Plurals 3

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home > Grammar > Plural in German
Plural in German
For English speakers, the plural in

German is exasperating. We are
happy to just add a simple "s". In
German its much more complicated. Get into fighting
mode; we think youll need to. Heres our explanation:
Mesleini Sen Se.
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Eitimleri %50 ndirim
Contents
1 Summary of the most common plurals

2 No plural
3 General rules that are applicable to all
genders
3.1 Constructing the plural with "-s"
4 The plural for feminine nouns

4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
Adding "-en"
Adding "-n"
Adding "-nen"
Adding [Umlaut] + "-e"
Plural: "-a" "-en"
Plural: "-sis" "-sen"
Plural: "-xis" "-xien"
Plural: "-itis" "-iden"
4.9 Plural: "-nis" "-nisse"

4.10 Plural: "-aus" "-use"
4.11 Adding [Umlaut]
4.12 Adding [Umlaut] + "-en"
5 Plural for masculine nouns
5.1 Adding "-e"

5.2 Adding [Umlaut] + "-e"
5.3 Not adding any ending
5.4 Adding [Umlaut]
5.5 Adding "-n" [according to the
N-Deklination]
5.6 Adding "-en" [according to the
N-Deklination]
5.7 Adding "-en" [no "N-Deklination"]
5.8 Adding "-er"
5.9 Adding [Umlaut] + "-er"
5.10 Adding "-ten"
5.11 Plural: "-us" -> "-usse"
5.12 Plural: "-us" -> "-i"
6 The plural for neuter nouns

6.1 Adding "-e"
6.2 No ending added
6.3 Adding "-er"
6.4 Adding [Umlaut] + "-er"
6.5 Adding "-en"
6.6 Adding "-ien"
6.7 Plural "-nis" "-nisse"
6.8 Plural "-um" "-a"
6.9 Plural "-um" "-en"
6.10 Plural "-o" "-en"
7 Practice Exercise
Summary of the most common plurals

Because this subject is pretty complicated, weve made a small
table with the most common suffixes for making the plural
depending on the gender:
Common
Less common
Masculine
[-e], [-e]
o[-]
[-en], [-n],
[ ], ...
Adopted foreign words [-s]
Feminine
Neuter
[-en], [-e] [-e] o [ - ]

o [-nen]
[ ],
[-e], ...
[-er],
[ -er], ...
No plural
Some nouns do not have a plural form in German:
Names of countries, rivers, cities
die Trkei (Turkey)
die Wolga (the Volga)
Mnchen (Munich)
Abstract concepts:
die
die
die
die
Zweisprachigkeit (bilingualism)
Abgespanntheit (exhaustion)
Zuvorkommenheit (courtesy)
Wut (rage)
General rules that are applicable to all

genders
Constructing the plural with "-s"
Just like in English its normal to construct the plural with the
ending s. In German, however, only a few adopted foreign
words have this plural.
Noun
die Kamara
der Gorilla
das Auto
Plural
Meaning
die Kamaras camera

die Gorillas
die Autos
gorilla
car
The plural for feminine nouns

The construction of the plural for feminine nouns is the easiest in
German:
The possibilities are:
Adding "-en" (very common)

Adding "-n" (very common)
Adding "-nen" (common)
Adding [Umlaut] + "-e" (rare)
Adding [Umlaut] + "en" (very rare)

Adding [Umlaut] (very rare)
Plural "-nis" -> "-nisse" (rare)
Plural "-a" -> "-en" (very rare)
Plural "-sis" -> "-sen" (very rare)

