| | Vowels |
|---|
| IPA | Examples | English approximation |
|---|
| Monophthongs |
|---|
| ɑ | dak | dog (but more open), father (but shorter) | | a | baan | pa (but shorter) | | aː | daar | pa | | ɛ | bed | bed | | e | beet | bait (without the 'y' sound at the end) | | ɛː | crème | yeah, orRP English bare | | ɪ | zit | sit | | ɪː | beer | sit (but longer) | | i | ziet | seat (but shorter) | | iː | zier | seat | | ɔ | post | boss | | ɔː | door | door | | o | boot | boat | | ø | leuk | somewhat like hurl; Frenchdeux (but shorter) | | u | poets | you but shorter, took but more closed/tense | | uː | boer | you | | ʏ | nut | much like the one below (y), but with the tongue slightly further from the lips | | ʏː | deur | somewhat likeer; Frenchœuf | | y | nu | Frenchrue | | yː | zuur | Frenchrue, but longer | | Diphthongs |
|---|
| ɛi̯ | wijd,eis | between tie and day (the latter more as in Australia) | | ɑu̯ | hout,blauw | how | | œy̯ | huid | Similar to French fauteuil, no exact equivalent in English. Approximated as tie with rounded lips, or how with fronted lips. | | eːu̯ orɪːu̯ | eeuw | laywoman | | iːu̯ | nieuw | leeway | | Reduced vowels |
|---|
| ə | halte | comma, label, chatter |
|