Dutch · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "de kat" in Dutch?

duh KAHT — unaspirated k, an open back "ah," and a quiet t.

de kat /də ˈkɑt/

Three sounds and nothing more. The plural "katten" doubles the t in writing precisely because the vowel must stay short; spelled "katen" the vowel would have to lengthen.

Listen: de kat

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Sound it out

k Cut loose with no burst of air. Put a hand in front of your mouth: English "cat" moves it, this should not.

a Open and produced toward the back of the mouth. English "cat" uses a much flatter, more forward vowel — the difference is small but consistently audible.

t A quiet final stop with no release puff. The plural "katten" doubles it in spelling to protect the short vowel.

Hear it in a sentence

De kat slaapt de hele dag.

The cat sleeps all day.

Listen: De kat slaapt de hele dag.

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"De kat slaapt de hele dag" uses "hele" as the inflected form of "heel" meaning whole rather than very — the same word doing a different job. The definite article before it is what signals that reading.

Where English speakers slip

The English "cat" is so close that nobody thinks to adjust it, which imports an aspirated k and a flat forward vowel. Open the throat and pull the vowel back, and release both stops quietly. It is a small correction on a word you will say constantly.