German nouns change in predictable and unpredictable ways when they become plural, and mastering these patterns helps you notice and produce plural forms quickly. This guide covers the main plural endings as well as common irregulars.
Regular Plurals
Regular plural endings in German usually follow one of the typical patterns: -e, -en, -er, -n, or no ending with a possible Umlaut change. Nouns keep their gender in the plural.
-en Plurals
Many feminine nouns form the plural by adding -en, and this is the most common plural ending for der, die, and das nouns in certain categories like professions and animals.
| German Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| die Frau | the woman | |
| die Frauen | the women | |
| die Katze | the cat | |
| die Katzen | the cats |
She works as a (female) teacher.
-e Plurals
Masculine and neuter nouns often form the plural with -e, and some also add an Umlaut to the stem vowel. This ending is common for short nouns referring to people, things, or animals.
| German Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| der Hund | the dog | |
| die Hunde | the dogs | |
| das Buch | the book | |
| die Bücher | the books |
-er Plurals
Neuter nouns frequently form the plural with -er and sometimes change the stem vowel with an Umlaut. This ending often appears with short nouns and loanwords.
| German Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| das Kind | the child | |
| die Kinder | the children | |
| das Wort | the word | |
| die Wörter | the words |
-n Plurals
Feminine nouns ending in -in or certain other endings form the plural by adding -n, and some masculine and neuter nouns also take -n in the plural. This pattern appears in groups like professions and nationalities.
| German Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| die Lehrerin | the (female) teacher | |
| die Lehrerinnen | the (female) teachers | |
| der Student | the student | |
| die Studenten | the students |
Umlaut
Some nouns add an Umlaut to the stem vowel in the plural to signal the change, and this can appear with -e, -er, or no ending. Umlaut plurals are common with short masculine and neuter nouns.
| German Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| der Mann | the man | |
| die Männer | the men | |
| das Bild | the picture | |
| die Bilder | the pictures |
No Ending
Certain neuter nouns form the plural by adding an Umlaut but no ending, and some masculine and feminine nouns also have zero plural ending. These nouns are often short and concrete.
| German Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| das Kind | the child | |
| die Kinder | the children | |
| der Lehrer | the teacher | |
| die Lehrer | the teachers |
Irregular Plurals
Irregular plurals break the usual patterns and often involve unexpected endings, vowel changes, or no change at all. These nouns must be learned individually because they appear frequently.
Common Irregular Nouns
Some very common nouns have irregular plurals that learners should memorize early. They often change the vowel (Umlaut) and take an unusual ending or none.
| German Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| der Apfel | the apple | |
| die Äpfel | the apples | |
| die Mutter | the mother | |
| die Mütter | the mothers | |
| der Lehrer | the teacher | |
| die Lehrer | the teachers |
Foreign Loanwords
Loanwords from other languages sometimes keep their original plural form or add -s in German, making them easier to recognize. These nouns are often found in contexts like music, sport, or technology.
| German Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| das Auto | the car | |
| die Autos | the cars | |
| der Computer | the computer | |
| die Computer | the computers |
Plural-Only Nouns
Some nouns exist only in the plural form and refer to collections, materials, or abstract concepts. Trying to use them in the singular sounds unnatural. These are called Pluralia tantum.
| German Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| die Polizei | the police | |
| die Kosten | the costs | |
| die Möbel | the furniture | |
| die Nachrichten | the news |
Summary
German plurals follow several regular endings like -en, -e, -er, -n, and sometimes add an Umlaut; gender stays the same and you should learn each noun’s pattern. Irregular plurals must be memorized because they appear often, while loanwords often take -s and some nouns are plural-only.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025