How to Pronounce bitterbal

English: bitterball (a deep-fried Dutch meat ragout snack)

Say it like BIH-tur-bahl

Phonetic breakdown

It consists of 'bitter' with a short 'i' and a soft schwa ending, followed by 'bal' which has a short, crisp 'ah' sound rather than the English 'aw' sound.

Common mistake

Non-native speakers often pronounce 'bal' like the English word 'ball', but it should actually sound closer to 'bahl' with a short Dutch 'a' sound.

Usage tip

Always order these in the plural form, 'bitterballen', and be careful when biting into them as the ragout filling inside is notoriously hot.

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