The Long and Short of Dutch
After noun genders, the hardest part of Dutch for English speakers to learn are long vs. short vowels, particularly long 'aa' vs. short 'a', and to a lesser degree long 'oo' vs. short 'o'. Fortunately there are several powerful tricks to help English speakers. Please see the Zoot-O-Z web page for an overview of the techniques.
The list below contains common long 'aa' and 'oo' monosyllable nouns, plus tips to learn them. The list doesn't include nouns containing other long vowels because they are easy to master. Double 'i' doesn't exist. Double 'ee' is phonetically distinct, ie. English speakers can easily hear the difference between 'ee' and 'e'. Double 'u' follows an easy rule- 'u's followed by 'r's are long, whereas 'u's followed by all other consonants are short (with the exception 1. of the words 'purper'(purple), and 'purge', and 2. multisyllable words ending with an accented syllable containing 'uu', for example: molecuul-(molecule), statuut-(statute), excuus-(excuse), etc.
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'A Short Long-Dutch Dictionary'
Neuter Gender Monosyllable Nouns with Long 'aa's' and 'oo's'
Note: GVS stands for 'The Great Vowel Shift"
(Note: Not all long 'aa' and 'oo' nouns are included- list is in progress.)
brood-bread
-brood vs. 'broddel'-(a messed up job or task)
draad-(wire)-
-One of the rare 'aa' nouns that doesn't have a 'short a' counterpart, and isn't a GVS word.) However, it is derived from the verb 'draaien', and as such would have a long sound. For example: 'een gedraaid draad' would be 'a twisted wire'.
gaas- gauze
-gaas vs. gas-(gas)
graan- grain- græn- (Note: The 'graen' spelling is still used in some Dutch dialects.)
-(a GVS- Great Vowel Shift- word)
-graan vs. grandioos-(magnificient)
haar- hair- Old English hær
-(a GVS word)
jaar- year
-jaar vs. jargon-(jargon)
-Note: Although 'jaar' is actually a GVS word, it is ommitted because the 'aa' didn't switch to the 'classic' 'ay' sound.)
koor- choir
-koor vs. 'kor' (funnel shaped fishing net pulled by a boat)
kwaad- evil
-kwaad vs. kwadrant-(quadrant)
lood-lead
-lood vs. lodder-a torturing spirit
loof-(foliage)
-(GVS word- leaf)
-loof-(foliage) vs. lof-(praise)
loon-(salary/wages)
-In the rare cases of long 'aa/oo' words where no ordinary mnemonic crutch is available, the best mnemonic tool is usually assonance, ie. pairing the long-vowel word with a similar long-vowel word containing the same vowel sound. In the case of 'loon', a good mnemoic is a 'boon loon', ie. a salary worth no more than beans.
maal-(meal)
-maal vs. mal(craziness))
oog-eye
-'oo' at the beginning of a monosyllable noun
oor-(ear)
-'oo' at the beginning of a monosyllable noun
oord-(place)
-'oo' at the beginning of a monosyllable noun
paard-(horse)-
- 'aa' before '-rd' is long (Hard miljard, tis wel 'n paard!- By Jove it really is a horse!)...('Hard' and 'miljard' are the two prominent exceptions to the rule.)
raam- frame
-raam-(frame) vs. Ram-(Aries)
rood-red
-rood vs. roddel-(malicious gossip)
-assonance: Rode Rover-(Red Rover)
schaap-(sheep)
-schaap vs. '-schap'-(-hood or -ship)
schroot-waste/junk
-Assonance: A 'schroot poot' is a lame foot on a dog or other animal.
spook-(spook)
-A freebie word, 'spook' and 'school' are the two long-a/o words that are the same in English.
-assonance: Spook School-(Hogwarts)
woord-(word)
- woord vs. 'word'-(became, past tense verb)
-'oo-' before '-rd' is long. ('n woord voor het Record Bord!)...(A word for the record books.)
('Record' and 'bord' are the two prominent exceptions to the '-oord' rule.)
zwaard-(sword)
- 'aa' before '-rd' is long (Hard miljard! T'is 'n zwaard!')
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Common-gender Monosyllable Nouns with Long 'aa's' and 'oo's'
aal- eel
-aal vs. al(everything- with an exceptional short initial 'a-')
aap-ape-æp
-(a GVS word)
-aap vs. app-(Computer app)
aard-character
- 'aa-' before '-rd' is long (Hard miljard, wat 'n aard!)
aas- carrion
-aas(carrion) vs. as(axle-with the other exceptional short inital 'a-')
aas- Ace-æs
-(a GVS word)
baal-(bale)- bæl
-baal vs bal(ball),
-(also a GVS word)
baan- lane/road
-baan vs. ban(excommunication)
baard-beard
- 'aa' before '-rd' is long
baas-boss-
-plural 'bazen'
baat-(benefit/profit)- bæt
-Modern English 'rebate' (a GVS word)
blaam- blame- blæm
-(a GVS word)
blaas-bladder (thing blown up)
-plural-blazen
boog-bow or 'thing bent'
-Present tense 'buìg' shifts to 'boog' in the past tense.
