There are a few types of words that deviate from the pronunciation rules:
Een
The Dutch indefinite article _een_ (English _a_ or _an)_ is written with a [long](#/lesson/SpellingAndPronunciation.09) _ee_.
However, this _ee_ is pronounced as a [mute _e_](#/lesson/SpellingAndPronunciation.17) (as in English _e_ in _waited_ or ''full').
The Dutch word for _one_ is één, which is pronounced with a long ee. To make it a long ee, we use an
[acute accent](#/lesson/SpellingAndPronunciation.26). Note that this is an exception. Normally, a double ee is pronounced as a long vowel, and does not need accents to make it long.
All adjectives that end in the suffix -lijk
In these words _ij_ is pronounced like English _e_ in _waited_:
fatsoenlijk | decent | eerlijk | fair
vrolijk | cheerful, happy | werkelijk | really
ongelooflijk | incredible | begrijpelijk | understandable
Sometimes, the -lijk ending is not a suffix, so it is pronounced with the normal (long) ij:
je hebt gelijk | you are right | lijk | corpse
All adjectives that end with the suffix -ig
_i_ is pronounced like the English _e_ in _waited_ (or, in Dutch, [mute _e_](#/lesson/SpellingAndPronunciation.17)):
aardig | kind | nodig | necessary
geldig | valid | zielig | pitiful
hooghartig | arrogant | geduldig | patient
All words that end in the suffix -tie
This suffix is pronounced as the English _tsee_:
politie | police | tolerantie | tolerance
vakantie | vacation | emotie | emotion
Where the Dutch say 'tsee', the Flemish only pronounce 'see'.
In the letter combination chtj, the letter _t_ is not pronounced
zachtjes | quietly, gently | vachtje | 'little' fur
zuchtje | 'little' sigh | luchtje | 'little' smell, perfume
When the word possesses the letter combination th, we only pronounce _t_
theologie | theology | empathie | empathy
thee | tea | thema | theme
All adjectives that end in the suffix _-isch_
We pronounce 'isch' simply as English _ies_ in _candies._ So why don't the Dutch simply write 'ies'? They have considered this option in the latest spelling revision, but the Dutch appeared to be too attached to the old spelling form. Sticking to the old writing is of course a great compromise to the modern spelling rules, because (1) the letter 'i' is written as a short vowel, but pronounced as a long one and (2) the consonant combination 'sch' is reduced to a simple 's' in spoken language.
Russisch | Russian | islamitisch | islamic
idealistisch | idealistic | egoïstisch | selfish
_Terug_
In the word _terug_ (back) _e_ is not pronounced. So we say: trug.
_Rode_ and _goede_
In the words _rode_ (red) and _goede_ (good) the letter _d_ is pronounced as a Dutch _j_ (or English _y_ in Yankee ). This is how it should be pronounced, but not everybody knows that.
In written Dutch, you may come across _rooie_ and _goeie_, but this is only used in informal texts. The same goes for _goeiemorgen_ (good morning), _goeiemiddag_ (good afternoon), _goeienavond_ (good evening), and _goeienacht_ (good night), which should be written as _goedemorgen, goedemiddag, goedenavond_, and _goedenacht_.