Dutch accent marks: acute (´), grave (`), and circumflex (ˆ)
The acute (´) can mark optional stress in één and vóór or belong to a fixed spelling such as hé; the grave (`) and circumflex (ˆ) belong to fixed spellings.
In Ik wil dát boek (I want that book), the acute mark gives extra stress to dát (that). In café (café), hè (right?), and enquête (survey), the accent belongs to the word's spelling.
Which accent should you use?
Dát (that) uses the acute (´) for optional stress. Hè (right?) and enquête (survey) keep the grave (`) and circumflex (ˆ) that belong to their spelling. Copy a fixed accent exactly.
| Accent | Dutch name | Job | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| ´ acute | accent aigu (acute accent) | Optional stress, or part of a fixed spelling | dát (that), één (one), café (café), hé (hey) |
| ` grave | accent grave (grave accent) | Part of a fixed spelling; never a stress mark | hè (right?), scène (scene), twee à drie (two to three) |
| ˆ circumflex | accent circonflexe (circumflex accent) | Part of a fixed spelling, mainly in French loanwords | enquête (survey), crêpe (crêpe), gêne (embarrassment) |
A trema has a different job. It shows that the marked vowel starts a new spoken part of the word (a syllable).
How do you add a stress mark?
Ik bedoel jóú, niet hem (I mean you, not him) puts extra stress on jou (you). A stress mark is optional. Use it when it prevents a wrong reading or makes a contrast clear.
- Choose the part of the word that needs extra stress.
- Add one acute when the sound uses one vowel letter: dát (that), wél (indeed), nú (now).
- Mark the first two vowel letters when the stressed part has two or more: vóór (before), twéé (two), níéuw (new), móói (beautiful).
- Mark both letters of ij. Many keyboards cannot add an acute to j, so writers usually use one mark, as in blíjf (stay).
- Write Eén vraag is genoeg (One question is enough) with only the second e marked. Official spelling drops a stress mark from the first capital at the start of a sentence. A word written fully in capitals can keep both marks: ÉÉN (one).
When can an acute prevent a wrong reading?
Eén (one), vóórkomen (to occur), and voorkómen (to prevent) use acute marks to prevent a wrong reading. Use the mark when the sentence could otherwise have two meanings or two pronunciations.
| Plain form | Possible readings | Accented form and reading | Example or limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| een | a/an or one | één (exactly one) | Use één to show that you mean exactly one: Ik heb maar één vraag (I have only one question). See cardinal numbers. |
| voor | for, before, or in front of | vóór (before or in front of) | Use vóór when you need to make the time or place meaning explicit: Zet de fiets vóór het huis, niet erachter (Put the bicycle in front of the house, not behind it). Plain voor remains correct when the context is clear. |
| voorkomen | to occur or to prevent | vóórkomen (to occur); voorkómen (to prevent) | Dit probleem kan vóórkomen (This problem can occur) stresses the first part. We willen dit probleem voorkómen (We want to prevent this problem) stresses the second part. The accents help the reader choose the intended verb. |
Which accents belong to a word's spelling?
Café (café), scène (scene), and enquête (survey) keep their accents in standard Dutch spelling. These marks help show how to read the e, so they are required rather than optional stress marks.
- The acute belongs in words such as café (café), privé (private), comité (committee), and hé (hey).
- The grave belongs in words such as scène (scene), crème (cream), première (premiere), and hè (right?). It also belongs on à in twee à drie dagen (two to three days) and à la carte (from the menu).
- The circumflex belongs in words such as enquête (survey), crêpe (crêpe), and gêne (embarrassment).
Many French words lose their original accents when Dutch adopts them. Use the spelling in a Dutch dictionary instead of copying every accent from French.
Why do wél and hé take an acute, but hè takes a grave?
Write wél, not wèl, when you add stress. The acute is the only stress mark in current Dutch spelling. The grave remains part of fixed spellings such as hè (right?), scène (scene), and à la carte (from the menu).
Hé, wacht op mij! (Hey, wait for me!) uses the acute to call for attention. Je komt morgen, hè? (You are coming tomorrow, right?) uses the grave to ask for a response or agreement. Some situations allow either word, but the pronunciation and meaning change with the accent.
- Which sentence makes it explicit that the speaker has exactly one question?
- Ik heb maar een vraag.
- Ik heb maar één vraag.
- Ik heb maar èèn vraag.
- Ik heb maar ëën vraag.
Plain *een* can mean a/an or one. The form *één* makes exactly one explicit, and the acute belongs on both *e* letters.
- Which sentence uses the correct stress mark to contrast before with after?
- Kom voor het eten, niet erna.
- Kom vóór het eten, niet erna.
- Kom vòòr het eten, niet erna.
- Kom vôôr het eten, niet erna.
*Vóór* uses an acute on both letters of *oo*. The marks make the contrast with *erna* (afterwards) explicit. Plain *voor* remains correct when the context is clear.
- Which loanword is written correctly?
- enquete
- enquête
- enquéte
- enquète
*Enquête* (survey) has a circumflex over *e* as part of its standard Dutch spelling.
- Which spelling means a scene in a film?
- scene
- scène
- scéne
- scêne
*Scène* takes a grave accent when it means a scene in a play or film. Plain *scene* is an English loanword for a social or cultural scene, as in *muziekscene* (music scene).
- Which sentence uses *hè* to ask for agreement?
- Hé, wacht op mij!
- Je komt morgen, hè?
- He, wacht op mij!
- Hê, wacht op mij!
*Hè* has a grave accent and can ask for a response or agreement. *Hé* has an acute and can call for attention: *Hé, wacht op mij!* (Hey, wait for me!)
Test yourself
Question 1 of 5
Which sentence makes it explicit that the speaker has exactly one question?