boom- tree
-boom vs. bom-(bomb)
boon-bean-bean
-'boon' vs. 'bon'-receipt
-(a GVS word)
boord-side, particularly of a ship
-'boord' vs. 'bord'-board
boot- boat
-boot vs. bot(bone)
dood-death
-Assonance:' De dood van de dodo vogel' (The 'dodo' is an extinct bird.)
doop- baptism
-doop vs. dop(shell)
doos- box
-doos vs. dos(attire)
-also plural-'dozen'
droom-dream-dream
-(GVS word)
dwaas-fool-
-plural-dwazen
faam-fame- fæm
-(a GVS word)
gaard-garden-
- 'aa' before '-rd' is long
goot-gutter-
-derived from the verb 'giet', which becomes goot in the past tense
graad-grade- graed
-(a GVS word)
graaf-Count or ditch-
-graaf vs. graf-(grave)
graat-fishbone- græt
-Modern English 'grate'(a GVS word)
haag-hedgerow- hæg
-(a GVS word- The English variant of 'Den Haag'-Capitol of the Netherlands, is 'The Hague' and is pronounce like 'plague'.)
haak-hook-
-haak vs. hak-(heel)
haal-stroke-
-haal vs. hal-(hall)
haan-cock/crane/hammer of a gun-
-haan vs. han-(a turkish wayside inn for caravans)
haard-hearth-
- 'aa' before '-rd' is long
haas-hare-
-plural-hazen
-also assonance mnemonic- de Paas haas (Easter Bunny)
haast-haste- hæst
(GVS word)
-Mnemonic 'Haast naast Aalst!'-(Almost by the carnival town of Aalst!)- the main exceptions to the rule that 'a' before '-st' is short.
haat-hate- hæt
-(GVS word)')
hoon-scorn
-hoon vs. honnig-(cute, adorable- an old fashioned word)
hoop-hope
-hoop vs. hop(as in hops for making beer)
hoop-heap-heap
-(a GVS word)...And one of the rare long aa/oo homonyms in Dutch.
-hoop vs. hop(as in hops for making beer)
hoos-spout, as in windhoos-(whirlwind)
-plural-hozen
kaart-map or menu-
-kaart vs. kart-(a go-cart)
kaap-(cape of land)-kæp
-kaap vs. kap(hood)
-(GVS word)
kloof-cleft- cleave
-kloof vs. 'klof'-suit
-(GVS word)
knaap-boy-
-knaap vs. knap(pretty or nice)
knoop- knot
-knoop vs. knop(button/knob)
kool-cabbage and coal
-kool vs. kol-(a sourceress)
koon-cheek
-koon vs. kon-(could-verb)
koop- purchase
-koop vs. kop(head)
koord-cord
-koord vs. kordon-(cordon)
-'-oo-' before '-rd' is long. ('n koord voor het Record Bord!)
kraag-collar-
-kraag vs. krag-a little floating island in a lake.
kraal-bead
-Assonance "Kraal Praal" Jewelry worn on a 'Rode Loper' (Red Carpet).
kraam-booth
-kraam vs. kram-(clamp)
kraan- handle on a fawcet/crane- kræn
-(a GVS word)
kroon-crown
-Assonance: De 'Hoon Kroon'- (Crown of Derision/Scorn, ie. a Jesters Hat)
kwaal- complaint/disease-
-kwaal vs. kwal-(jellyfish)
loop- course/run-leap
-(GVS word- leap)
-Famous assonance pair- 'rode loper'-(red carpet)
loot-shoot(twig), offspring
-loot vs. lot(fate)
maag-stomach-
-maag vs. mag-(may)
maak-manufacture-mæk
-maak vs. mak-(tame)
-a GVS word
maas-mesh-
-maas vs. massagoed-(bulk goods) or massagraf-(mass grave)
maat-measure
-maat vs. mat(mat)
maat-buddy(English mate)- mæt
-(a GVS word)
moord-murder
-'-oo-' before '-rd' is long. ('n moord voor het Record Bord!)
moot-slice
-moot vs. mot(moth)
naad-seam
-'Naai de naad' (sow the seam). '-aai' verbs are usually linked to '-aa-' nouns.
