German plurals: A comprehensive guide to understanding and forming plural nouns in German grammar, including rules, exceptions, and examples.
German plurals are essential for expressing more than one of something. Unlike English, which mostly adds -s or -es, German uses a variety of endings and sometimes changes the noun's stem. There is no single rule for all German nouns, so learning patterns and exceptions is key.
- German nouns can be masculine, feminine, or neuter.
- Plural forms depend on the noun's gender and ending.
- Many plurals involve adding endings like -e, -er, -n, -en, or -s.
- Some nouns change vowels (umlaut) in the plural.
- Article changes: the singular der/die/das becomes die in plural.
Plural Endings
German nouns take different endings to form plurals. Here are the most common ones:
| Ending | Description | Example (Singular → Plural) |
|---|---|---|
| -e | Common for masculine and some neuter | der Hund → die Hunde (dog → dogs) |
| -er | Common for neuter and some masculine; often with umlaut | das Kind → die Kinder (child → children) |
| -n/en | Common for feminine nouns and some masculine | die Frau → die Frauen (woman → women) |
| -s | Used for foreign words, abbreviations, and some neuter | das Auto → die Autos (car → cars) |
| -(nothing) | Some feminine nouns don't change | die Lampe → die Lampen (lamp → lamps) |
Note: Some nouns change vowels (a → ä, o → ö, u → ü) in addition to adding endings.
Umlaut Changes
An umlaut changes the vowel in the stem (a, o, u → ä, ö, ü). This happens mainly in masculine and neuter nouns.
| Singular | Plural | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| der Apfel | die Äpfel | apple |
| der Sohn | die Söhne | son |
| der Fuß | die Füße | foot |
Tip: If the noun has a, o, or u in the stem, check if it takes an umlaut in the plural.
Gender and Plural Patterns
The noun's gender often hints at its plural form.
| Gender | Common Plural Endings | Example (Singular → Plural) |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | -e (often umlaut), -er (often umlaut), -n/en | der Tisch → die Tische (table → tables) |
| Feminine | -n/en (always), sometimes no change | die Blume → die Blumen (flower → flowers) |
| Neuter | -e (often umlaut), -er (often umlaut), -s | das Buch → die Bücher (book → books) |
Feminine nouns ending in -e, -el, -er are usually straightforward with -n/en.
What plural ending do feminine German nouns almost always use?
-n/en
Feminine German nouns almost always take the '-n' or '-en' ending in the plural, like 'die Blume → die Blumen'.
Irregular and Foreign Plurals
Some nouns don't follow standard rules:
- Irregulars: der Mann → die Männer (men), das Ei → die Eier (eggs)
- Foreign words: often add -s: das Hotel → die Hotels
- Abbreviations: add -s: das DVD → die DVDs
What is the plural of 'der Mann' (man) in German?
die Männer
The plural of 'der Mann' includes an umlaut and the '-er' ending: 'die Männer'.
Tips for Learning German Plurals
- Always learn nouns with their plural form and article (e.g., der Hund, die Hunde).
- Pay attention to umlauts and exceptions.
- Use a good dictionary for irregular plurals.
- Practice by grouping nouns by gender and plural ending.
- Over time, patterns will become more intuitive.
Last updated: Sat Jun 7, 2025
