Dutch · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "de wolk" in Dutch?

duh VOLK — soft lip-teeth w, a short rounded o, a bright l, and a quiet k.

de wolk /də ˈʋɔlk/

The plural "wolken" splits the lk cluster across the syllable boundary, which gives the l room to stay bright — often easier for beginners than the compressed singular.

Listen: de wolk

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Sound it out

w The lip approaches the teeth and the air slides past with minimal obstruction. Spread the lips rather than pursing them.

o Short and rounded, hemmed in by the cluster behind it — British "folk" without its silent l is roughly the target.

lk A bright forward l into a quiet k. English darkens the l heavily before k, as in "milk"; Dutch keeps the tongue tip up and the sound light.

Hear it in a sentence

Er zijn veel wolken vandaag.

There are a lot of clouds today.

Listen: Er zijn veel wolken vandaag.

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"Er zijn veel wolken vandaag" opens with the existential "er" and uses the plural, so you hear the l in its easier intervocalic position. The plural verb "zijn" agrees with "wolken," which English does not mark.

Where English speakers slip

A rounded w and a dark l are the two imports to remove, and the l is the more audible. Keep the tongue tip forward. Learners also unround the vowel. Note that Dutch "volk" with a v is a different word meaning people — so the w really has to be right.