# Zoetje Pronunciation



## Xape

Hi there,

My girlfriend has Dutch heritage and I thought it would be cool to call her something nice in Dutch. I found Zoetje, which seems to mean "Sweetie." I would like to know for sure how to pronounce this? Any guidance you can provide would be helpful.

Also if there is a way to say "I am smitten with you" Not quite love but just before it lol. Don't want to scare her off lol.

Thanks,

-Xape


----------



## Lopes

Zoetje is something you put in your coffee if you don't want to use sugar...
I'm not good with fonetic writing but I'll try to explain the pronounciation: 
"Zoo" but with the short 'o' of "to"
't'
"yuh"
The accent is on the first part. 
Hope this helps.


----------



## Frank06

Hi,
The question about the pronunciation was answered, but this suprised me a bit:


Lopes said:


> Zoetje is something you put in your coffee if you don't want to use sugar...


Lopes, does this mean that the use of 'zoetje' to refer to a beloved one (be it partner or off spring) is not generally used in the Netherlands, or in the region you live?

In my (Flemish Dutch, Brabantian) memory, 'zoetje' (and local variants, used to address a beloved one) predates the sacharine sweeteners. Well, I must even say that I never heard about 'zoetje' in the sense Lopes gave (see also here).

Groetjes,

Frank


----------



## HKK

If 'zoetje' isn't used that way in the Netherlands, the pronunciation should be different too  The Flemish way would be like English "zoocha"


----------



## Frank06

Hi,


HKK said:


> If 'zoetje' isn't used that way in the Netherlands, the pronunciation should be different too  The Flemish way would be like English "zoocha"


 
Yes and no... 
The sound you describe is indeed quite common in certain parts of Flanders. In the _Klink klaar. Uitspraak- en intonatiegids voor het Nederlands_ readers are indeed warned not to use a sh-sound after t. 

On the other hand, I have no idea how 'zoetje' sounds "the Flemish way", but in Brabantian we would *not* say something as "zoocha", for the simple reason we'd use "zoete*ke*" .

Groetjes,

Frank


----------



## HKK

Ok, I put it too generally. But I think if you'd make everyone in Flanders (except maybe in Deep West Flanders) pronounce zoetje, the majority would make it 'zoocha'. 

I haven't got proof of this, but imagine a Flemish tv programme which isn't the news. If the tv network wants to sound colloquial or popular, they'll adopt this pronunciation. Soap operas, reality programmes, quizzes, anything on the youth network (Ketnet)...

Anyway, I don't want to challenge you, Frank. I just don't want you to think I extrapolated my own pronunciation to all of Flanders for no reason



Frank06 said:


> On the other hand, I have no idea how 'zoetje' sounds "the Flemish way", but in Brabantian we would *not* say something as "zoocha", for the simple reason we'd use "zoete*ke*" .


I'd say 'zoeteke' is from another register than 'zoetje'. One person could use both of these words in different contexts. People of my age in Leuven (Brabant ) would use 'zoetje' rather that 'zoeteke', I think.


----------



## Lopes

Frank06 said:


> Hi,
> Lopes, does this mean that the use of 'zoetje' to refer to a beloved one (be it partner or off spring) is not generally used in the Netherlands, or in the region you live?



Yes, I've never heard it being used like that.. 



Frank06 said:


> In my (Flemish Dutch, Brabantian) memory, 'zoetje' (and local variants, used to address a beloved one) predates the sacharine sweeteners.



What do you mean by that? That you've heard the word 'zoetje' before it existed as a sweetener? I really couldn't say that, but then I have no clue as to when the sweeteners were invented.


----------



## Frank06

Hi,



HKK said:


> But I think if you'd make everyone in Flanders (except maybe in Deep West Flanders) pronounce zoetje, the majority would make it 'zoocha'.


 
My "yes and no" in the previous post was too unclear. My apologies. 
I mentioned that small quote from the book 'Klink klaar', in which readers (esp. from all over Flanders) are warned *not* to say t+sh in order to exactly illustrate your point . 
You're right: If you'd force people over here to pronounce any word ending in a /t/ followed by diminutive -je, it would sound in many or most cases the way you describe. The book wouldn't warn against that "t+sh" pronunciation (in general) if it wasn't (generally) used.



> I'd say 'zoeteke' is from another register than 'zoetje'. One person could use both of these words in different contexts. People of my age in Leuven (Brabant) would use 'zoetje' rather that 'zoeteke', I think.


K, interesting. And that 'zoetje' is pronounced especially with a very short 'oe'-sound (/u/) and a sh-sound?
I have the impression that the -ke diminutive is still overwhelmingly used over here (Antwerp, so please skip 'Brabantian' in my previous post), despite the growing concurrence of diminutive forms with -je...



Lopes said:


> [...]you've heard the word 'zoetje' before it existed as a sweetener?


I looked up the word in a Van Dale dictionary of 1961 (I was, erm, published in 1969), and to my surprise, even then it was already used meaning 'een tabletje zoetstof'. No clue when it entered Dutch lexicon, though.
But until your post, I never heard about 'zoetje' in the meaning of a sweetener. I only know such a thing by one of the brandnames.
Nevertheless, it would surprise me if 'zoetje', as a way to call a beloved one, would have been inspired by Candarel .

Groetjes,

Frank


----------



## Benski

Zoetje is not used generally to discribe a loved one here. At least not in general Dutch. Maybe in some dialects that I don't know about.

It suprised me that nobody post some alternatives here.
*Lieverd* would be my choise for you.


----------



## Frank06

*Hi,*

*Welcome to the forum!!*

*


Benski said:



			It suprised me that nobody post some alternatives here.
		
Click to expand...

**That's because we try stick to the topic of the thread (one thread, one topic) . *

*



			Lieverd would be my choise for you.
		
Click to expand...

**May I refer to this thread:*
*"I love you" **http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=562593*

*Groetjes,*

*Frank*
*Moderator DF*


----------



## Frank06

*Hi,*

*I think the question has been answered and I hope that Xape will be able to call his sweetheart 'zoetje' very often for many, many years.*

*If Xape would have doubts about the usage of 'zoetje', then **this thread** can offer some answers.*

*Any which way, I think it is time to close this thread.*

*Groetjes,*

*Frank*
*Moderator DF*


----------

