Dutch · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "komen" in Dutch?

Q: How do you pronounce komen in Dutch?

komen is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /ˈkoːmə(n)/. It means “to come.” KOH-muh — long steady "oh" and an unaspirated k, with the final n usually dropped.

KOH-muh — long steady "oh" and an unaspirated k, with the final n usually dropped.

komen /ˈkoːmə(n)/

Spell it "kommen" with a doubled m and the vowel would go short — the open first syllable is exactly what licenses the long vowel under the accent. Stress and vowel length are encoded together in Dutch spelling, and reading one tells you the other.

Listen: komen

Free browser voice. Hear it read by a real native speaker inside the LingoDrop app.

Sound it out

k Released without a puff of air. English "come" begins with a noticeable burst; Dutch does not.

o Long and pure "oh," lengthened because the syllable is open. Hold one tongue position rather than gliding toward "oo" as English does in "comb."

m A plain m, lips together, joining the two syllables.

en A schwa so slight that the m before it nearly becomes the whole syllable — say the word fast and you get something close to "KOH-m."

Hear it in a sentence

Kom je met ons mee?

Are you coming with us?

Listen: Kom je met ons mee?

Free browser voice. Hear it read by a real native speaker inside the LingoDrop app.

"Kom je met ons mee?" is an inverted question using the bare stem "kom," and it splits the separable verb "meekomen" apart — "kom" at the front, "mee" at the end. That split is one of the defining habits of Dutch syntax and this short question shows it cleanly.

Where English speakers slip

The English "come" has a short central vowel and drags learners toward "KUM-en." Dutch needs a long, rounded "oh." The other issue is the ending: pronouncing "-men" with a clear vowel and n sounds stiff, when native speech gives you barely more than "-muh."