German Noun Plurals: Pluralbildung

You are writing a shopping list, and every word after the number changes in its own way. German has no single rule for the plural: the form depends on the word. There are enough clues, though, to guess right most of the time.

Einkaufszettel

2

Salatelettuces

-e

3

Äpfelapples

¨

6

Eiereggs

-er

4

Brötchenbread rolls

Ø

5

Tomatentomatoes

-(e)n

Five words, five different ways: the endings -e, -er, -n, no ending and an umlaut. The sixth way, the ending -s, shows up in Handy, Auto and Hotel. All six are in a colour legend that runs through the whole lesson.

-e-er-(e)n-sØ no ending¨ umlaut

The article in the pluralIn the nominative and accusative plural there is only one article: die. In the Dativ it becomes den, see below. der Tisch, die Lampe and das Kind become die Tische, die Lampen and die Kinder. The gender of a word only matters until you put it into the plural.

Anna and Max are shopping at the Saturday market. Listen to how the words change after the numbers and watch the colour: it matches the legend.

Anna:

Ich nehme drei Äpfel und zwei Birnen. Brauchen wir noch Eier?

I'll take three apples and two pears. Do we still need eggs?

Max:

Ja, sechs Eier. Und vier Brötchen für morgen früh.

Yes, six eggs. And four bread rolls for tomorrow morning.

Anna:

Tomaten haben wir noch. Aber Kartoffeln brauchen wir, zwei Kilo.

We still have tomatoes. But we need potatoes, two kilos.

Max:

Zwei Kilo, okay. Schau mal, die Kinder von Frau Müller verkaufen Kuchen.

Two kilos, okay. Look, Frau Müller's children are selling cakes.

Anna:

Wie viel kosten die Kuchen?

How much do the cakes cost?

Max:

Zwei Euro pro Stück. Ich nehme zwei.

Two euros apiece. I'll take two.

Anna:

Dann haben wir alles: Äpfel, Eier, Brötchen, Kartoffeln und Kuchen.

Then we have everything: apples, eggs, rolls, potatoes and cakes.

Max:

Perfekt. Ich trage die Taschen, du bezahlst.

Great. I'll carry the bags, you pay.

What the dialogue showedBirnen, Kartoffeln, Tomaten, Taschen: feminine words, ending -n. Eier, Kinder: -er. Brötchen, Kuchen: no ending. Äpfel: umlaut. And zwei Euro and zwei Kilo take no plural ending: more on that later.

Here are all six ways, one card each. The umlaut stands apart because it is not an ending: it can stand alone (Vater → Väter) or combine with -e (Stuhl → Stühle) or -er (Buch → Bücher).

1. -eMany masculine and neuter words

der Tisch → die Tischetable

der Hund → die Hundedog

das Jahr → die Jahreyear

2. -erOnly masculine and neuter, mostly neuter

das Kind → die Kinderchild

das Ei → die Eieregg

das Buch → die Bücherbook

If the word has a, o, u or au, it almost always takes an umlaut: Buch → Bücher.

3. -(e)nVery often feminine

die Frau → die Frauenwoman

die Lampe → die Lampenlamp

die Studentin → die Studentinnenstudent (f.)

After -e, -er and -el you add -n (Lampen, Schwestern, Kartoffeln), otherwise -en (Frauen). The ending -in doubles the n: Studentinnen.

4. -sMany words from other languages and English-looking ones like Handy, plus Oma and Opa

das Auto → die Autoscar

das Hotel → die Hotelshotel

das Handy → die Handysmobile phone

Ordinary German words hardly ever take -s: Tische, not Tischs. Loanwords in -er stay unchanged: der Computer → die Computer.

5. ØMasculine and neuter words in -er, -el, -en, plus -chen and -lein

der Lehrer → die Lehrerteacher

das Mädchen → die Mädchengirl

das Fenster → die Fensterwindow

The form does not change: the article die and the context show the meaning.

6. ¨Umlaut: a → ä, o → ö, u → ü, au → äu

der Apfel → die Äpfelapple

der Vater → die Väterfather

der Stuhl → die Stühlechair

It can stand alone (Vater → Väter) or with -e (Stühle) and -er (Bücher).

Slide 1 of 8

Choose one option

Choose the correct form. (Three dogs are running in the park.)

Im Park laufen drei ___.

