Dutch · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "de keer" in Dutch?

duh KAYR — unaspirated k, a long "ay," and a light r.

de keer /də ˈkeːr/

One beat, and worth noting that this noun stays singular after numbers in the common phrase "twee keer," "drie keer." So you will hear this stressed syllable far more often than its plural "keren."

Listen: de keer

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Sound it out

k Released without aspiration, which is the one adjustment English speakers have to make to every Dutch k, p and t.

ee Dutch's long e, held steady. Before an r many speakers open it a little further, but it never becomes a diphthong.

r A brief tap or soft scrape after the vowel is complete — not one that reshapes it from behind.

Hear it in a sentence

Ik heb die film maar één keer gezien.

I've only seen that film once.

Listen: Ik heb die film maar één keer gezien.

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"Ik heb die film maar één keer gezien" uses "maar" for "only" and puts the past participle at the very end. The accented "één" keeps its full long vowel, distinguishing the numeral from the article — the sentence would mean something different without those accents.

Where English speakers slip

The English "care" supplies a diphthong and a heavy r; Dutch has a steady vowel and a light flick. Learners also aspirate the k. Note too that "keer" counts occurrences and cannot replace "tijd" for time in general — "ik heb geen keer" is not Dutch.