The French expression “du coup” is an informal colloquial phrase that is commonly used in spoken language. It has various meanings depending on the context in which it is used, but its primary translation in English is “so,” “therefore,” “consequently,” or “as a result.” A commonly used synonym is donc. You can download a free PDF of this lesson guide in my private French Grammar Library.
The phrase often functions as a connector in a sentence, indicating a cause-and-effect relationship or an implication that something follows logically from what was said before.
| French | English |
| J’ai oublié mon parapluie, du coup, je me suis mouillé(e). | I forgot my umbrella, so I got wet. |
| Il n’a pas révisé pour l’examen, du coup, il a échoué. | He didn’t study for the exam, therefore, he failed. |
| Le match a été annulé à cause de la pluie, du coup, on doit le rejouer. | The match was canceled due to rain, so we have to replay it. |
| Je n’ai plus de pain à la maison, du coup, je vais aller en acheter. | I’m out of bread at home, consequently, I’ll go buy some. |
| Elle a gagné à la loterie, du coup, elle va voyager autour du monde. | She won the lottery, as a result, she’ll travel around the world. |
Remember that “du coup” is an informal expression and is typically used in casual conversations. In more formal contexts, you may want to use other phrases like “par conséquent” or “donc” for “therefore” or “so.”
