Unrounded and Rounded Vowels

The only English rounded vowel is OE (like in shoe, book, took). Only with this rounded vowel, the tongue lifts up to a mid-air position. All the other rounded vowels in Afrikaans have rounded and unrounded compliments.

How do I make the sound of these rounded vowels?

With the pronunciation of all the unrounded vowels, the tongue is placed at the roots of your bottom teeth. When rounding these sounds, pay close attention NOT TO MOVE YOUR TONGUE! Only round your lips and the appropriate sound will form. The minute you lift your tongue, you will produce an "OE" sound. You should pay special attention to this section since English does not have these rounded/unrounded versions of the same vowels. It will be easy to mispronounce them.

Unrounded and Rounded Vowels Pairs:

Y or EI versus UI

EE versus EU

I or IE versus U or UU

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Note: Word examples below mix real and fake words. Please focus on the pronunciation and not the meaning.

Rounded & Unrounded Sounds	unround > round	With other sounds (prefixes are in bold)
[rounded] ei/y (e.g. say, nay) > [unrounded] ui	lei/ly > lui krei/kry > krui mei/my > mui blei/bly > blui pei/py > pui	belei verklein onteien beskeie bilyne	luie kluin uien skuipe luine	verkuit ontbuik bebuile geduik hersuil	ontgyl beguil hersuip besypel ontsuiker
[rounded] ee (e.g. deer) > [unrounded] eu (e.g. neuro-surgeon)	lee > leu kreet > kreut krete > kreute bleek > bleuk bleke > bleuke	kleer verkleur teen teun been	meur meer teun teen leun	verkeut ontkeet bebeule gebele herseul	ontgeel begeul herseep beseupel ontseke
[rounded] i / ie (e.g. see, meet) > [unrounded] uu	lies > luus krite > krute kriet > kruut blike > bluke piek > puuk	verliek verkline ontdien geskiet billiene	luuks kluun tuul skuut muur	verkuut ontbuuk bebule gebuke hersuur	ontgiel beguul hersiep besuupel onsieker
[rounded] oe (e.g. book, shook, shoe) )	boek skoen moen	geboel ontsoen gedoen	bedoeke hersoeke moenie	oefen oester oekie	toelie koelie poelie