The exact spelling appears at position 7,047 in the cited OpenSubtitles-derived Dutch 50k token list. That is a corpus signal, not search volume, CEFR level or proof that the noun sense is equally frequent. Article, forms, glosses, pronunciation and examples are adapted from English Wiktionary via Kaikki under CC BY-SA 4.0. See sources and modifications.
How woud is pronounced
IPA: /ʋɑu̯t/ · Syllables: woud
Say the article and noun together—het woud—before practising the word in a sentence. This keeps grammatical gender attached to the item you retrieve. Regional speech and sentence rhythm can change the surface sound, so use the transcription as a compact reference rather than as a substitute for listening.
What woud means
forest, woods, jungle
Dictionary label: neuter
mass, multitude, sea (now chiefly in relation to rules and prescriptions)
Dictionary label: figuratively, neuter
An English gloss identifies a sense, not a one-word substitution that works in every context. Look at the surrounding verb, preposition, number and situation in the Dutch example. When several meanings are listed, practise one meaning at a time and state a concrete context before changing to another sense.
Article, plural and diminutive
| Form | Dutch | Speaking use |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | het woud | Retrieve the article and noun as one chunk. |
| Plural | de wouden | Dutch plural nouns take de; also change the verb and quantity where needed. |
| Diminutive | woudje | A smaller, familiar or context-specific form; use only when the meaning fits. |
Do not guess the article from the English translation. Learn het woud as a single unit, then contrast it with de wouden. A diminutive normally uses het, but its pragmatic meaning can be neutral, literal, affectionate or dismissive depending on context.
Translated examples with woud
1778, Thomas Harmer, Waarnemingen over het Oosten uit reisbeschrijvingen, tot opheldering der Heilige Schrift, translated from English, with comments by "Johan Ernst Faber" (= Johann Ernst Faber), translated from German, publ. by G. T. van Paddenburg, second book, page 237. Toen vond men nog veele wouden, waarvan er tot op dezen dag nog verſcheidenen overig gebleven zijn (12). Uit zulke wouden haalden de dorpſchappen hunnen brand, wanneer zij, gelijk om Aleppo zelfs, geen houwboſſchen hadden.
Back then there were still many forests, of which several remain up to this day (12). From forests like these the villages took firewood when they, as was the case around Aleppo itself, didn't have any coppices for firewood.
een woud aan regels
a multitude of rules
These examples are citation-backed language data. First identify what the noun refers to and which words determine or describe it. Then change only one element—person, quantity, time, place or description—while keeping the article and number consistent. That small variation turns a reference example into active speaking practice without inventing a rule from one sentence.
Four-step speaking drill
- Say het woud three times, then add one adjective or location that fits the first meaning.
- Build a present-tense sentence with a named person, a concrete place and the singular noun.
- Change the message to de wouden. Update the number, determiner and finite verb instead of replacing only the noun ending.
- Ask a follow-up question containing the noun, record the answer, and repeat once with a different detail.
Listen first for meaning and article choice, then for sentence order and pronunciation. Correct the first error that changes the message or blocks the listener. Avoid restarting for every small hesitation: complete the message, note one target, and make the second recording more precise.
Self-check before you continue
- I retrieve het woud as one chunk.
- The singular or plural matches the determiner, quantity and verb.
- The selected meaning fits the situation.
- The sentence includes enough detail for another person to understand the reference.
- I can ask and answer one question with the noun without reading the page.
Questions about woud
What does woud mean?
forest, woods, jungle; mass, multitude, sea (now chiefly in relation to rules and prescriptions).
Is it de woud or het woud?
The cited entry uses het woud. Keep the article attached when learning and retrieving the noun.
What is the plural of woud?
The cited plural is wouden. In a full sentence, also check the determiner, quantity and verb.
Use woud in a recorded response
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