Word stress in Dutch follows patterns that are mostly predictable for native-derived words. The general rule is that stress falls on the root syllable — typically the first syllable in native Germanic words: VÉrder, WÉrken, MÁken, WÓnen. Prefixes like be-, ver-, ge-, er-, ont- are unstressed: beGRÍJpen, verWÁchten, geZELlig, onTVÁngen. Learning which prefixes are unstressed prevents a very common pronunciation error where learners stress the prefix.
Loanwords from French and Latin typically follow the stress pattern of the source language — usually the final syllable: stuDENT, poli-TIEK, compu-TER, cul-TUUR, re-sul-TAAT. Words ending in -atie, -iteit, -isch stress the syllable before the suffix: infor-MÁ-tie, uni-ver-si-TEIT, fan-TÁS-tisch. These patterns from Romance loanwords are systematic and largely predictable.
Stress distinguishes some Dutch word pairs — minimal stress pairs where the only difference is which syllable is stressed: VÓOrkomt (comes first) vs. voorKÓMT (prevents). ÓNder (under) vs. onDÉR (no, this is not a pair — but prefix vs. preposition stress contrasts exist in compounds). Getting stress wrong can make words unrecognizable — Dutch speakers are sensitive to stress placement in a way English speakers are not always accustomed to. Recording yourself and comparing to native audio is the most effective stress-practice method.