Dutch · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "de vogel" in Dutch?

Q: How do you pronounce de vogel in Dutch?

de vogel is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /də ˈvoːɣəl/. It means “bird.” duh FOH-khul — soft v, a long flat "oh," then the harsh fricative and a weak -el ending.

duh FOH-khul — soft v, a long flat "oh," then the harsh fricative and a weak -el ending.

de vogel /də ˈvoːɣəl/

The -el ending takes nothing, so the accent sits at the front — the same shape as "tafel" and "winkel." That unstressed ending is one of the most reliable rhythm signposts in Dutch.

Listen: de vogel

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Sound it out

v Half-devoiced at the start in northern Dutch, landing between English f and v. Let the voicing arrive late rather than leading with it.

o Long and steady, stretched by the open syllable and carrying the beat. No glide toward "oo" at the end.

g The velar scrape sitting between a vowel and a schwa, where it softens a little but must still rasp audibly.

el Schwa plus a bright l, so weak that the l almost becomes the syllable on its own.

Hear it in a sentence

De vogel zingt elke ochtend.

The bird sings every morning.

Listen: De vogel zingt elke ochtend.

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"De vogel zingt elke ochtend" places the frequency phrase after the verb, which is standard Dutch order. "Ochtend" ends with a devoiced t, and its own cht cluster gives you a second fricative to match the one inside "vogel."

Where English speakers slip

Reflex takes over and produces a hard English g, giving "VOH-gul." Keep the air scraping. Learners also give the v a full buzz and darken the final l. Three small errors that together leave the word sounding assembled rather than spoken.