In most of the Netherlands, _g_ and _ch_ are exactly the same sound: a rasping hiss made at the back of your mouth, close to the ch in Scottish loch. So the _g_ in _goed_ and the _ch_ in _acht_ sound identical. In _sch_ you say s plus that sound, and the ending _-isch_ simply sounds like _ies_.
The pattern
North of the big rivers, _g_ and _ch_ are one sound with two spellings: a rasp at the back of your mouth.
- _g_ and _ch_ sound the same: _goed_, _dag_, _lachen_, _nacht_.
- In the south and in Flanders, the sound is softer and smoother: the famous _zachte g_ (soft g). Both versions are correct; see [Dutch in the Netherlands and in Flanders](#/lesson/dutch-and-flemish).
- _sch_ is s plus that sound: _school_, _schoon_, _schrijven_.
- The ending _-isch_ sounds like _ies_: _praktisch_, _logisch_. With an extra _e_, it sounds like _iese_: _praktische_.
- _ng_ is a different sound, as in English sing: _lang_, _zingen_.
- Some loanwords (words borrowed from other languages) keep their foreign sound: the second _g_ in _garage_ sounds like the s in English pleasure, and the _ch_ in _chef_ and _chocola_ sounds like English sh.
Examples
| Goedemorgen, Fatima! | Good morning, Fatima! |
|---|---|
| Het is acht uur. | It is eight o'clock. |
| Bas zegt nee. | Bas says no. |
| Dat is echt waar. | That is really true. |
| Het regent vandaag. | It is raining today. |
| Priya fietst naar school. | Priya cycles to school. |
| Mei schrijft een kaart voor Daan. | Mei is writing a card for Daan. |
| Dat is heel praktisch. | That is very practical. |
| Ahmed heeft een elektrische fiets. | Ahmed has an electric bike. |
| Lotte zet de auto in de garage. | Lotte puts the car in the garage. |
Why it works this way
Long ago, _g_ and _ch_ were two sounds: _g_ had your voice humming in it, _ch_ was just air. Many southern speakers still keep a little of that difference. In the north the two merged, but the spelling stayed. Good news for you: fewer sounds to learn.
The ending _-isch_ has its own story. Older spellings such as _visch_ became _vis_ after the final consonant sound had disappeared from speech. The ending _-isch_ in adjectives (describing words) like _praktisch_ has a different history: it came in through borrowed words, and Dutch kept the spelling but pronounces it like _ies_. Loanwords such as _garage_ and _chocola_ simply arrived with their French sounds.
To make the sound, start to say k, but leave a tiny gap between the back of your tongue and the roof of your mouth, and let the air scrape through. Arabic kha, Spanish j as in jamón and German ch as in Bach are very close. Most English accents do not use this sound, so English speakers tend to say k or a hard g. German speakers mainly need to drop their hard g in _goed_ and their sh in _sch_.
Remember: one sound, two outfits. If you can say _acht_, you can already say _gaan_.
Watch out
- Not: _skool_ Say: _school_ (_sch_ is s plus the rasp, never sk or sh)
- Not: _Hij zecht nee._ Say: _Hij zegt nee._ (the verb is _zeggen_, so the g stays)
- Not: _Dat is fantasties!_ Say: _Dat is fantastisch!_ (you hear _ies_, but you write _isch_)
- Not: _een praktiese tas_ Say: _een praktische tas_ (it sounds like _iese_, but you still write _isch_)
Quick check
- Fix the spelling: _Joris zecht hallo._
- Fix the spelling: _Dat is typies Nederlands._
- In _garage_, which _g_ sounds like the s in English pleasure: the first or the second?
- Which word starts with s plus the rasp: _school_, _sjaal_ or _snel_?
Answers
- _Joris zegt hallo._ The verb is _zeggen_, so you write g.
- _Dat is typisch Nederlands._ You hear _ies_, but you write _isch_.
- The second. The first _g_ is the normal Dutch rasp.
- _school_. _Sjaal_ starts with sh, and _snel_ has no rasp at all.
Use it today
Say _Goedemorgen_ or _Goedemiddag_ to a neighbour or colleague today, with a full, confident rasp. Then read three words with _g_, _ch_ or _sch_ aloud from signs at the station or in the supermarket.