naaf-nave in a church- næf
-(a GVS word)
naam-name- næm
-(a GVS word)
nood-need-need
-(a GVS word)
noot-nut
-noot vs. notweg (legal access path through someones property)
oom-uncle
- 'oo' at the beginning of a monosyllable noun
paal-stick or pale- pæl
-(a GVS word)
Paas-Easter
-Paas vs. pas-(step)
plaag-plague- plæg
-(a GVS word)
plaat-plate- plæt
-(a GVS word)
plaats-place- plæ(t)s
-(a GVS word)
pool-pole
-pool vs. Pol-(common first name)
Pool-person from Poland
-the country name is Polen
poort-doorway
-poort vs. port-(Port wine)
poot-paw
-poot vs. pot-(pot)
praal-pomp
-praal vs. pral-person who puts on airs
praat-speech
-praat vs. prat-(proud of)
raad-advice
-raad vs. rad-(wheel)
raap-turnip- ræp
-raap vs. rap-(quickly)
-(a GVS word) Modern English 'rape'
roof-robbery
-rover-robber (as in 'Red Rover')
rook-smoke
-rook vs. rok-(skirt)
room-cream
-room vs. Rom-(Rome)
roos- rose
-roos vs. ros(steed-type of horse)
schaal- shell- schæl
-(a GVS word-scale)
schaam-shame- schæm
-(a GVS word)
schaar-scissors
-schaar vs. schar-(a common flat-fish like the flounder in the sea by Holland and Flanders)
school- school and spook are two rare 'freebies' that are identical in English
-scoop- suffix meaning 'to see', as in 'microscoop'-(theater). Also spelled '-skoop'
-scoop vs. scope-(loan word from English with the business meaning of extent or breadth)
schroom-fear
-A mnemonic is dood schroom (fear of death)
sjaal-scarf-
-sjaal vs. insjallah-(God willing, from Arabic)
slaaf-slave- slæf
-(a GVS word)
slaag-blows
-slaag vs. slag-(type) or (single blow)
slaap-sleep-
-slaap vs. slap-(slack)
sloot-ditch
-sloot vs. slot-(lock)
smaad-slander/libel
A mnemonic is 'smaad daad'- (slander so bad it's a crime)
smaak-taste
smaak vs. smak-(smack)
soort-type, species
-soort vs. sorteerhoed (Hogwarts sorting hat). Note: soort is one of the very rare words where o- before -rt is long.
-A mnemonic is "Soort-poort- (the door to Noah's Ark- either a 'Species Door' or Sorting Door)
staaf-rail/metal stick-stæf
-staaf vs. staf-(staff)
-(a GVS word)-Modern English 'stave'
staart-tail-
-staart vs. start-(start)
Note: long 'aa' before '-rt' is quite rare.
-a mnemonic is 'staart-taart- (a braided Danish breakfast tart)
staat-state- stæt
-(a GVS word)
stoom-steam-steam
-stoom vs. stom-(dumb)
-(a GVS word)
stoot-push
-stoot vs. stotteren-(to stutter)
straal- ray
-Assonance: A 'praal straal' (elegant laser beam) is a laser light display in a disco dance hall.
strook-strip, streak
-(a GVS word)
stroom-stream/current-stream
-(a GVS word)
stroop-sweet syrup
-stroop vs. strop-(rope)
taak-task-
-taak vs. tak-(branch)
taal-language-tæl
-taal vs. tal-(number)
-(a GVS word)-tale
taart-cake.pastery-
-taart vs. tart-(tease or challenge)
Note: long 'aa' before '-rt' is rare.
toom-bridle
-toom vs. Tom-(name)
toon-tone
-toon vs. ton-(barrel)
traan-tear
-A mnemonic is 'Traanoog'- a 'teareye' or 'crybaby'
troon-throne
-Assonance: De 'Hoon Kroon Troon' Jester's Chair
troost-consolation
-Assonance mnemonic- 'kroost is troost'- 'a big brood is a consolation'. Note: kroost and troost are the two major exceptions to the rule that 'o's before -st are short.
vaart-speed, pace, navigation-
-Note: long 'aa' before '-rt' is very rare.
-Assonance: 'vaart kaart'-(mobile GPS navigation device)
vlaag-weather burst-
-vlaag vs. vlag (flag)
vloot-fleet-fleat
-vloot vs. vlot-(raft)
-GVS word
vraag-question
-Assonance: 'De Waag Schaal Vraag'- (An either-or question during the period of the Inquisition- 'The Question that tilts the Balance')
waag-scale
-waag vs. waggel-(to wobble/waggle)
-also 'waag' comes from 'wiegen' (to weigh).
waan-craziness/delusion
-waan vs. wan-(mis- or bad, as in wanbetaler- person who doesn't pay a bill)
waard-landlord-
- 'aa' before '-rd' is long
zaag-saw
-zaag vs. zag-(saw- verb)
zaak-business
-zaek vs. zak-(pocket)
zaal-room
-zaal vs zal-(will verb)
zool-sole
-zol vs. zolletje-(a small amount of money)
zoom-hem
-Assonance: De Zoom van de Zomer (The Dog Days of Summer- Days in Autum in the Northeastern U.S. that are as warm as summer).
zoon-son
-zoon vs. zon-(sun)
zwaan-swan
-zwaan vs. zwans (tail or joke)
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| Zoot Steppes- University of California at Santa Cruz |
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