Plural "xis" -> "-xien" (very rare)
Plural "-aus" -> "-use" (very rare)
Adding "-en"
The large majority of feminine nouns that do not end in "-e"
make their plural with "-en":
Noun
die Datei
die Wohnung
die Fabrik
Plural
Meaning
die Dateien
file
die Fabriken
factory
die Wohnungen apartment
The following endings which guarantee that the noun is feminine

should be emphasized:
"-ei", "-ung", "-heit", "-keit", "-ion", "-schaft", "-ik",
"-eur", "-enz", "-tt", "-itis", "-sis".
Adding "-n"
If a feminine noun ends in "-e", its plural is

always constructed with "-n" (Note: Not all
nouns ending with "-e" are feminine. For example: der Kse)
Noun
Plural
Meaning
die Lampe
die
Fantasie
die
Narzisse
die Lampen
lamp
die
Fantasien
fantasy
die
Narzissen
narcissus
The following endings guarantee that the noun is feminine and

their plural is with "-n"
: -ie , -ade, -age, -ere, -ine, -isse, -ive, -se,
Adding "-nen"
The feminine nouns that end in "-in" make their plural with
"-nen".
Noun
die Chefin
Plural
Meaning
die Chefinnen boss

A few feminine nouns add [Umlaut] + "-e".
Noun
die Kraft
die Angst
Plural
die Krfte
Meaning
force
die ngste fear
Plural: "-a" "-en"

Some words not from German origin ending in "-a" make their
plural with "-en"
Noun
die Firma
die Skala
Plural
Meaning
die Firmen company

die Skalen
scale
Plural: "-sis" "-sen"

Nouns ending in "-sis" construct their plural with "-sen"
Noun
die Analysis
Plural
Meaning
die Analysen analysis
Plural: "-xis" "-xien"
The plural for nouns ending with "-xis" are

constructed with "-xien"
Noun
die Galaxis
Plural
Meaning
die Galaxien galaxy
Plural: "-itis" "-iden"
The feminine nouns ending with "-itis" construct their plural with
-den
Noun
die Cellulitis
Plural
Meaning
die Cellulitiden cellulitis
Plural: "-nis" "-nisse"
Feminine nouns ending in "-nis" construct their plural by adding

the ending "-se"
Noun
die Befugnis
Plural
Meaning
die Befugnisse authorization
Plural: "-aus" "-use"

Feminine nouns ending with "-aus" add an Umlaut over the "a"
and add the ending "e".
Noun
die Maus
Plural
Meaning
die Muse mouse
Adding [Umlaut]
There are two feminine nouns that construct their plural with
Umlaut: "Mutter" and "Tochter".
Noun
die Mutter
die Tochter
Plural
die Mtter
Meaning
mother
die Tchter daughter
Adding [Umlaut] + "-en"

A plural form that is not very common is the [Umlaut] + "en"
that practically is used only with the word "Werkstatt"
Noun
die Werkstatt
Plural
Meaning
die Werksttten workshop
Plural for masculine nouns

Adding "-e" (common)
Adding [Umlaut] + "-e" (common)

Not adding an ending (common)
Adding [Umlaut] (rare)
Adding "-n" (N-Deklination) (not so common)
Adding "-en" (N-Deklination (not so common)
Adding "-en" (no N-Deklination) (very rare)

Adding "-er" (very rare)
Adding [Umlaut] + "-er" (very rare)

Adding "-ten" (very rare)
Plural "-us" -> "-usse" (rare)
Plural "-us" "-i" (very rare)
Adding "-e"
Many masculine nouns form their plural with "-e". The endings
that guarantee the use of this plural are: "-ich", "-ig", "-ling",
"-r" (only those coming from French) and "-eur".
Noun
Plural
der Teppich
die Teppiche
der Knig
der Schmetterling
der Veterinr
der Friseur
die Knige
Meaning
carpet
king
die Schmetterlinge butterfly

die Veterinre
die Friseure
veterinarian
barber

Some nouns form the plural with [Umlaut] + "-e". We emphasize
the following:
Noun
der Platz
der Kuss
der Hals
der Arzt
der Fluss
Plural
Meaning
die Pltze
seat
die Hlse
neck
die Ksse
die rzte
kiss
doctor
die Flsse river
Not adding any ending

