Exercise 8: spelling 'eu'

This sound is used in words like neus (nose) and keuken (kitchen).

Pronunciation:

There is no equivalent sound in British English. This sound is pronounced as a diphthong (explanation: see exercise 3). To be able to make this sound correctly, start saying the Dutch sound e as in de (see exercise 5). Remember this is an unstressed sound. This is the starting position of the sound (picture 1). Then move your tongue upwards a little (and continue making a sound) in order to almost end in the sound uu (see exercise 7), which means that your mouth should be pursed (picture 2). Bear in mind that your mouth is getting noticeably more tense towards the end of the sound.

Now you should be able to pronounce the sound eu.

Practise the following words:

1. jeuk
2. keus
3. deuken
4. beugel

Practise the following sentences:

1. Teun stuurt zijn eerste brief naar de gemeente.
2. Mijn lieve buren waren twee keer op een leuk feest.

Pronounce: eu (start)

Pronounce: eu (end)