Plural in German

For English speakers, the plural in German is exasperating. We are happy to just add a simple "–s". In German it’s
much more complicated. Get into fighting mode; we think you’ll need to. Here’s our explanation:
Summary of the most common plurals
Because this subject is pretty complicated, we’ve made a small table with the most common suffixes for making
the plural depending on the gender:

Masculine Feminine Neuter

Common [-e] [-en] [-e]

[¨-e] [-n] [-]
[-] [-nen]

Less [-en] [¨-e] [-er]

common [-n] [ ¨ -er]
[¨]

Adopted [-s]
foreign
words

No plural
Some nouns do not have a plural form in German:
 Names of countries, rivers, cities:

Example Meaning

die Türkei Turkey

die Wolga the Volga

München Munich

 Abstract concepts:
 Example Meaning

die Zweisprachigkeit bilingualism

die Abgespanntheit exhaustion

die Zuvorkommenheit courtesy

die Wut rage

General rules that are applicable to all genders

Constructing the plural with "-s"
Just like in English it’s normal to construct the plural with the ending "–s". In German, however, only a few
adopted foreign words have this plural.

Noun Plural Meaning

die Kamara die camera

Kamaras

der Gorilla die Gorillas gorilla

das Auto die Autos car

The plural for feminine nouns

The construction of the plural for feminine nouns is the easiest in German:
The possibilities are:

Frequency Plural

Adding "-en"
Very
common
Adding "-n"

Common Adding "-nen"

Adding [Umlaut] + "-e"

Rare
"-nis" -> "-nisse"
 Adding [Umlaut] + "–en"

Adding [Umlaut]

"-a" -> "-en"

Very rare "-sis" -> "-sen"

"xis" -> "-xien"

"-aus" -> "-äuse"

"-itis" -> "-iden"

Adding "-en"
The large majority of feminine nouns that do not end in "-e" make their plural with "-en":

Noun Plural Meaning

die Datei die Dateien file

die Wohnung die Wohnungen apartment

die Fabrik die Fabriken factory

The following endings which guarantee that the noun is feminine should be emphasized: "-ei", "-ung", "-heit", "-
keit", "-ion", "-schaft", "-ik", "-eur", "-enz", "-tät", "-itis", "-sis".
Adding "-n"
If a feminine noun ends in "-e", its plural is always constructed with "-n" (Note: Not all nouns ending with "-e" are
feminine. For example: der Käse)

Noun Plural Meaning

die Lampe die Lampen lamp

die Fantasie die Fantasien fantasy

die die Narzissen narcissus

Narzisse

The following endings guarantee that the noun is feminine and their plural is with "-n" : -ie , -ade, -age, -ere, -ine, -
isse, -ive, -se,
Adding "-nen"
The feminine nouns that end in "-in" make their plural with "-nen".
 Noun Plural Meaning

die Chefin die boss

Chefinnen

Adding [Umlaut] + "-e"

A few feminine nouns add [Umlaut] + "-e".

Noun Plural Meaning

die Kraft die Kräfte force

die die Ängste fear

Angst

Plural: "-a" ➜ "-en"

Some words not from German origin ending in "-a" make their plural with "-en"

Noun Plural Meaning

die die Firmen company

Firma

die Skala die Skalen scale

Plural: "-sis" ➜ "-sen"

Nouns ending in "-sis" construct their plural with "-sen"

Noun Plural Meaning

die Analysis die Analysen analysis

Plural: "-xis" ➜ "-xien"

The plural for nouns ending with "-xis" are constructed with "-xien"

Noun Plural Meaning

die die Galaxien galaxy

Galaxis

Plural: "-itis"➜ "-iden"

The feminine nouns ending with "-itis" construct their plural with -den

Noun Plural Meaning

 die Cellulitis die cellulitis
Cellulitiden

Plural: "-nis" ➜ "-nisse"

Feminine nouns ending in "-nis" construct their plural by adding the ending "-se"

Noun Plural Meaning

die Befugnis die Befugnisse authorization

Plural: "-aus" ➜ "-äuse"

Feminine nouns ending with "-aus" add an Umlaut over the "a" and add the ending "e".

Noun Plural Meaning

die Maus die mouse

Mäuse

Adding [Umlaut]
There are two feminine nouns that construct their plural with Umlaut: "Mutter" and "Tochter".

Noun Plural Meaning

die Mutter die Mütter mother

die Tochter die Töchter daughter

Adding [Umlaut] + "-en"

A plural form that is not very common is the [Umlaut] + "–en" that practically is used only with the word
"Werkstatt"

Noun Plural Meaning

die Werkstatt die Werkstätten workshop

Plural for masculine nouns

Frequency Plural

Common Adding "-e"

Adding [Umlaut] + "-e"

Not adding an ending

 Adding [Umlaut]

Adding "-n" (N-Deklination)

Rare
Adding "-en" (N-Deklination)

"-us" -> "-usse"

Adding "-en" (no N-Deklination)

Adding "-er"

Very rare Adding [Umlaut] + "-er"

Adding "-ten"

Plural "-us" -> "-i"

Adding "-e"
Many masculine nouns form their plural with "-e". The endings that guarantee the use of this plural are: "-ich", "-
ig", "-ling", "-är" (only those coming from French) and "-eur".