Hunde

Hunden

Hunder

The gender of a word points to the likely plural. It is not a law but a compass: it shows the direction and is right most of the time. The colours are those of the legend.

dermasculine

-e

most oftender Tisch → die Tischeder Hund → die Hunde

¨-e

often with an umlautder Stuhl → die Stühleder Zug → die Züge

Ø

words in -er, -el, -ender Lehrer → die Lehrerder Schlüssel → die Schlüsselder Kuchen → die Kuchen

-(e)n

people in -ent, -ist, plus Junge and Nameder Student → die Studentender Junge → die Jungen

diefeminine

-(e)n

almost alwaysdie Frau → die Frauendie Blume → die Blumendie Wohnung → die Wohnungen

¨

exceptions: learn them one by onedie Mutter → die Mütterdie Tochter → die Töchterdie Hand → die Händedie Stadt → die Städte

Feminine words never form the plural with -er.

dasneuter

-e

das Jahr → die Jahre

-er

with an umlaut if the word has a, o, u or audas Kind → die Kinderdas Buch → die Bücherdas Haus → die Häuser

Ø

das Zimmer → die Zimmerdas Fenster → die Fensterdas Mädchen → die Mädchen

-s

many loanwords ending in a voweldas Auto → die Autosdas Kino → die Kinosdas Büro → die Büros

-(e)n

a few wordsdas Bett → die Bettendas Auge → die Augen

The most reliable clue sits at the end of the word. Most of these endings are reliable with only a few exceptions, so they are worth knowing by heart.

-ung → -ungendie Wohnung → die Wohnungenflat

-heit, -keit → -heiten, -keitendie Möglichkeit → die Möglichkeitenpossibility

-schaft → -schaftendie Freundschaft → die Freundschaftenfriendship

-ion → -ionendie Information → die Informationenpiece of information

-tät → -tätendie Universität → die Universitätenuniversity

-in → -innendie Lehrerin → die Lehrerinnenteacher (f.)

-e (die) → -ndie Tasche → die Taschenbag

-ist, -ent (people) → -ender Tourist → die Touristentourist

-chen, -lein → Ødas Brötchen → die Brötchenbread roll

-er, -el, -en (der, das) → Øder Schlüssel → die SchlüsselkeyExceptions: der Bauer → die Bauern, der Muskel → die Muskeln, das Hotel → die Hotels.

-er, -el (die) → -ndie Schwester → die Schwesternsister

Trap checkWith words in -er and -el the gender decides: der Lehrer → die Lehrer, but die Schwester → die Schwestern. Two women of the family, die Mutter and die Tochter, ignore the rule: they take an umlaut, die Mütter, die Töchter. And -ent gives -en only for people: der Student → die Studenten, but das Dokument → die Dokumente.

Slide 1 of 8

Choose one option

Choose the correct form. (Today we are viewing three flats.)

Wir besichtigen heute drei ___.

Wohnunge

Wohnungen

Wohnungs

The umlaut changes the vowel in the stem: a → ä, o → ö, u → ü and au → äu. The letters e and i never take an umlaut. The changed letter is shown in red.

a → äder Apfel → die Äpfeldie Hand → die Händeder Garten → die Gärten

o → öder Sohn → die Söhneder Vogel → die Vögelder Ofen → die Öfen

u → üder Stuhl → die Stühledie Wurst → die Würsteder Zug → die Züge

au → äudas Haus → die Häuserder Baum → die Bäumedie Maus → die Mäuse

With -er the umlaut is almost always thereIf the word has a, o, u or au, it almost always takes an umlaut with -er.das Buch → die Bücherdas Land → die Länderdas Wort → die WörterDas Kind → die Kinder has none: the word only has an i.

With -e there is no logicSome words take an umlaut, others do not. Learn the form together with the word.der Stuhl → die Stühleder Hund → die Hundeder Tag → die Tage

The family album: almost every way in one family

der Vater → die Väter fatherdie Mutter → die Mütter motherder Bruder → die Brüder brotherdie Schwester → die Schwestern sisterder Sohn → die Söhne sondie Tochter → die Töchter daughterdas Kind → die Kinder childder Onkel → die Onkel uncledie Tante → die Tanten auntdie Oma → die Omas grandma

Parents together exist only in the plural: die Eltern. Brothers and sisters together are die Geschwister: Hast du Geschwister?

Slide 1 of 8

Choose one option

Choose the correct form. (The mothers of Anna and Max are coming for dinner.)

Die ___ von Anna und Max kommen zum Essen.

Mutter

Mütter

Müttere

Before her visit to the Bürgeramt, Anna writes down what to take. This list has seven plural words, formed in five ways: -s, -e, -(e)n, -er and umlaut with -e.

Mitbringen

–

zwei Passfotostwo passport photos

–

zwei ausgefüllte Formularetwo filled-in forms

–

drei Kopien vom Mietvertragthree copies of the rental contract

–

die Reisepässe aller Familienmitgliederthe passports of all family members

–

alle Dokumente für die Kinderall documents for the children

Words with -s

Foto, Auto, Handy and the like came from other languages or look like it, so they take -s. The same goes for abbreviations.

das Foto → die Fotosdas Auto → die Autosdas Handy → die Handysdas Hotel → die Hotelsdas Kino → die Kinosdas Büro → die Bürosdas Café → die Cafésdie CD → die CDs

Latin and Greek words in -um and -ma go their own way

das Museum → die Museendas Thema → die Themendas Praktikum → die PraktikaJust learn these forms.