Many masculine nouns ending with "-er" and "-el" do not add any
ending.
Noun
der Schler
der Wrfel
Plural
Meaning
die Schler student

die Wrfel
dice
Adding [Umlaut]
Many masculine nouns ending with "-er" and
"-el" add just an Umlaut.
Noun
der Vater
Plural
der Mantel
die Vter
Meaning
father
die Mntel overcoat
Adding "-n" [according to the N-Deklination]

Many masculine nouns ending with "-e" are declined according
the "N-Deklination".
Singular
Nominative der Kunde

Accusative
den Kunden
Genitive
des Kunden
Dative
Plural
die Kunden
die Kunden
dem Kunden den Kunden

der Kunden
Examples of nouns that follow the "N-Deklination":

Noun
der Name
Plural
die Namen
Meaning
name
der Buchstabe die Buchstaben letter
There are many exceptions that do not follow the "N-Deklination"

such as:
Noun
Plural
Meaning
der Kse die Kse cheese

der See
die Seen lake
Advice: If you have to take a German test, learn the gender and
plural of "der Kse" as its one of professors favorite words.
Adding "-en" [according to the N-Deklination]
Words with a Greek or Latin ending in "-at", "-ant", "-ent" and

"ist" are declined according to the "N-Deklination".
Singular
Nominative der Pianist

Accusative
den Pianisten
Genitive
des Pianisten
Dative
Plural
die Pianisten
die Pianisten
dem Pianisten den Pianisten

der Pianisten
Examples of nouns that follow the "N-Deklination":

Noun
Plural
Meaning
der Student die Studenten student

der Soldat
die Soldaten
soldier
der Liferant die Liferanten supplier

der Violinist die Violinisten violinist
Adding "-en" [no "N-Deklination"]

Although it is not very common, there are also nouns that
construct the plural with "-en" without "N-Deklination".
Noun
Plural
Meaning
der Staat
der
Doktor
die Staaten
state
die
Doktoren
doctor
Adding "-er"
Very few masculine nouns construct the plural with "-er". It is a
plural construction that is much more common with neuter
nouns.
Noun
der Leib
Plural
Meaning
die Leiber body
Adding [Umlaut] + "-er"

A few masculine nouns plural form is made with [Umlaut] +
"-er".
Noun
der Mann
der Gott
Plural
Meaning
die Mnner man

die Gtter
God
Adding "-ten"
One the rarest masculine nouns is constructed with the suffix
"-ten"
Noun
der Anbau
Plural
Meaning
die Anbauten annex
Plural: "-us" -> "-usse"

Most of the masculine nouns ending with "-us" add "-se",
meaning that an extra s is added.
Noun
der
Zirkus
der Bus
Plural
die
Zirkusse
die Busse
Meaning
circus
bus
Plural: "-us" -> "-i"

There are a few masculine nouns that come from Latin and end
with "us", forming the plural with "i"
Noun
der Modus
der Ficus
Plural
Meaning
die Modi mode

die Fici
ficus
The plural for neuter nouns
Adding "-e" (very common)

Without an ending added on (common)
Adding "-er" (common)
Adding [Umlaut] + "-er" (common)
Adding "-en" (very rare)
Adding "-ien" (very rare)
Plural "-nis" "-nisse" (less common)
Plural "-um" "-en" (very rare)
Plural "-um" "-a" (very rare)
Adding "-e"
The most common plural form for neuter nouns is constructed

with the ending "-e"
Noun
das Alphabet
das Protokoll
Plural
Meaning
die Alphabete alphabet

die Protokolle
record
No ending added
Almost all of the neuter nouns ending with "-er" or "-el" or "-en".
Noun
Plural
das Leder
Meaning
die Leder
das Kabel
leather
die Kabel
das Abkommen
cable
die Abkommen agreement
Adding "-er"
Many neuter nouns construct the plural with "-er".
Noun
das Bild
Plural
die Bilder
das Lied
Meaning
picture
die Lieder song
Adding [Umlaut] + "-er"

