Nouns: Plural — Dutch Grammar

Dutch nouns generally form their plural by adding either or to the singular form. The choice between these two endings depends on the spelling and pronunciation of the word.

The Standard Plural: -en

The most common way to make a noun plural is by adding . This applies to the majority of Dutch nouns, especially those with one syllable.

Ik heb twee honden.
I have two dogs.
De schoenen zijn nieuw.
The shoes are new.

Spelling Changes with -en

When adding , the spelling of the original word often changes to preserve the correct vowel sound. These rules are essential for writing Dutch correctly.

1. Doubling the Consonant (Short Vowels)

If a word has a short vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u) and ends in a single consonant, you must double that consonant before adding . This keeps the vowel short.

De katten slapen.
The cats are sleeping.
Wij hebben veel pennen.
We have many pens.

2. Dropping a Vowel (Long Vowels)

If a word has a long vowel sound written with two letters (aa, ee, oo, uu) and ends in a single consonant, you drop one of the vowels when adding . The single vowel remains long because it is now in an open syllable.

Er staan twee bomen in de tuin.
There are two trees in the garden.
De muren zijn wit.
The walls are white.

3. Changing f to v and s to z

For many words ending in or , the consonant changes to the voiced version ( or ) before adding . This usually happens when the preceding vowel is long.

Ik schrijf twee brieven.
I am writing two letters.
De huizen zijn duur.
The houses are expensive.

The Plural Ending: -s

The ending is used in specific situations based on the word's ending or origin.

1. Unstressed Endings

Words that end in unstressed syllables like , , , and take an . This is very common for family members and professions.

Mijn broers zijn lang.
My brothers are tall.
De tafels zijn bezet.
The tables are occupied.

2. Diminutives

All diminutives (words ending in ) always take an in the plural.

De meisjes spelen buiten.
The girls are playing outside.
Mag ik twee biertjes?
May I have two beers?

3. Loanwords

Many words borrowed from English or French simply take an .

De laptops staan op tafel.
The laptops are on the table.

The Apostrophe Plural: 's

If a noun ends in a single vowel (, , , , or ), you must add an apostrophe before the (). This is done to maintain the long vowel sound. Without the apostrophe, the vowel would be pronounced as a short sound.

Ik maak foto's.
I am taking photos.
De auto's rijden snel.
The cars are driving fast.
Zij heeft twee hobby's.
She has two hobbies.

Note that words ending in usually just take a normal (without an apostrophe) unless the is pronounced as a long "ay" sound at the end of a loanword (like → ).

Irregular Plurals: -eren

A small group of very common neuter nouns forms the plural with .

De kinderen gaan naar school.
The children go to school.
Ik koop eieren op de markt.
I buy eggs at the market.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Dutch course

81 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 18. A few of them, with the words “Nouns: Plural” is about in bold:

Ik heb twee auto's, twee fietsen en drie motoren.
I have two cars, two bicycles, and three motorbikes.
Lesson 33
Ik koop een banaan en zes eieren.
I am buying one banana and six eggs.
Lesson 43
Ik heb ook een dozijn eieren en een snoepreep voor je gekocht.
I bought a dozen eggs and a candy bar for you too.
Lesson 47

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