A habit to dropIn English -s is the default, so it is tempting to write Tischs or Kinds. In German -s is the rare one: Autos, Handys, Hotels, but Tische and Kinder.

Five situations in which the plural behaves unexpectedly.

After a numberThere is usually no article. Money, weights and measures take no plural ending.no endingzwei Eurotwo eurosdrei Kilo Äpfelthree kilos of appleszwei Metertwo metresas usual: feminine words and units of timezwei Tassen Kaffeetwo cups of coffeedrei Nächte, zehn Jahrethree nights, ten years

Usually no pluralAt A1–A2 treat these words as uncountable.

das Obstdas Gepäckdas Geld

Ich esse gern Obst.I like eating fruit.Hast du viel Gepäck?Do you have a lot of luggage?single pieces are named one by onezwei Äpfel, drei Bananentwo apples, three bananas

Plural onlyThese words are used only in the plural.

die Leutedie Elterndie Geschwisterdie Feriendie Kosten

Die Leute sind nett.The people are nice.Meine Eltern wohnen in Hamburg.My parents live in Hamburg.

A trap from your own languageIn English these words are plural. In German they are singular.

glasses = die Brille

scissors = die Schere

trousers = die Hose

Wo ist meine Brille?Where are my glasses?Die Schere liegt auf dem Tisch.The scissors are on the table.information

information = die Information, die Informationen

Ich brauche mehr Informationen.I need more information.

One word, two pluralsThe plural form changes the meaning.die Bankdie Bank → die Bänke benchesdie Bank → die Banken banksdas Wortdas Wort → die Wörter single words, as in a dictionarydas Wort → die Worte words as a connected statementEr sagt ein paar freundliche Worte.He says a few friendly words.

The plural has one more form: the Dativ. The article becomes den and the noun gets -n. You need it after verbs like helfen and prepositions like mit.

die Kinderden KindernIch helfe den Kindern.I help the children.

die Lehrerden LehrernWir danken den Lehrern.We thank the teachers.

die Gästeden GästenDas Essen schmeckt den Gästen.The guests like the food.

die Frauenden FrauenWir sprechen mit den Frauen.We are talking to the women.

die Autosden AutosWir fahren mit den Autos.We are going in the cars.

When there is no extra -nIf the plural already ends in -n or -s, there is nothing to add: die Frauen → den Frauen, die Autos → den Autos. All the others get -n: Kindern, Lehrern, Gästen.

Continue on the site

Verben mit Dativ30 verbs that take the Dativ: helfen, danken, gefallen and more.

PräpositionenPrepositions with the Dativ, the Akkusativ and the two-way kind, through a day in Berlin.

Slide 1 of 8

Choose one option

Choose the correct form. (That costs two euros.)

Das kostet zwei ___.

Euroe

Euro

Euroen

When a new word is not in your head yet, go through four steps. None of them is a guarantee, but they usually lead to the right form faster than trial and error.

1

Look at the end of the word-ung, -heit, -keit, -schaft, -ion, -tät give -en, -in gives -innen, -chen and -lein leave Ø. With der and das words in -er, -el, -en the form usually stays the same: Lehrer, Fenster.

2

Check the articleA word with die almost always takes -(e)n: die Frau → die Frauen. The well-known exceptions: Mutter, Tochter, Hand, Stadt.

3

Ask whether it is a loanwordMany words from English and French (Handy, Auto, Hotel, Café) take -s. Words in -um and -ma from Latin and Greek you learn separately.

4

Only der and das are leftMost often it is -e: der Tisch, das Jahr. If the word is short and neuter, it is often -er with an umlaut: das Buch, das Haus. After that, only the dictionary helps.

How the plural is written in a dictionary

Next to a noun, dictionaries and textbooks give a short note. The dash stands for the word itself: Tisch, -e means Tisch + e. A dash on its own (Lehrer, -) means the form does not change, and ¨ means umlaut.

der Tisch, -eder Stuhl, ¨-edas Kind, -erdas Buch, ¨-erdie Frau, -endas Auto, -sder Lehrer, -der Apfel, ¨-

Make flashcards with the plural from the start: der Tisch on one side, die Tische on the other. That way the form sticks together with the word instead of becoming a separate fact.

There is no single rule, but there is a system of clues. Here is everything worth taking away.

In the nominative and accusative plural the article is always die; in the Dativ it is den and the word gets -n, unless the plural already ends in -n or -s.
Six ways: -e, -er, -(e)n, -s, Ø and umlaut.
Clues: the ending of the word, its gender and whether it is a loanword. Feminine words almost always take -(e)n, and -er only occurs with der and das.
After a number, money, weights and measures take no plural ending: zwei Euro, drei Kilo, zwei Meter.
Learn the plural together with the word: der Tisch, -e.

German Noun Plurals: Pluralbildung

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