Plural Forms in Dutch
In Dutch, most plural nouns take one of two endings: -en or -s. While some words only allow one of these endings, a small number of nouns can take both.
Common Plural Endings: -en and -s
1. Plural Ending: -en
The most frequently used plural ending in Dutch is -en. The general rule is simple:
Singular noun + en
However, some spelling adjustments are needed to maintain proper pronunciation.
Spelling Adjustments for -en Plurals
1️⃣ Preserve Vowel Length
- Short vowels remain short, and long vowels stay long in both singular and plural forms.
| Singular | Plural | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| de rok | de rokken | the skirt(s) |
| het geval | de gevallen | the case(s) |
2️⃣ Avoid Open Double Vowels
- When a singular noun ends with a double vowel, its plural form must avoid an “open” double vowel.
| Singular | Plural | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| de peer | de peren | the pear(s) |
| het gevaar | de gevaren | the danger(s) |
3️⃣ Softening Hard Final Sounds
- If a noun ends in -f or -s, it often changes to -v or -z in the plural.
| Singular | Plural | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| de neus | de neuzen | the nose(s) |
| de brief | de brieven | the letter(s) |
2. Plural Ending: -s
Some nouns form their plural by simply adding -s.
Singular noun + s
| Singular | Plural | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| de tafel | de tafels | the table(s) |
| de computer | de computers | the computer(s) |
Using an Apostrophe in -s Plurals
- If a noun ends in a single a, i, o, u, or y, an apostrophe is added before -s to maintain correct pronunciation.SingularPluralEnglish Translationde autode auto’sthe car(s)het menude menu’sthe menu(s)
Exception: Words ending in a mute -e (like “gebergte”) do not need an apostrophe.
Which Nouns Take -s Instead of -en?
Most Dutch nouns default to -en, but -s is used in specific cases:
✔ Words ending in a single vowel
✔ Words with unstressed vowel combinations
✔ Words with unstressed endings like -el, -en, -er, -um
✔ Titles or professions ending in -oor or -ier
✔ Foreign words that use -s plurals in their original language
✔ Letters and acronyms
Examples of -s Plurals by Category
| Category | Singular | Plural | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ends in a single vowel | de radio | de radio’s | the radio(s) |
| Ends in unstressed vowels | de visie | de visies | the vision(s) |
| Ends in unstressed -el, -er, -um | de lepel | de lepels | the spoon(s) |
| Ends in stressed -eur, -foon | de telefoon | de telefoons | the phone(s) |
| Titles ending in -oor, -ier | de bankier | de bankiers | the banker(s) |
| Borrowed from English/French | het depot | de depots | the depot(s) |
| Letters & acronyms | de cd | de cd’s | the CD(s) |
Uncommon Plural Endings: -eren and -a
While -en and -s are the most frequent, a few words use alternative plural endings.
1. Plurals Ending in -eren
Some words take -eren instead of -en:
| Singular | Plural | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| het kind | de kinderen | the child(ren) |
| het ei | de eieren | the egg(s) |
| het rund | de runderen | the ox(en) |
2. Plurals Ending in -a
A small group of words, mostly borrowed from Latin or Greek, take -a in the plural.
| Singular | Plural | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| het museum | de musea | the museum(s) |
| het centrum | de centra | the center(s) |
Summary: When to Use -s vs. -en
| Ending | Used When… |
|---|---|
| -en | Default plural ending for most Dutch nouns |
| -s | Words ending in vowels, unstressed endings (-el, -um), or borrowed words |
| -eren | Small group of irregular nouns (kind → kinderen) |
| -a | Latin/Greek loanwords (museum → musea) |
By following these guidelines, you’ll be able to form Dutch plurals correctly!