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Het stopcontact vonkt, dus ik zet de stroom uit.

Het stopcontact vonkt, dus ik zet de stroom uit.
The outlet is sparking, so I turn off the power.
FromLesson 36inHardcore Dutch
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Breakdown of Het stopcontact vonkt, dus ik zet de stroom uit.

ik
I
uitzetten
to turn off
dus
so
het stopcontact
the outlet
de stroom
the power
vonken
to spark

Questions & Answers about Het stopcontact vonkt, dus ik zet de stroom uit.

What does stopcontact mean?
stopcontact is the Dutch word for electrical socket or power outlet. It’s where you plug in devices to get electricity.
Why is it het stopcontact and not de stopcontact?
Because stopcontact is a neuter noun in Dutch. Neuter nouns take the article het. Many compounds ending in -contact are neuter.
What does vonkt mean, and what’s its infinitive form?
vonkt is the 3rd-person singular present tense of vonken, which means to spark (to give off sparks). The verb follows the weak pattern: vonken – vonkte – heeft gevonkt.
What does de stroom mean, and why is it de?
de stroom means electricity or power. It takes de because stroom is a common-gender noun (not neuter). Compare de wind, de regen.
Why is there a comma before dus, and what is dus doing here?
  • dus means “so” or “therefore.”
  • It’s a coordinating conjunction connecting two main clauses.
  • You separate them with a comma, just like with en, maar, or want.
Does dus change the word order in the next clause (inversion)?

No. As a coordinating conjunction, dus does not trigger inversion. You keep the normal Subject – Verb – Object order:
dus ik zet de stroom uit.

Why is uitzetten split, and why does uit go to the end of the sentence?

uitzetten is a separable verb (“to switch off”). In a main clause, the prefix uit moves to the end, after the object:
ik zet de stroom uit.
In a subordinate clause, the prefix still goes to the end of that clause (…omdat ik de stroom uitzet).

Can I use other verbs to switch off the power, such as uitschakelen or uitdoen?

Yes. You have several options:

  • uitzetten and uitschakelen are neutral/formal.
  • uitdoen is more colloquial (often used for lights and small appliances).
  • afzetten can imply flicking off a switch.
Could I reverse the cause and effect by using want instead of dus?

Yes. If you state the action first, you’d use want (“because”):
Ik zet de stroom uit, want het stopcontact vonkt.
want also keeps the comma and the normal SVO word order.

How would the word order change if I used a subordinating conjunction like omdat instead of dus?

With a subordinating conjunction such as omdat, the finite verb moves to the end of the subordinate clause:
Omdat het stopcontact vonkt, zet ik de stroom uit.
Then you return to SVO in the main clause.

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