When talking about family members in Dutch, 'zus' (sister) is a very common and essential word to know. It's a feminine noun, so if you want to say 'my sister,' you would say 'mijn zus'. If you have more than one sister, you can say 'zussen'.
You might also hear the word 'zusje', which is the diminutive form and often implies a younger or little sister, or is used as a term of endearment. However, 'zus' is the general and most common term for a sister.
zus en 30 secondes
- Female sibling
- Family member
- Girl/woman with same parents
Modèles grammaticaux
Expressions idiomatiques
"van jongs af aan"
from an early age
Zij kennen elkaar van jongs af aan. (They have known each other from an early age.)
neutral"iemand op het verkeerde been zetten"
to mislead someone
Hij probeerde me op het verkeerde been te zetten. (He tried to mislead me.)
neutral"ergens een stokje voor steken"
to prevent something
Ik zal er een stokje voor steken dat dit gebeurt. (I will prevent this from happening.)
neutral"met de deur in huis vallen"
to get straight to the point
Laten we maar met de deur in huis vallen. (Let's get straight to the point.)
informal"de kat uit de boom kijken"
to wait and see
Ik kijk de kat uit de boom voordat ik een beslissing neem. (I'll wait and see before I make a decision.)
neutral"iets onder de knie hebben"
to have mastered something
Ik heb het Nederlands aardig onder de knie. (I've pretty much mastered Dutch.)
neutral"dat is klinkklare onzin"
that is complete nonsense
Wat je zegt, dat is klinkklare onzin. (What you're saying, that's complete nonsense.)
informal"er geen doekjes om winden"
to not mince words, to be direct
Ik ga er geen doekjes om winden, het was een fout. (I'm not going to mince words, it was a mistake.)
neutral"twee vliegen in één klap slaan"
to kill two birds with one stone
Door te fietsen naar het werk, sla je twee vliegen in één klap: je bent duurzaam en je sport. (By cycling to work, you kill two birds with one stone: you are sustainable and you exercise.)
neutral"iemand te woord staan"
to speak to someone, to grant an audience
De directeur stond de journalisten te woord. (The director spoke to the journalists.)
formalStructures de phrases
Mijn [familielid] heet [naam].
Mijn zus heet Anna. (My sister is called Anna.)
Ik heb een [familielid].
Ik heb een zus. (I have a sister.)
Zij is mijn [familielid].
Zij is mijn zus. (She is my sister.)
Heb jij een [familielid]?
Heb jij een zus? (Do you have a sister?)
Hoeveel [familieleden] heb je?
Hoeveel zussen heb je? (How many sisters do you have?)
Ik hou van mijn [familielid].
Ik hou van mijn zus. (I love my sister.)
Mijn [familielid] is [leeftijd] jaar oud.
Mijn zus is 20 jaar oud. (My sister is 20 years old.)
Waar is je [familielid]?
Waar is je zus? (Where is your sister?)
Comment l'utiliser
The word zus is used for a female sibling. It's a common, everyday term.
Examples:
1. 'Mijn zus woont in Amsterdam.' (My sister lives in Amsterdam.)
2. 'Heb je zussen of broers?' (Do you have sisters or brothers?)
A common mistake is confusing zus (sister) with zuster. While zuster also means sister, it's more formal or can refer to a nun or a nurse. Stick to zus for a female sibling in most conversational contexts.
Astuces
Pronunciation of 'zus'
The 'u' in 'zus' sounds like the 'u' in the English word 'fun' or 'but'. The 'z' is pronounced like the 'z' in 'zebra'.
Plural of 'zus'
The plural of 'zus' is 'zussen'. Notice the doubling of the 's'. This is common in Dutch when a short vowel is followed by a single consonant at the end of a word.
Using 'zus' in a sentence
You can say 'Mijn zus is aardig.' (My sister is nice.) or 'Ik heb twee zussen.' (I have two sisters.)
Related words: 'broer'
The word for 'brother' in Dutch is 'broer'. So you might hear 'broer en zus' (brother and sister).
Formal vs. informal
'Zus' is a common and informal word. There isn't a separate formal word for 'sister' in Dutch, unlike some other family terms.
