Dutch · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "dus" in Dutch?

Q: How do you pronounce dus in Dutch?

dus is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /dʏs/. It means “so / therefore.” duhs — the u is short and rounded, and the s is a plain hiss. Not the English "dus" or "does."

duhs — the u is short and rounded, and the s is a plain hiss. Not the English "dus" or "does."

dus /dʏs/

As a connective it usually sits unstressed at the joint between two clauses. It can take real emphasis when someone is drawing a conclusion pointedly — "DUS je komt niet" — where the accent carries an accusatory edge.

Listen: dus

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Sound it out

d Voiced, made against the upper teeth, released quietly with no aspiration.

u Lips slightly pursed over a central tongue position. Unround it and you get English "bus," which is the giveaway error.

s Hissed and voiceless, never picking up the buzz of a z on the English plural model.

Hear it in a sentence

Het regent, dus ik blijf thuis.

It's raining, so I'll stay home.

Listen: Het regent, dus ik blijf thuis.

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"Het regent, dus ik blijf thuis" uses "dus" as a coordinating connective, which means the word order after it stays normal: subject then verb. Compare "omdat," which sends the verb to the end — the two connectives look similar in function but behave oppositely.

Where English speakers slip

The rounding on that u is the single adjustment needed, and almost nobody makes it at first. English "bus" has the same tongue position with unrounded lips. Purse them slightly. Learners also mix up "dus" and "omdat": "dus" introduces a result, "omdat" introduces a cause, and swapping them reverses the logic.