West Frisian (Frysk)

West Frisian is spoken in the Dutch province of Fryslan/Friesland, and also in a number of border villages in the neighboring province of Groningen. According to the 2001 census, there are 470,000 West Frisian speakers.

The language can be used in dealings with public bodies, and is taught or used as a medium of instruction in most schools. There are regular radio and television broadcasts in Frisian, and occasional Frisian articles in the newspapers.

Source:www.eurolang.net/Languages/Frisian.htm

West Frisian alphabet (Frysk alfabet)

West Frisian alphabet

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisian_alphabet

Pronunciation of West Frisian

Notes

a is pronounced [ɔ] before d, t, l, n, s
er is pronounced [ɛ:] in bern, gers and ferzen
eau is pronounced [øə] in past participles and [jo:] in preterites and other words
ei is pronounced [i] in Moandei and other compounds with -dei
eur is pronounced [øə]
the word ôf is pronounced [ɔu] or [ɔ:]
oa becomes [a] in moatte and Moandei, and [ã:] in Woansdei
oe is pronounced [u] before ch, g, k
y is pronounced [ɛi] in my, dy, hy, wy, by, but [i] in dy as demonstrative pronoun
any vowel or diphtong before n + s, z, f, v, w, j, l, r, is nasalised
any nasalised vowel is lengthened before ns, nz
d is silent before l. often pronounced [r] in intervocalic position
h is silent before [j], [w] and in thús
j is often silent before [i]
l is silent before d and t, and often pronounced [r] when between vowels
when assimilated, n becomes [m] before p, [ŋ] before k, or is dropped while nasalising the preceding vowel
r is silent before t, d, n, l, s, z
sj is pronounced [ç]
w is pronounced [v] at the beginning of a word, [f] in final, [w] elsewhere. It is silent before [w]. ww is pronounced [v]
zj is pronounced [ʝ]

Source: www.allezhop.de/frysk/

Download an alphabet chart for West Frisian (Excel)

Sample texts in West Frisian

Alle minsken wurde frij en gelyk yn weardigens en rjochten berne. Hja hawwe ferstân en gewisse meikrigen en hearre har foar inoar oer yn in geast fan bruorskip te hâlden en te dragen.

A recording of this text

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Information about pronunciation and sample texts provided by François Paes, Pyt Kramer and Reinhard Hahn.

Sample videos in and about West Frisian

Information about West Frisian | Phrases | Numbers | Tower of Babel

Links

Information about West Frisian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Frisian_language

Online course in West Frisian
http://www.allezhop.de/frysk/

Online West Frisian phrasebooks
http://wikitravel.org/en/West_Frisian_phrasebook
http://www.aboutlanguageschools.com/phrases/frisian.asp
http://www.phrasebase.com/archive2/frisian/6173.html

West Frisian dictionaries
http://www.majstro.com/dictionaries/English-West%20Frisian
http://www.wurdboek.nl/v2/index.php
https://heitenmem.nl/nederlands-frysk-wurdboek/
https://taalweb.frl/wurdboekportaal
http://oersethelp.nl/

West Frisian numbers
http://www.languagesandnumbers.com/how-to-count-in-west-frisian/en/fry/

Farsk - Frysk Literêr Ynternet Tydskrift (Frisian literature)
http://www.farsk.nl

Online West Frisian Radio
http://www.omropfryslan.nl
http://www.fryslan.frl

Online West Frisian news
http://www.itnijs.nl

Geeske's Griemside (Frisian cartoons)
http://www.homepages.hetnet.nl/~geesk/

West Frisian-Dutch online translation
http://oersethelp.nl

Tweets in Frisian
http://indigenoustweets.com/fy/

Frisian books are available from:
http://www.nnbh.com

Germanic languages

Afrikaans, Alsatian, Bavarian, Cimbrian, Danish, Dutch, Elfdalian, English, Faroese, Flemish, Frisian (East), Frisian (North), Frisian (Saterland), Frisian (West), German, Gothic, Gottscheerish, Gronings, Hunsrik, Icelandic, Limburgish, Low German, Luxembourgish, Mòcheno, Norn, Norwegian, Old English, Old Norse, Pennsylvania German, Ripuarian, Scots, Shetland(ic), Stellingwarfs, Swabian, Swedish, Swiss German, Transylvanian Saxon, Värmlandic, Wymysorys, Yiddish, Yola, Zeelandic

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 14.05.24

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