Learn how to pronounce the word “Brussels” correctly!
Updated on December 23, 2022 by Pierre
How to pronounce the word “Brussels” in Belgium?
But how do you pronounce that thing? Brussels? You've probably read that word hundreds of times. However, every time you hear someone pronounce it on TV or in the street, it sounds different? I am the Belgian capital: Brussels!
As a good Belgian, I couldn't resist posting an article on how to pronounce it ! Should you say " Bruxelles ," " Bruzelle ," " Brusèlle, " or " Brusselles "? As you may know, Belgian vocabulary and accent are full of contradictions and subtleties. So here are a few language tips to help you during your visit to Brussels. If you want to pronounce "Bruxelles" correctly, don't ask a French person. It could lead you down the wrong path.
Correct pronunciation thanks to the etymology of the word "Brussels"
The original pronunciation of the word "Bruxelles" is /bʁy.sɛl/ . It is therefore not */bʁyk.sɛl/ as some believe. This peculiarity of the pronunciation of Bruxelles is often overlooked. Later, Late Latin gave the letter x the pronunciation [s]. It is on this phonetic basis that the words " six ," " dix ," etc., were written, thus Bruxelles /bʁy.sɛl/ (or even Auxerre /o.sɛʁ/).
Later, in the Middle Ages, the phonetic value of the letter " x" was given the value [ʃ]. (under Iberian Arabic influence) We have probably lost most of our readers here, thinking that we have arrived in a mathematics course.
To solve the long-awaited enigma (of how to pronounce the word Brussels?), you simply need to know that during the Renaissance, the letter x began to be pronounced /ks/. This was due to the influence of the fashionable Greek studies.
Today, the "x" in Brussels is pronounced "s," as in " sixtie" (sixty). It should not be pronounced "ks ," as in "boxe" (boxing) . Therefore, it is pronounced "bru-sèl," not "bruk-sèl." The inhabitant of the capital, the " bruxellois," is logically pronounced " bru-sè-loi," and the female in " bruxelloise" is pronounced " bru-sè-loiz."
And in Dutch will you tell me? It's easy, the only difference is on the final vowel! Take out the final "e", and you're Dutch speaking.
If this article has piqued your interest in learning more about other municipalities, you're in for a laugh when you learn how to pronounce them. The municipality of "Ixelles ," well-known to French expats, is pronounced " Ikselles ." The infamous "Molenbeek" is pronounced "Molenbék ," and Schaerbeek is pronounced " Skarbék." In short, the "-eek" endings are indeed pronounced "-ék ," not "-èck" as you might have thought. It's enough to make your head spin! You can now travel back and forth between Brussels and Paris by train without worrying about sounding like a tourist when you pronounce the word "Bruxelles."
In short, it's enough to make your head spin; it's a bit like Brussels residents going to Paris for the weekend 🙂 The best solution is probably to meet real Bruxellois. Your best chance of doing this is probably to stroll around the Sablon district or visit the Jeu de Balles flea market on Sundays.
“Brussels” pronounced by Jacques Brel!
Did you know that Jacques Brel the famous Belgian singer pronounces it well. You just have to listen to his song to know how to pronounce Brussels in the Belgian way.
Barely a foot in the Belgian capital, Pierre launched “InsideBrussels.be” more than 10 years ago, the idea is simple: “What to do? Where to go to eat or have a drink? “. Entrepreneur at heart, this is not his first project! Far from there. EatLocal.io; KingCard.be, Bricabrac.be … Like wine, with time the project improves!
Pierre does not hesitate to share his favorites and his best addresses of Brussels restaurants that he could recommend to you with his eyes closed.
