Forming Plurals
Singular nouns are those that describe one person or object: a boy, a girl, my house, their teacher, our party. Plural nouns describe more than one person or object: five boys, the women, a few windows,your parents, these flowers. In English, most nouns become plural by adding an -s. Some English nouns form their plural in other ways, such as one woman becomes ten women, a mouse becomes the mice.
A few German nouns form their plural by adding an -s like English. These nouns tend to be foreign words, such as:
singular plural English
das Auto die Autos cars
das Baby die Babys babies
das Kino die Kinos movie theaters
der Streik die Streiks strikes
das Hotel die Hotels hotels
der Park die Parks parks
Most German nouns, however, form their plural in other ways. Although there are general rules to follow when forming the plural of a German noun, it is best to consult a dictionary for complete
accuracy. Masculine nouns ending in -er, -en, or -el do not require an ending to form the plural. But some require the addition of an umlaut.
no umlaut required
der Lehrer die Lehrer teachers
der Wagen die Wagen cars
der Onkel die Onkel uncles
umlaut required
der Vater die Väter fathers
der Garten die Gärten gardens
der Mantel die Mäntel coats
Other masculine nouns add an -e to form the plural. Some of these also require an umlaut.
no umlaut required
der Arm die Arme arms
der Tisch die Tische tables
der Hund die Hunde dogs
umlaut required
der Sohn die Söhne sons
der Stuhl die Stühle chairs
der Kopf die Köpfe heads
Some masculine nouns traditionally form their plural with the addition of -en. Those masculine nouns that end in -e in the singular as well as those that are foreign words with the accent on the last
syllable also form their plural by adding -(e)n.
traditional -en plural
der Bär die Bären bears
der Mensch die Menschen people
der Held die Helden heroes
words ending in -e in the singular
der Junge die Jungen boys
der Affe die Affen apes
foreign words with accent on last syllable
der Student die Studenten students
der Soldat die Soldaten soldiers
der Komponist die Komponisten composers
A few masculine nouns form their plural by adding -er. Many also require an umlaut.
der Geist die Geister spirits
der Gott die Götter gods
der Mann die Männer men
der Wald die Wälder woods
Feminine nouns in the plural generally end in -n or -en.
die Frau die Frauen women
die Arbeit die Arbeiten jobs,labors
die Regel die Regeln rules
die Lampe die Lampen lamps
die Sitte die Sitten customs, habits
die Schule die Schulen schools
But a small group of feminine nouns forms its plural by adding -e and an umlaut.
die Bank die Bänke benches
die Hand die Hände hands
die Luft die Lüfte airs
die Nacht die Nächte nights
die Kuh die Kühe cows
die Stadt die Städte cities
A few feminine nouns that end in -er in the singular form their plural by an umlaut or the addition of an -n.
die Mutter die Mütter mothers
die Tochter die Töchter daughters
die Schwester die Schwestern sisters
Feminine nouns having the suffix -in form their plural by adding -nen.
die Ärztin die Ärztinnen physicians
die Studentin die Studentinnen students
Neuter nouns that are diminutives with the suffix -chen or -lein do not require an ending to form
the plural.
das Mädchen die Mädchen girls
das Röslein die Röslein little roses
This is also true of neuter nouns that end in -er, -en, or -el. However, infinitives, which end in -en and are used as nouns, are always neuter. But they do not form plurals.
das Messer die Messer knives
das Mädel die Mädel girls
das Kissen die Kissen pillows
das Einkommen (an infinitive, no plural) income
A large group of neuter nouns forms the plural by adding -er. This plural form requires an umlaut
when an umlaut vowel (a, o, u) is present in the noun.
no umlaut vowel
das Kind die Kinder children
das Ei die Eier eggs
das Rind die Rinder cattle
umlaut vowel
das Haus die Häuser houses
das Buch die Bücher books
das Dorf die Dörfer villages
Another large group of neuter nouns adds the ending -e to form the plural.
das Boot die Boote boats
das Jahr die Jahre years
das Haar die Haare hairs or hair
das Geschäft die Geschäfte businesses
das Gedicht die Gedichte poems
das Klavier die Klaviere pianos
All plurals, no matter from what gender they are derived, use the definite article die.
Exercise 6
Rewrite the following masculine nouns as plural nouns.
1. der Vogel ................................................
2. der Spiegel ..............................................
3. der Gärtner .............................................
4. der Brie ..................................................
5. der Lehrling ............................................
6. der Physiker ...........................................
7. der Laden ...............................................
8. der Käfig ................................................
9. der Hammer ..........................................
10. der Schuh .............................................
Exercise 7
Rewrite the following feminine nouns as plural nouns.
1. die Maus ..................................................
2. die Schülerin ............................................
3. die Kasse .................................................
4. die Landkarte ..........................................
5. die Hausarbeit .........................................
6. die Macht .................................................
7. die Wurst .................................................
8. die Schwester ..........................................
9. die Tafel ...................................................
10. die Tanne ................................................
Exercise 8
Rewrite the following neuter nouns as plural nouns.
1. das Heft ...................................................
2. das Wort ..................................................
3. das Hotel .................................................
4. das Kind ..................................................
5. das Rad ...................................................
6. das Gesicht .............................................
7. das Bein ..................................................
8. das Blatt .................................................
9. das Büchlein ..........................................
10. das Zimmer ..........................................
Exercise 9
Rewrite the following plural nouns as singular nouns. Provide the
appropriate definite article to identify the gender of the noun.
1. die Schulen ..............................................
2. die Lehrer ................................................
3. die Kinos .................................................
4. die Hütten ................................................
5. die Bände ...............................................
6. die Würstchen ........................................
7. die Eulen .................................................
8. die Namen ..............................................
9. die Würmer .............................................
10. die Straßen ............................................
11. die Sachen ............................................
12. die Läden ...............................................
13. die Wölfe ................................................
14. die Schweine .......................................
15. die Franzosen ......................................
Exercise 10
In the space provided, write the letter P if the noun shown is plural. Write the letter S if the nounshown is singular. Write the letter B if the noun can be either plural or singular.
1. Leute ........................................................
2. Häuser .....................................................
3. Brille ........................................................
4. Haar ........................................................
5. Nase .......................................................
6. Wanderer ................................................
7. Rechtsanwälte .........................................
8. Hunde ......................................................
9. Katze ........................................................
10. Dichterinnen ...........................................
11. Lehrer ....................................................
12. Wagen ....................................................
13. Anzug .....................................................
14. Spielzeug ..............................................
15. Fenster ...................................................
16. Lehrlinge ................................................
17. Mädchen ..............................................
18. Bäume ....................................................
19. Touristin .................................................
20. Bilder .......................................................
21. Büchlein .................................................
22. Bein .........................................................
23. Soldaten .................................................
24. Mäntel ....................................................
25. Städte .....................................................
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