Diminutive form: 'zusje'
For a younger or little sister, you can use the diminutive form 'zusje'. This is common in Dutch for adding a sense of smallness or affection.
Don't confuse with 'zusje'
While 'zusje' means 'little sister', it's also sometimes used as a general term of endearment, even for adult sisters, in a very informal context.
Common phrase: 'zus en zo'
A common phrase in Dutch is 'zus en zo', which means 'so-so' or 'like this and that'. It's not directly related to the family member, but it uses the word 'zus'.
Grammar: 'De' word
'Zus' is a 'de' word. So you would say 'de zus', not 'het zus'. Most people and animal nouns in Dutch use 'de'.
Family importance in Dutch culture
Family, including sisters, plays a significant role in Dutch culture. It's common for families to have close ties and regular contact, especially during holidays and birthdays.
Teste-toi 24 questions
This means 'I have a sister.' The word order is subject (Ik), verb (heb), article (een), noun (zus).
This means 'My sister is called Anna.' The possessive pronoun 'Mijn' (My) comes before 'zus' (sister).
This is a question: 'Do you have a sister?' In questions, the verb often comes first.
My sister and I are going to the cinema together tonight.
Her sister lives in another country, but they call each other every week.
My mother's sister is my aunt.
Read this aloud:
Ik heb een oudere zus en een jongere broer.
Focus: oudere, jongere
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Zus, kun je me alsjeblieft helpen met dit huiswerk?
Focus: alsjeblieft
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Mijn zus is jarig volgende week.
Focus: jarig, volgende
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Mijn ___ en ik gaan vaak samen naar de stad. (My ___ and I often go to the city together.)
The sentence implies a female sibling is going to the city with 'ik'. 'Zus' is Dutch for 'sister'.
Ze heeft geen broers, alleen één ___ die in Amsterdam woont. (She has no brothers, only one ___ who lives in Amsterdam.)
The sentence states 'geen broers' (no brothers), implying the missing word is a female sibling. 'Zus' means 'sister'.
Voor haar verjaardag heeft mijn ___ een mooi cadeau gekocht. (For her birthday, my ___ bought a nice gift.)
The context implies a family member giving a birthday gift. 'Zus' (sister) fits this context.
Mijn oudere ___ studeert geneeskunde aan de universiteit. (My older ___ studies medicine at the university.)
The sentence talks about an 'oudere' (older) female person studying medicine, implying a sister.
Ik ga vanavond uit eten met mijn ___ en haar man. (I'm going out for dinner tonight with my ___ and her husband.)
The phrase 'haar man' (her husband) indicates a female relative. 'Zus' (sister) is a common choice for such an outing.
Hoewel we verschillend zijn, is mijn ___ altijd een goede steun voor me. (Although we are different, my ___ is always a good support for me.)
The sentence describes a close, supportive relationship, which aligns with that of a sister ('zus').
This sentence structure (Subject-Verb-Object-Adverbial Phrase) is common in Dutch for expressing admiration and complex attributes.
This demonstrates a subordinate clause followed by a main clause, a key feature of C1 Dutch. 'Hoewel' introduces a concession, typical for advanced sentences.
This sentence uses an inverted subject-verb structure ('Slechts weinigen begrepen') for emphasis and introduces abstract concepts ('ingewikkelde dynamiek', 'rebellie'), common at C1.
/ 24 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Zus is the Dutch word for sister, a female family member who shares your parents.
- Female sibling
- Family member
- Girl/woman with same parents
Pronunciation of 'zus'
The 'u' in 'zus' sounds like the 'u' in the English word 'fun' or 'but'. The 'z' is pronounced like the 'z' in 'zebra'.
Plural of 'zus'
The plural of 'zus' is 'zussen'. Notice the doubling of the 's'. This is common in Dutch when a short vowel is followed by a single consonant at the end of a word.
Using 'zus' in a sentence
You can say 'Mijn zus is aardig.' (My sister is nice.) or 'Ik heb twee zussen.' (I have two sisters.)
Related words: 'broer'
The word for 'brother' in Dutch is 'broer'. So you might hear 'broer en zus' (brother and sister).
