word nu (“now”) is a useful example. Even the name Uber is worth mentioning: unlike the German word über, Dutch speakers generally pronounce it with the Dutch u sound.
Want to practice your Dutch uu sound? Enter these words and phrases into Google Translate and click the speaker icon to hear them:
- universum — universe
- uniek — unique
- Hallo buurman! Hallo buurvrouw! — Hello, neighbour!
- de buren — the neighbours
- het uur — the hour
- Het is één uur. — It’s one o’clock.
- Dat is duur. — That’s expensive.
- vuur — fire
- zuur — sour; often used for pickled foods
- Zuur erbij? — Would you like something pickled on the side? Often heard with Indonesian or Surinamese dishes and raw herring!
- zuurkool — sauerkraut, literally “sour cabbage”
- zuurstof — oxygen
Keep practicing, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Sometimes, the funniest misunderstandings are the best way to remember a new sound!
Written by Chiel Nobels
