Dutch · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "vol" in Dutch?

fol — softly-voiced v, a short rounded o, and a bright l.

vol /vɔl/

Soft at both ends — the word opens on a weak fricative and closes on a liquid, with no hard edge anywhere. Inflected as "volle," the l doubles in spelling to keep the vowel short, and the accent does not budge.

Listen: vol

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

Sound it out

v Half-devoiced at the start in northern Dutch, landing between f and v. Do not lead with the full English buzz.

o Rounded, and over almost as soon as it begins. British "doll" gets it; the closing l keeps the syllable shut.

l Bright and forward. English speakers darken l after a back vowel, which pulls the whole word backwards in the mouth.

Hear it in a sentence

Het glas is vol.

The glass is full.

Listen: Het glas is vol.

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

"Het glas is vol" is a three-beat sentence with the reduced "het" almost inaudible. "Glas" beforehand opens with a cluster and closes with a hiss, so the contrast with the soft, rounded "vol" is quite marked.

Where English speakers slip

"Full" is the meaning-match but not the sound-match, and learners import its vowel and its dark l. Dutch wants a rounded short o, closer to "doll," and a bright l. Some also give the v a full buzz, which makes the word sound emphatic in a way native speakers do not intend.