In Dutch, a d at the end of a word is pronounced as t, and a b at the end is pronounced as p. So _hond_ (dog) sounds like "hont" and _web_ sounds like "wep". You still write d and b, because in some longer forms, such as the plural (the form for more than one) _honden_, the real sound comes back.
The pattern
At the end of a word, say d as t and b as p. The spelling stays the same.
- _hond_ sounds like "hont", _bed_ like "bet", _web_ like "wep".
- Add _-en_ or _-e_ and the d or b is heard again: _honden_, _bedden_, _webben_, _rode_ (red).
- An ending that starts with a consonant does not bring it back: _hondje_ (little dog) sounds like "hontje".
- Verbs do it too: _ik heb_ sounds like "ik hep", _ik word_ like "ik wort".
- A word with a real t has a t everywhere: _kat_, _katten_.
Examples
| Sanne heeft een hond. | Sanne has a dog. |
|---|---|
| Daan heeft twee honden. | Daan has two dogs. |
| Lotte heeft een kat en een hond. | Lotte has a cat and a dog. |
| Mijn bed is te klein. | My bed is too small. |
| Het hotel heeft tien bedden. | The hotel has ten beds. |
| Er zit een spin in het web. | There is a spider in the web. |
| Ik heb een nieuwe fiets. | I have a new bike. |
| Ik word morgen dertig. | I turn thirty tomorrow. |
| Mijn hart klopt hard. | My heart is pounding. |
Why it works this way
Put your fingers on your throat and say "dddd", then "tttt". With d you feel a buzz: your voice is on. That is why d and b are called voiced sounds, and t and p voiceless. Dutch switches the voice off at the end of a word. For a word said on its own, this is a firm rule, not a tendency.
Why not write _hont_, then? Dutch spelling likes a word to look the same in its different forms, so _hond_ and _honden_ are clearly one word. The price is that you cannot always hear the spelling: _hart_ (heart) and _hard_ (hard, loud) sound exactly alike. With v and z, Dutch makes the opposite choice, as you will see in [the next lesson](#/lesson/v-f-z-s).
Verbs follow the same logic. When the infinitive (the basic form in the dictionary) has a d or b just before _-en_, the _ik_ form keeps that letter: _worden_ gives _ik word_, _vinden_ gives _ik vind_, _hebben_ gives _ik heb_. You hear a t or p, but you write d or b. With v and z this does not happen: _leven_ (to live) gives _ik leef_. This will make [d, t or dt](#/lesson/d-t-or-dt) much easier later.
If English is your first language, you probably keep the buzz, because English bed and bet are different words. A crisp t at the end of _bed_ instantly sounds more Dutch. German speakers have it easy: Hund and Hunde work exactly like _hond_ and _honden_.
Remember: the short word hides the letter, the long word tells the truth. If you hear a t at the end and are not sure how to write it, make the word longer with _-en_ or _-e_: _honden_, so _hond_; _katten_, so _kat_; _rode_, so _rood_.
Watch out
- Not: _een hont_ Say: _een hond_ (you hear t, but the plural _honden_ shows the d)
- Not: _het bet_ Say: _het bed_ (the plural is _bedden_)
- Not: _ik hep_ Say: _ik heb_ (the verb is _hebben_, so the b stays)
- Not: _ik vint het leuk_ Say: _ik vind het leuk_ (the verb is _vinden_)
Quick check
- Choose: _Yara ziet drie (honten / honden)._
- Fill in d or t: _Ik ken dat woor... niet._ (Hint: the plural is _woorden_.)
- Fix the sentence: _Ik wort moe._
- You say _web_ out loud. Which sound do you hear at the end: b or p?
Answers
- _honden_ (in the plural the d is heard again, so it is written)
- d: _woord_ (the plural _woorden_ shows it)
- _Ik word moe._ (from _worden_: you hear t, you write d)
- p (a final b loses its buzz, but you still write _web_)
Use it today
At the bakery or supermarket today, ask for _een brood_ and finish _brood_ with a clear t. Need two? Say _twee broden_ and feel the buzz of the d come back.