How to Pronounce gracht

English: canal (specifically a city canal)

Say it like grakht

Phonetic breakdown

It begins with a guttural Dutch 'g', followed by a rolled 'r', a short 'a' vowel, and ends with a throat-clearing 'ch' sound and a crisp 't'.

Common mistake

English speakers often pronounce the 'g' as a hard English 'g' (as in 'go') and the 'ch' as in 'chair', instead of using the correct Dutch guttural sounds.

Usage tip

Use 'gracht' only for historic city canals lined with streets, and use 'kanaal' for larger, man-made waterways used for shipping outside of city centers.

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