Noun Plural Meaning

der Teppich die Teppiche carpet

der König die Könige king

der Schmetterling die butterfly

Schmetterlinge

der Veterinär die Veterinäre veterinarian

der Friseur die Friseure barber

Adding [Umlaut] + "-e"

Some nouns form the plural with [Umlaut] + "-e". We emphasize the following:

Noun Plural Meaning

 der Platz die Plätze seat

der Kuss die Küsse kiss

der Hals die Hälse neck

der Arzt die Ärzte doctor

der die Flüsse river

Fluss

Not adding any ending

Many masculine nouns ending with "-er" and "-el" do not add any ending.

Noun Plural Meaning

der die Schüler student

Schüler

der Würfel die Würfel dice

Adding [Umlaut]
Many masculine nouns ending with "-er" and "-el" add just an Umlaut.

Noun Plural Meaning

der Vater die Väter father

der Mantel die Mäntel overcoat

Adding "-n" [according to the N-Deklination]

Many masculine nouns ending with "-e" are declined according the "N-Deklination".

Singular Plural

Nominative der Kunde die Kunden

Accusative den Kunden die Kunden

Dative dem Kunden den Kunden

Genitive des Kunden der Kunden

Examples of nouns that follow the "N-Deklination":

 Noun Plural Meaning

der Name die Namen name

der Buchstabe die Buchstaben letter

There are many exceptions that do not follow the "N-Deklination" such as:

Noun Plural Meaning

der die Käse cheese

Käse

der See die Seen lake

Advice: If you have to take a German test, learn the gender and plural of "der Käse" as it’s one of professors’
favorite words.
Adding "-en" [according to the N-Deklination]
Words with a Greek or Latin ending in "-at", "-ant", "-ent" and "–ist" are declined according to the "N-
Deklination".

Singular Plural

Nominativ der Pianist die Pianisten

e

Accusative den Pianisten die Pianisten

Dative dem Pianisten den Pianisten

Genitive des Pianisten der Pianisten

Examples of nouns that follow the "N-Deklination":

Noun Plural Meaning

der Student die Studenten student

der Soldat die Soldaten soldier

der Liferant die Liferanten supplier

der Violinist die Violinisten violinist

Adding "-en" [no "N-Deklination"]

Although it is not very common, there are also nouns that construct the plural with "-en" without "N-Deklination".

Noun Plural Meaning

der Staat die Staaten state

der die Doktoren doctor

Doktor

Adding "-er"
Very few masculine nouns construct the plural with "-er". It is a plural construction that is much more common
with neuter nouns.

Noun Plural Meaning

der die Leiber body

Leib

Adding [Umlaut] + "-er"

A few masculine nouns’ plural form is made with [Umlaut] + "-er".

Noun Plural Meaning

der die Männer man

Mann

der Gott die Götter God

Adding "-ten"
One the rarest masculine nouns is constructed with the suffix "-ten"

Noun Plural Meaning

der die Anbauten annex

Anbau

Plural: "-us" -> "-usse"

Most of the masculine nouns ending with "-us" add "-se", meaning that an extra –s is added.

Noun Plural Meaning

der Zirkus die Zirkusse circus

der Bus die Busse bus

Plural: "-us" -> "-i"

There are a few masculine nouns that come from Latin and end with "us", forming the plural with "i"
 Noun Plural Meaning

der Modus die mode

Modi

der Ficus die Fici ficus

The plural for neuter nouns

Frequency Plural

Very Adding "-e"

common

Without an ending added on

Common Adding "-er"

Adding [Umlaut] + "-er"

Rare "-nis" ➜ "-nisse"

Adding "-ien"

"-um" ➜ "-en"
Very rare
"-um" ➜ "-a"

Adding "-en"

Adding "-e"
The most common plural form for neuter nouns is constructed with the ending "-e"

Noun Plural Meaning

das Alphabet die Alphabete alphabet

das die Protokolle record

Protokoll

No ending added
Almost all of the neuter nouns ending with "-er" or "-el" or "-en".
 Noun Plural Meaning

das Leder die Leder leather

das Kabel die Kabel cable

das Abkommen die Abkommen agreement

Adding "-er"
Many neuter nouns construct the plural with "-er".

Noun Plural Meaning

das Bild die Bilder picture

das die Lieder song

Lied

Adding [Umlaut] + "-er"

The plural [Umlaut] + "-er" is very common with neuter nouns.

Noun Plural Meaning

das Fahrrad die bicycle

Fahrräder

das Blatt die Blätter leaf

das Haus die Häuser home

Adding "-en"
A few neuter nouns add "-en" to construct the plural.

Noun Plural Meaning

das Bett die Betten bed

das Verb die Verben verb

Adding "-ien"
The plural formed with the suffix "-ien" is not very common.

Noun Plural Meaning

 das Adverb die Adverbien the adverb

das Prinzip die Prinzipien the principle

Plural "-nis" ➜ "-nisse"

For nouns ending with "-nis", a suffix, "-se", is added (another –s is added).

Noun Plural Meaning

das Ergebnis die Ergebnisse result

das die Geheimnisse secret

Geheimnis

Plural "-um" ➜ "-a"

A few nouns originating from Latin ending with "-um" construct their plural with "-a".

Noun Plural Meaning

das Antibiotikum die Antibiotika antibiotic

das Analgetikum die Analgetika analgesic

Plural "-um" ➜ "-en"

Most nouns originating from Latin ending with "-um" construct their plural with "-en".

Noun Plural Meaning

das Aquarium die Aquarien aquarium

das die Ministerien ministry

Ministerium

Plural "-o" ➜ "-en"

Another rare plural form is that of the neuter nouns ending in "-o".

Noun Plural Meaning

das Bankkonto die Bankkonten bank account