Dutch · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "de oma" in Dutch?

Q: How do you pronounce de oma in Dutch?

de oma is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /də ˈoːmaː/. It means “grandmother.” duh OH-mah — a long flat "oh," then a full open "aah." Both vowels stay clear.

duh OH-mah — a long flat "oh," then a full open "aah." Both vowels stay clear.

de oma /də ˈoːmaː/

The second syllable retains a genuine vowel, the pattern that unites opa, oma, mama and papa. Comparing this word with "koma" or "soma" shows the same shape in borrowed vocabulary, where full final vowels are also normal.

Listen: de oma

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Sound it out

o Long and pure, lengthened by the open syllable and carrying the beat. No glide toward "oo" at the end of it.

m Lips together, bridging the two syllables without disturbing either vowel.

a A full open "aah," not a schwa. Like "opa," this word keeps its final vowel intact because it belongs to the nursery-word family.

Hear it in a sentence

Mijn oma bakt lekkere taart.

My grandmother bakes lovely cake.

Listen: Mijn oma bakt lekkere taart.

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"Mijn oma bakt lekkere taart" uses the inflected "lekkere," which adds an unstressed schwa to an already weak-ending word, so the middle of the sentence is a long soft stretch. "Taart" at the end brings a long "aah" that echoes the one closing "oma."

Where English speakers slip

Schwa-ing the final vowel into "OH-muh" is the usual error, driven by every other Dutch word ending in -a-ish sounds. Keep it open. Learners also confuse "oma" with "opa" in listening, since they differ only by one consonant — and that consonant is unaspirated in Dutch, making it quieter than English speakers expect.