Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn about the Dutch trema (¨), which separates vowel sounds in words like België, poëzie, and reëel. This lesson explains how the trema clarifies pronunciation by marking vowel separation, provides examples, and compares its use to English. Perfect for A1 level learners aiming to improve spelling and pronunciation skills.
  1. The diaeresis is placed on the second vowel of a diphthong.
  2. We use a diaeresis with vowel collision as in 'België'.
Zonder trema (Without diaeresis)Met trema (With diaeresis)
BelgieBelgië (Belgium)
PoeziePoëzie (Poetry)
ReeelReëel (Real)
CoordinatieCoördinatie (Coordination)
MozaiekMozaïek (Mosaic)
EgoistischEgoïstisch (Selfish)

Exercise 1: Woorden met een trema

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

mozaïek, reëel, poëzie, Italië, België, geïrriteerd

1.
We hebben een kunstwerk gezien dat erg ... leek.
(We saw a piece of art that looked very realistic.)
2.
Tijdens het concert voelde ik me ... door de andere mensen.
(During the concert, I felt irritated by the other people.)
3.
Die kunstenaar maakt beelden van ....
(The artist makes images from mosaic.)
4.
In het museum zagen we prachtige kunst uit ....
(In the museum we saw beautiful art from Belgium.)
5.
De zangeres zong over liefde en ....
(The singer sang about love and poetry.)
6.
Mijn favoriete dans komt uit ....
(My favourite dance comes from Italy.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Ik ga morgen naar de expositie in ___.

(I am going to the exhibition in __ tomorrow.)

2. De muzikant leest een __ tijdens het concert.

(The musician reads a __ during the concert.)

3. Het schilderij is erg __ en levendig.

(The painting is very __ and lively.)

4. In het museum hangt een __ van moderne kunstwerken.

(In the museum hangs a __ of modern artworks.)

5. De __ in de galerie is erg kleurrijk.

(The __ in the gallery is very colorful.)

6. Zijn __ gedrag stoort de andere bezoekers.

(His __ behavior bothers the other visitors.)

Understanding Dutch Words with a Trema

This lesson explores the use of the trema (two dots ÿ) in Dutch words, a common diacritical mark that signals pronunciation and spelling changes. The trema indicates that two vowels are pronounced separately rather than forming a diphthong. It is placed on the second vowel of a vowel cluster, called a tweeklank.

What Does the Trema Do?

The trema is used to prevent vowel confusion and clarify how a word should be spoken. For example, in België and poëzie, the trema shows that the vowels are pronounced as separate sounds: /beˈli.ɣiː/ and /puˈeːzi/. Without the trema, pronunciation might be unclear.

Examples of Words with and without Trema

Without TremaWith Trema
BelgieBelgië
PoeziePoëzie
ReeelReëel
CoordinatieCoördinatie
MozaiekMozaïek
EgoistischEgoïstisch

Important Points to Remember

  • The trema always appears on the second vowel of a pair to show separate pronunciation.
  • Common Dutch words frequently use the trema to indicate vowel separation.
  • This can be a tricky part of spelling and reading for learners at the A1 level.

Comparison with English

Unlike Dutch, English rarely uses a trema, except in borrowed or poetic words (e.g., naïve or coöperate). Both languages use it to clarify that vowels are pronounced separately. Knowing this can help learners understand pronunciation rules in Dutch and recognize the role of the trema when reading or speaking.

Useful phrases and their approximate English parallels include:

  • België — Belgium (pronounced with a clear separation of vowels)
  • Poëzie — poetry
  • Coördinatie — coordination

Focusing on these distinctions equips learners to improve both pronunciation and spelling accuracy.

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This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Kato De Paepe

Business and languages

KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 29/05/2025 16:33