The Most Common Dutch Spelling Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

Dutch spelling has rules that trip up even native speakers. Whether you're learning Dutch or polishing your skills, mastering these common pitfalls will significantly improve your writing.

The Infamous D/T Rules

The d/t rules for verb endings cause more confusion than any other aspect of Dutch spelling. Here's how to get them right.

Present Tense: The stem determines the ending. Find the stem by taking the infinitive and removing -en.

• werken → werk (stem)
• Ik werk, jij werkt, hij werkt

The Rule: If the stem ends in -d, keep it:

• worden → word (stem)
• Ik word, jij wordt, hij wordt

Past Tense (Simple Past): Use 't kofschip to determine -te or -de endings.

If the stem ends in t, k, f, s, ch, or p → use -te Otherwise → use -de

Examples:

• werken → werkte (k is in 't kofschip)
• leven → leefde (v becomes f, not in 't kofschip)

Past Participle: Same rule applies for -t or -d at the end.

• gewerkt (k is in 't kofschip)
• geleefd (f is in 't kofschip)
• geworden (no 't kofschip letter)

Compound Words

Dutch loves compound words, and they're written as one word—no spaces, no hyphens (usually).

Correct:

• voetbalwedstrijd (football match)
• ziekenhuis (hospital)
• huissleutel (house key)

Wrong:

• voetbal wedstrijd
• zieken huis
• huis sleutel

When to use a hyphen:

• With abbreviations: tv-programma
• For clarity: zee-egel (sea urchin) vs. zeegel (seal)
• With foreign words: e-mail

Double Vowels and Consonants

Dutch uses vowel and consonant doubling in specific patterns.

Open vs. Closed Syllables:

• Open syllable (ends in vowel): single vowel letter
• Closed syllable (ends in consonant): double vowel letter

Examples:

• ma-ken → mak (short a sound, so double: maakten)
• bo-men → bom (short o sound, so double: bomen)

Consonant Doubling: Double the consonant to keep the vowel short:

• man → mannen
• bel → bellen
• lot → lotten

Tricky Word Pairs

These words sound alike but are spelled differently:

| Word | Meaning | Example | |------|---------|---------| | hun | their/them | Hun huis is groot | | hen | them (direct object) | Ik zie hen | | zij | she/they | Zij komt morgen | | ze | she/they (unstressed) | Ze is aardig | | jou | you (object, stressed) | Ik bel jou | | je | you (unstressed) | Hoe gaat het met je? |

F/V and S/Z Confusion

Dutch alternates between f/v and s/z in related words:

Singular → Plural:

• brief → brieven
• huis → huizen
• golf → golven

Verb Stems:

• leven → ik leef, wij leven
• reizen → ik reis, wij reizen

Apostrophe Rules

Apostrophes in Dutch are used sparingly:

Correct uses:

• Plurals of words ending in a, i, o, u, y: foto's, ski's
• Possessives after names ending in a vowel: Anna's boek
• Contractions: 's morgens, 't regent

NOT used for:

• Regular plurals: auto's ✓ but stoelen ✓ (not stoel's)
• Verb forms: hij loopt (not loop't)

Capital Letters

Dutch uses fewer capitals than English:

Lowercase:

• Days: maandag, dinsdag
• Months: januari, februari
• Languages: Nederlands, Engels
• Nationalities: Nederlandse, Amerikaanse

Uppercase:

• Names of people and places
• First word of sentences
• Official titles when used with names

Quick Reference: Common Mistakes

| Wrong | Correct | Rule | |-------|---------|------| | hij word | hij wordt | Third person present tense | | ik heb gewerked | ik heb gewerkt | 't kofschip | | hun zijn | zij zijn | Hun is possessive only | | gister | gisteren | Full word required | | is-ie | is ie or is 'ie | Spacing with pronouns | | email | e-mail | Foreign word with hyphen |

Practice Strategy

1. Read Dutch daily - Exposure reinforces correct patterns
2. Write and check - Use spelling tools to catch mistakes
3. Learn rules, not just words - Understanding the system beats memorization
4. Focus on your weak spots - Track your common errors

Dutch spelling becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the underlying rules, and you'll make fewer mistakes over time.