Every noun in German is either singular (one thing) or plural (more tha English, you usually just add -s to make a plural. In German, there is no single rule — each noun has its own plural form that must be learned.
The easiest way to recognise a plural noun is the definite article. In the nominative ca all plural nouns use the article die — regardless of their original gender.
die Frau — the woman (singular, feminine)
die Frauen — the women (plural)
The ending -en on the noun signals plural. Always look at the article and a noun ending together.
| Definite (the) | Indefinite (a/an) | |
|---|---|---|
| masculine | der | ein |
| feminine | die | eine |
| neuter | das | ein |
| plural (all genders) | die | — |
Plural nouns have no indefinite article. Use the noun on its own: Hunde Bücher (books).
German nouns form their plural in six main ways. There is no rule for which pattern a noun follows — you plural together with the noun.
Nouns ending in -chen, -lein, or -er often look the sa and plural.
Very common, especially for feminine nouns.
Mostly for loanwords and abbreviations.
| Pattern | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| no change | das Mädchen | die Mädchen |
| + e | der Hund | die Hunde |
| + er | das Kind | die Kinder |
| + en / n | die Frau | die Frauen |
| + s | das Auto | die Autos |
| umlaut | der Vater | die Väter |
When there is no article to guide you, the verb form can also tell you whether the subje or plural.
Das Kind spielt. (The child plays.)
Die Kinder spielen. (The children play.)
Tip: Always learn a new noun with its plural form and article. Dictionaries der Hund, die Hunde — follow the same habit.
Read each sentence with a noun in both singular and plural form. Identify the singular noun in the first input and the plural noun in the second input.
Der
The man or the men work.
Das
The child or the children play in the park.
Die
The woman or the women sing beautifully.
Der
The dog or the dogs bark loudly.
Das
The book or the books lie on the table.
Die
The cat or the cats like to sleep.
Der
The tree or the trees grow quickly.
Das
The eye or the eyes are blue.