Diftonge (Diphthongs)

Diftonge are combination vowel sounds that are pronounced as a single gliding sound.

In Afrikaans, there are three real or regte diftonge such as ei, ou, ui.

Examples: eiland (island), oud (old), uil (owl).

What are Diftonge?

• Diftonge are special combinations of two vowel sounds that are pronounced together in a single syllable.
• In Afrikaans, diftongs are formed when two vowels come together in a word.

How to Pronounce Diftonge:

• When saying diftonge, the sound starts with one vowel and glides smoothly into the sound of the second vowel.
• Practice saying diftongs by moving your mouth and tongue smoothly from the first vowel to the second vowel in one continuous sound.

Identifying Diftongs:

• Look for two vowels together in a word to identify a diftong.
• Remember that diftongs are pronounced as a single sound in one syllable.

Importance of Diftongs:

• Diftongs add interesting sounds to words and help us understand and communicate better in Afrikaans.
• By learning diftongs, you can improve your pronunciation and understand words more easily.

Here are more examples of diftonge (diphthongs) in Afrikaans:

Diftong	Pronunciation	Listen
Ou –	Pronounced as a combination of “oh” and “oo”
Ei –	Pronounced as a combination of “ay” and “ee”
Ui –	Pronounced as a combination of “ay” and “ee” with rounded lips

Here are some examples of the diftongs “ou,” “ei,” and “ui” in Afrikaans:

1. “ou”:
   • “hou” (to hold)
   • “goud” (gold)
   • “kous” (sock)
   • “woud” (forest)
2. “ei”:
   • “meisie” (girl)
   • “reis” (journey)
   • “seisoen” (season)
   • “feit” (fact)

3. “ui”:
   • “huis” (house)
   • “ruit” (window)
   • “sluip” (to sneak)
   • “duim” (thumb)

In Afrikaans, there are six “nie egte” (non-genuine) diftonge. These are combinations of vowels that may appear to be diftonge but are actually pronounced as separate vowel sounds. Here are the six non-genuine diftonge in Afrikaans:Top of Form

Diftong	Pronunciation	Listen
Eeu	Pronounced like “ay-oo.”
Aai	Pronounced like “eye.”
Ooi	Pronounced like “oy.”
Oei	Pronounced like “oo-ee.”
Ai	Pronounced like “eye.”
oi	Pronounced like “oy.”

Here are examples of the diftongs “eeu,” “aai,” “ooi,” “oei,” “ai,” and “oi” in Afrikaans:

1. “eeu”:
   • “leeus” (lions)
   • “sneeu” (snow)

2. “aai”:
   • “haai” (shark)
   • “raai” (to guess)
   • “laai” (to load)
3. “ooi”:
   • “dooie” (dead)
   • “rooi” (red)
   • “gooi” (to throw)
4. “oei”:
   • “boeie” (buoys)
   • “broeikas” (greenhouse)
   • Koei  ( cow)
5. “ai”:
   • baie ( a lot)
6. “oi”:
   • Toiings (dressings)

In these examples, the diftongs “eeu,” “aai,” “ooi,” “oei,” “ai,” and “oi” represent combinations of two vowels pronounced together in a single syllable. Practice saying these words aloud, paying attention to the smooth glide from one vowel sound to the other. By familiarizing yourself with these diftongs, you’ll be able to recognize and pronounce them correctly in Afrikaans.