German Words: Singular and Plural332

The German language has three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. Each gender has its own rules for forming the plural. Knowing these rules is essential for correct German grammar.

Masculine Nouns

Masculine nouns typically end in "-er", "-el", "-en", or a consonant. To form the plural, add "-e" to the end of the word.
Der Mann (the man) -> Die Männer (the men)
Das Fenster (the window) -> Die Fenster (the windows)
Der Wagen (the car) -> Die Wagen (the cars)

Some masculine nouns that end in "-el" or "-er" form their plural by adding "-n" instead of "-e".
Der Enkel (the grandson) -> Die Enkel (the grandsons)
Der Lehrer (the teacher) -> Die Lehrer (the teachers)

Feminine Nouns

Feminine nouns typically end in "-heit", "-keit", "-ung", "-schaft", "-ei", or "-ie". To form the plural, add "-en" to the end of the word.
Die Freiheit (the freedom) -> Die Freiheiten (the freedoms)
Die Möglichkeit (the possibility) -> Die Möglichkeiten (the possibilities)
Die Familie (the family) -> Die Familien (the families)

Some feminine nouns that end in "-ei" or "-ie" form their plural by adding "-n" instead of "-en".
Die Partei (the party) -> Die Parteien (the parties)
Die Melodie (the melody) -> Die Melodien (the melodies)

Neuter Nouns

Neuter nouns typically end in "-chen", "-lein", "-ment", "-tum", "-lein", or "-chen". To form the plural, add "-er" to the end of the word.
Das Kind (the child) -> Die Kinder (the children)
Das Mädchen (the girl) -> Die Mädchen (the girls)
Das Haus (the house) -> Die Häuser (the houses)

Some neuter nouns that end in "-lein" or "-chen" form their plural by adding "-n" instead of "-er".
Das Fräulein (the young lady) -> Die Fräuleins (the young ladies)
Das Wägelchen (the little cart) -> Die Wägelchen (the little carts)

Irregular Plurals

There are a few German nouns that have irregular plurals. These nouns include:
Das Auge (the eye) -> Die Augen (the eyes)
Das Ohr (the ear) -> Die Ohren (the ears)
Das Herz (the heart) -> Die Herzen (the hearts)
Das Weib (the woman) -> Die Weiber (the women)

Tips for Forming Plurals

Here are a few tips for forming plurals in German:
Look at the last letter of the word.
If the word ends in "-er", "-el", "-en", or a consonant, add "-e" to form the plural.
If the word ends in "-heit", "-keit", "-ung", "-schaft", "-ei", or "-ie", add "-en" to form the plural.
If the word ends in "-chen", "-lein", "-ment", "-tum", "-lein", or "-chen", add "-er" to form the plural.
Be aware of irregular plurals.

Conclusion

Forming plurals in German is not difficult once you know the rules. By following the tips in this article, you can be sure that you are using the correct plural form of every German noun.

2025-02-08

Previous：How to Memorize German Vocabulary Effortlessly

Next：First Volume of Japanese Vocabulary Audio