Dutch linking words: daarom, bovendien, echter, namelijk and more
Connect your sentences like a native with Dutch linking words such as daarom, dus, bovendien, toch and namelijk, and learn when they cause inversion.
Short sentences get you through A1. But to tell a story, give your opinion or write an email, you need to connect your ideas: "so", "however", "first", "moreover", "in short". Dutch has a rich set of these linking words. The catch is that they don't all behave the same way. Some make the verb jump in front of the subject; others don't. Get that right and your Dutch will immediately sound more fluent.
The key rule: inversion or not?
Linking words fall into two groups.
1. En, maar, of, want: no inversion. These are coordinating conjunctions. They sit between two main clauses but don't count as part of either. The word order after them is completely normal: subject, then verb.
- Ik ben moe, maar ik ga toch mee. — I'm tired, but I'm coming along anyway.
- Ik blijf thuis, want ik ben ziek. — I'm staying home, because I'm ill.
2. Adverbial linking words: inversion. Words like daarom, bovendien, toen and toch are adverbs. If you put one at the start of a sentence, it takes first position, so the verb comes second and the subject goes after the verb.
- Ik ben ziek. Daarom blijf ik thuis. — I'm ill. That's why I'm staying home.
- Het is goedkoop. Bovendien is het lekker. — It's cheap. Besides, it's tasty.
Saying Daarom ik blijf thuis is one of the most common learner mistakes. Our posts on Dutch word order and conjunctions explain the verb-second rule and subordinating words like omdat in more detail.
| Linking word | Meaning | At the start of a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| en, maar, of, want | and, but, or, because | no inversion |
| dus | so | inversion or not, both correct |
| daarom | that's why | inversion |
| bovendien | moreover, besides | inversion |
| toch | still, nevertheless | inversion |
| toen | then (past) | inversion |
| daarna | after that | inversion |
| eerst | first | inversion |
| ten eerste | firstly | inversion |
| ten slotte | finally | inversion |
| echter | however | best in the middle |
| kortom | in short | usually followed by a comma, no inversion |
| namelijk | you see, because | never at the start |
Cause and result: daarom and dus
Daarom means "that's why" or "therefore". It points back to a reason you just mentioned.
- Het regent. Daarom neem ik de bus. — It's raining. That's why I'm taking the bus.
- Ik heb morgen een examen. Daarom ga ik vroeg slapen. — I have an exam tomorrow, so I'm going to bed early.
Dus means "so". It's special because it can work both ways: as a conjunction without inversion, or as an adverb with inversion. Both are correct.
- Het regent, dus ik neem de bus. — It's raining, so I'm taking the bus.
- Het regent, dus neem ik de bus. — same meaning
Dus can also go in the middle: Je komt dus niet? — So you're not coming?
Adding and contrasting: bovendien, echter, toch
Bovendien adds an extra argument, like "moreover" or "on top of that".
- Die fiets is te duur. Bovendien is hij te groot. — That bike is too expensive. Besides, it's too big.
Echter means "however". It's formal and is mostly used in writing. Its most natural position is in the middle, right after the verb:
- Het plan is goed. Het is echter erg duur. — The plan is good. However, it is very expensive.
- We hebben echter nog geen antwoord ontvangen. — However, we have not yet received a reply.
In speech, people prefer maar: Het plan is goed, maar het is erg duur.
Toch means "still", "even so" or "nevertheless". It shows that something happens despite what came before.
- Het regende. Toch gingen we wandelen. — It was raining. We still went for a walk.
- Ik had geen zin, maar ik ging toch. — I didn't feel like it, but I went anyway.
Toch is also a modal particle with a different meaning: Je komt toch? — You're coming, right?
Order and time: eerst, toen, daarna
To tell a story or give instructions, you need words for sequence.
- Eerst ga ik douchen, dan ontbijt ik. — First I'll take a shower, then I'll have breakfast.
- We kwamen om acht uur aan. Toen gingen we eten. — We arrived at eight o'clock. Then we went for dinner.
- Daarna liepen we naar het strand. — After that we walked to the beach.
Use toen for "then" in the past and dan for "then" in the present or future. Be careful: toen is also a subordinating conjunction meaning "when" (one time in the past), and then the verb goes to the end:
- Toen gingen we naar huis. — Then we went home. (adverb, inversion)
- Toen we thuiskwamen, was het donker. — When we got home, it was dark. (conjunction, verb at the end)
In more structured texts, use ten eerste, ten tweede, ten slotte:
- Ten eerste is de huur te hoog. Ten tweede is het huis te klein. Ten slotte is de buurt erg lawaaiig. — Firstly, the rent is too high. Secondly, the house is too small. Finally, the neighbourhood is very noisy.
Weighing up and summing up: enerzijds… anderzijds, kortom
Enerzijds… anderzijds means "on the one hand… on the other hand". Both parts cause inversion.
- Enerzijds wil ik graag verhuizen, anderzijds woon ik hier heel fijn. — On the one hand I'd like to move, on the other hand I really like living here.
Kortom means "in short". It usually comes first, followed by a comma and normal word order:
- Kortom, het was een geweldige vakantie. — In short, it was a wonderful holiday.
Examples and explanations: bijvoorbeeld, namelijk
Bijvoorbeeld (for example) is flexible. It's most often found in the middle of a sentence:
- Je kunt bijvoorbeeld de trein nemen. — You could take the train, for example.
- Neem bijvoorbeeld Utrecht. — Take Utrecht, for example.
Namelijk is a word English speakers find tricky. It gives an explanation or reason for something you just said, a bit like "you see" or "because". But it never comes at the start of a sentence. It goes after the verb, and after the subject and pronouns:
- Ik kom niet, ik ben namelijk ziek. — I'm not coming, because I'm ill.
- Ik kan niet mee. Ik moet namelijk werken. — I can't come along. I have to work, you see.
- Hij spreekt goed Nederlands. Zijn moeder is namelijk Nederlands. — He speaks good Dutch. His mother is Dutch, you see.
Namelijk ik ben ziek or Namelijk ben ik ziek are both wrong.
Namelijk can also mean "namely", introducing a specification: Ik heb twee broers, namelijk Tim en Sander. — I have two brothers, namely Tim and Sander.
Tip: Linking words don't have to start the sentence. Ik blijf daarom thuis and Het is bovendien lekker are just as correct, and they avoid the inversion question altogether.
Putting it together
Here's a short opinion text using several linking words:
Ik woon graag in de stad. Ten eerste is alles dichtbij. Ik kan bijvoorbeeld naar mijn werk fietsen. Bovendien zijn er veel restaurants. De huur is echter erg hoog. Toch wil ik niet verhuizen, ik voel me hier namelijk thuis. Kortom, de stad past bij mij. — I like living in the city. Firstly, everything is close by. For example, I can cycle to work. Moreover, there are lots of restaurants. The rent, however, is very high. Still, I don't want to move, because I feel at home here. In short, the city suits me.
Quick summary
- En, maar, of, want: normal word order after them.
- Adverbs like daarom, bovendien, toch, toen, daarna, eerst, ten eerste, ten slotte: verb comes before the subject when they start the sentence.
- Dus works with or without inversion.
- Echter is formal and fits best in the middle of the sentence.
- Kortom is usually followed by a comma and normal word order.
- Namelijk never starts a sentence: Ik ben namelijk ziek.
- Toen + inversion = "then"; toen + verb at the end = "when".
Practise it
Practise these words in Connectors, use them in writing in Formal emails, and build arguments in Giving your opinion.