The plural [Umlaut] + "-er" is very common with neuter nouns.
Noun
das Fahrrad
das Blatt
das Haus
Plural
Meaning
die Fahrrder bicycle

die Bltter
die Huser
leaf
home
Adding "-en"
A few neuter nouns add "-en" to construct the plural.
Noun
das Bett
das Verb
Plural
die Betten
Meaning
bed
die Verben verb
Adding "-ien"
The plural formed with the suffix "-ien" is not very common.
Noun
das Adverb
Plural
das Prinzip
Meaning
die Adverbien the adverb

die Prinzipien
the principle
Plural "-nis" "-nisse"
For nouns ending with "-nis", a suffix, "-se", is added (another s

is added).
Noun
das Ergebnis
das Geheimnis
Plural
die Ergebnisse
Meaning
result
die Geheimnisse secret
Plural "-um" "-a"
A few nouns originating from Latin ending with "-um" construct

their plural with "-a".
Noun
das Antibiotikum
das Analgetikum
Plural
Meaning
die Antibiotika antibiotic

die Analgetika
Plural "-um" "-en"
analgesic
Most nouns originating from Latin ending with "-um" construct

their plural with "-en".
Noun
das Aquarium
Plural
die Aquarien
Meaning
aquarium
das
Ministerium
die
Ministerien
ministry
Plural "-o" "-en"
Another rare plural form is that of the neuter nouns ending in

"-o".
Noun
das Bankkonto
Plural
Meaning
die Bankkonten bank account
Practice Exercise
As you have seen, constructing the plural is very complicated.
The best way to consolidate your knowledge is by practicing what
youve learned. In AlemanSencillo we have made a pretty fun
exercise to practice the plural: Plural Exercise
Next Lessons:
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En Espaol | In English

home > Grammar > Plural in German

For English speakers, the plural in

Mesleini Sen Se.

1 Summary of the most common plurals

4 The plural for feminine nouns

4.9 Plural: "-nis" "-nisse"

5 Plural for masculine nouns

5.1 Adding "-e"

6 The plural for neuter nouns

Summary of the most common plurals

Adopted foreign words [-s]

[-en], [-e] [-e] o [ - ]

General rules that are applicable to all

die Kamaras camera

The plural for feminine nouns

The possibilities are:

Adding "-en" (very common)

Adding [Umlaut] + "-e" (rare)

Adding [Umlaut] + "en" (very rare)

Plural "-nis" -> "-nisse" (rare)

Plural "-a" -> "-en" (very rare)

Plural "-sis" -> "-sen" (very rare)

Plural "-aus" -> "-use" (very rare)

die Wohnungen apartment

The following endings which guarantee that the noun is feminine

If a feminine noun ends in "-e", its plural is

The following endings guarantee that the noun is feminine and

die Chefinnen boss

Adding [Umlaut] + "-e"

die ngste fear

Plural: "-a" "-en"

die Firmen company

Plural: "-sis" "-sen"

die Analysen analysis

Plural: "-xis" "-xien"

The plural for nouns ending with "-xis" are

die Galaxien galaxy

Plural: "-itis" "-iden"

die Cellulitiden cellulitis

Plural: "-nis" "-nisse"

Feminine nouns ending in "-nis" construct their plural by adding

die Befugnisse authorization

Plural: "-aus" "-use"

die Muse mouse

die Tchter daughter

Adding [Umlaut] + "-en"

die Werksttten workshop

Plural for masculine nouns

Adding [Umlaut] + "-e" (common)

Adding "-n" (N-Deklination) (not so common)

Adding "-en" (N-Deklination (not so common)

Adding "-en" (no N-Deklination) (very rare)

Adding [Umlaut] + "-er" (very rare)

Plural "-us" -> "-usse" (rare)

Plural "-us" "-i" (very rare)

die Schmetterlinge butterfly

Adding [Umlaut] + "-e"

die Flsse river

Not adding any ending