In fast Dutch, sounds change to suit their neighbours, and short words melt into each other. _Zakdoek_ sounds like _zagdoek_ (with the g of English go), _op de_ like _ob de_, and _heb je_ can come out as _heppie_. The spelling stays the same, and your main job is to recognise these blends when you hear them, not to copy them.
The pattern
Neighbouring sounds adjust to each other, and short unstressed words melt onto the word before them. You hear the blend, but you write the normal spelling.
- Before _b_ or _d_, a sound like _p_, _t_, _k_, _f_ or _s_ often starts to buzz: _op de_ sounds like _ob de_, _is dat_ like _iz dat_.
- A _k_ that buzzes becomes the hard g of English go, not the Dutch _g_ sound: _zakdoek_ sounds like _zagdoek_. In the sound spellings in this lesson, _g_ means that English g.
- After _p_, _t_ or _k_, the sounds _v_ and _z_ usually lose their buzz: _op vakantie_ sounds like _op fakantie_, _ik zie_ like _ik sie_.
- Short unstressed words such as _je_, _hij_ and _het_ shrink and stick to the word before them: _heb je_ can sound like _heppie_, _heeft hij_ like _heeftie_. _Niet_ often loses its _t_.
- The faster and more relaxed the speech, the more blending you hear.
Examples
| Waar is mijn zakdoek (zagdoek)? | Where is my handkerchief? |
|---|---|
| Je fiets staat op de (ob de) stoep. | Your bike is on the pavement. |
| Is dat (iz dat) jouw fiets? | Is that your bike? |
| We gaan in mei op vakantie (op fakantie). | We're going on holiday in May. |
| Ik zie (ik sie) je morgen op het werk. | I'll see you at work tomorrow. |
| Heb je (heppie) de trein van acht uur gehaald? | Did you catch the eight o'clock train? |
| Heeft hij (heeftie) de huur al betaald? | Has he paid the rent yet? |
| Sorry, ik weet het niet ('k weet 't nie). | Sorry, I don't know. |
Why it works this way
Put your fingers on your throat and say _zzz_, then _sss_. You feel a buzz with _z_ but not with _s_. Sounds with that buzz are called voiced (the vocal cords vibrate).
Switching the buzz on and off in the middle of a word is extra work, so neighbours agree. Picture _b_ and _d_ as bossy: they make the sound before them buzz too. The letters _v_ and _z_ are pushovers: after _p_, _t_ or _k_ they give up their own buzz. So _op de_ gets a _b_ sound, while _op vakantie_ gets an _f_. A buzzing _k_ turns into the g of English go, because that is simply a _k_ with the buzz switched on. The Dutch _g_ is a different, rougher sound, so it does not appear here.
Melting is simpler. Unstressed words like _je_, _het_ and _hij_ carry little information, so speakers spend little effort on them, just as English turns "did you" into "didja". The _b_ of _heb_ already sounds like _p_ (see [why d sounds like t at the end of a word](#/lesson/final-devoicing)), and _je_ glues on. The shortcuts _'t_ and _'k_ come from the same habit (see [spoken shortcuts](#/lesson/spoken-contractions)).
Recognising blends helps your listening far more than producing them helps your speaking. Clear pronunciation sounds perfectly natural, the voicing in _zakdoek_ tends to appear by itself as you speed up, and _heppie_ is very casual, so save it for friends.
Formal speech blends less. Newsreaders and people giving a presentation shorten small words less often and less strongly, so you hear the _t_ of _niet_ more often. They still blend some, though: the _b_ sound in _op de_ is normal even on the news. Speakers and regions differ, so treat all this as a strong tendency, not a strict rule.
Remember: hear the blend, write the word. Your ears get _heppie_, your pen gets _heb je_.
Watch out
- Not: _Heppie even tijd?_ Say: _Heb je even tijd?_ (_heppie_ is only how it sounds)
- Not: _Waar is mijn zagdoek?_ Say: _Waar is mijn zakdoek?_ (before _d_ the _k_ can sound like the g of English go, but you write _k_)
- Not: _Dat zal wel opfallen._ Say: _Dat zal wel opvallen._ (after _p_ the _v_ sounds like _f_, but the spelling keeps _v_)
- Not: _Sorry, ik kan vanavond nie._ Say: _Sorry, ik kan vanavond niet._ (the _t_ often disappears in speech, never in writing)
Quick check
- A colleague asks: _Heppie mijn mail gelezen?_ Write the first two words in normal spelling.
- Your neighbour says: _Heeftie zijn fiets al terug?_ Who is it about: _jij_, _hij_ or _het_?
- Fix the spelling: _Ik leg de sleutel ob de tafel._
- Where will you hear the least blending: a chat at a birthday party, the evening news on TV, or a quick question at the supermarket checkout?
Answers
- _Heb je_ (the _b_ sounds like _p_ and _je_ melts onto the verb).
- _hij_ (_heeftie_ is _heeft hij_ with the _h_ dropped).
- _Ik leg de sleutel op de tafel._ (the _p_ sounds like _b_ before _de_, but you write _p_)
- The evening news (newsreaders speak carefully, so they blend less).
Use it today
On the train or in the supermarket queue today, listen to people chatting and catch three melted chunks, such as _heppie_, _heeftie_ or _'k weet 't nie_. Write each one down in its normal spelling.