The pattern
En, maar, of and want connect two main clauses (sentences that could stand on their own) without changing the word order of either one. Dus can do the same, or it can pull the verb forward.
- The grammar term is coordinating conjunctions: words that link two equal parts.
- The linking word does not take a position. What follows is a normal sentence with the verb in second place: maar ik heb, want het regent.
- If something other than the subject comes next, such as dan or morgen, it takes first place and the verb follows it: en dan ga ik.
- After en, maar and of you can drop a repeated subject (the person doing the action) when the second sentence would start with it: Ik sta op en ga naar mijn werk.
- After want you cannot drop just the repeated subject, and in sentences like the ones in this lesson you keep it after dus too: want ik ben moe, dus ik ga naar huis.
- After dus you choose: dus ik ga or dus ga ik.
Examples
| Ik ben moe, want ik heb slecht geslapen. | I'm tired, because I slept badly. |
| Fatima werkt bij de gemeente en haar man is huisarts. | Fatima works for the municipality and her husband is a GP. |
| Ik wil graag komen, maar ik heb vanavond geen tijd. | I'd love to come, but I don't have time tonight. |
| Ik bel je vanavond of ik stuur je een berichtje. | I'll call you tonight or I'll send you a message. |
| Het regent, dus ik neem de bus. | It's raining, so I'm taking the bus. |
| Het regent, dus neem ik de bus. | It's raining, so I'm taking the bus. |
| Daan staat om zeven uur op en fietst naar zijn werk. | Daan gets up at seven and cycles to work. |
| Priya is verkouden maar gaat toch naar de verjaardag van Joris. | Priya has a cold but is still going to Joris's birthday. |
| Ahmed is naar de supermarkt gegaan en heeft melk gekocht. | Ahmed went to the supermarket and bought milk. |
Why it works this way
Picture a Dutch train: two carriages with a coupling between them. En, maar, of and want are the coupling. They connect the carriages, but they never take a seat, so each carriage keeps its own seating plan. The second sentence starts fresh and follows the usual verb second rule.
Dus is a coupling that sometimes slips into the first seat. When it does, it behaves like daarom (that's why), one of the linking words that invert, and the verb sits right next to it: dus neem ik de bus. When it stays a coupling, you get normal order: dus ik neem de bus. Both are correct. In speech you hear dus ik constantly; in writing you will see both. Dus can even sit inside the sentence: Ik neem dus de bus.
If you speak English, want feels easy, because English because doesn't change the order either. Mind the meaning, though: want has nothing to do with wanting. For that you need willen: Ik wil koffie. The trickier word is omdat, which also means because but sends the verb to the end, as you will see in Omdat or want. Of has a second job too: in Ik weet niet of hij komt it means whether, and then the verb goes to the end.
Remember: en, maar, of and want are couplings, never passengers. Dus can be either.
Watch out
NotIk ben moe, want heb ik slecht geslapen.
SayIk ben moe, want ik heb slecht geslapen.
want takes no position, so there is no inversion
NotIk blijf thuis, want ik ziek ben.
SayIk blijf thuis, want ik ben ziek.
that is omdat order; after want the verb stays second
NotDaan blijft thuis, want is ziek.
SayDaan blijft thuis, want hij is ziek.
after want you cannot leave out just the repeated subject
NotIk eet eerst en dan ik ga naar bed.
SayIk eet eerst en dan ga ik naar bed.
dan takes first place, so the verb follows it
Quick check
- Fix the sentence: Ik ga vroeg naar bed, want ben moe.
- Fill in want, maar or dus: Bas wil graag naar het feest, ... hij moet werken.
- Fix the sentence: We eten eerst en dan we gaan naar de film.
- Choose: Ik heb de trein gemist, ... (a) dus ik kom te laat (b) dus kom ik te laat (c) both are correct
Show the answers
- Ik ga vroeg naar bed, want ik ben moe. (after want you cannot leave out just the subject)
- maar (the second part is a contrast)
- We eten eerst en dan gaan we naar de film. (dan takes first place, so the verb comes next)
- (c) (after dus both orders are correct)
Use it today
Send a friend or colleague a short message in Dutch about your weekend plans, with one sentence using want, one using maar and one using dus. For example: Zaterdag ga ik naar de markt, want ik heb geen groente meer.