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Plural forms of nouns
While some nouns follow simple patterns in the formation of their plural forms, most nouns do not. It is best therefore, to memorize these forms along with the gender of the noun. There are nine ways of forming the plural in German . Examples:
- der Teller, die Teller (plate, plates): no change
- der Vater, die Väter (father, fathers): Umlaut added to stem vowel
- das Geschäft, die Geschäfte (store, stores): ending -e added
- der Zug, die Züge (train, trains): Umlaut and ending -e added
- das Bild, die Bilder (picture, pictures): ending -er added
- das Buch, die Bücher (book, books): Umlaut and ending -er added
- die Frau, die Frauen (woman, women): ending-en added
- die Straße, die Straßen (street, streets): ending -n added
- das Auto, die Autos (car, cars): ending -s added
Some discernible plural forms:
All words ending in -ung, -heit, -keit, and -schaft (all of which are feminine), add an -en to their plural forms. Examples:
- die Zeitung, Zeitungen (newspapers)
- die Gelegenheit, Gelegenheiten (opportunities)
- die Kleinigkeit, Kleinigkeiten (small matters)
- die Gemeinschaft, Gemeinschaften (communities)
Nouns ending in -in and referring to female persons add -nen for their plural. Examples:
- Freundin, Freundinnen
- Studentin, Studentinnen
- Schülerin, Schülerinnen
Loan words ending in -o add an -s:
- Radio, Radios
- Auto, Autos
Some words that only exist in the plural:
die Leute (people), Möbel (furniture), Eltern (parents), Geschwister (siblings)
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