The noun (singular & plural)

Het zelfstandig naamwoord (enkelvoud & meervoud)

Een zelfstandig naamwoord benoemt mensen, dieren of dingen, bijvoorbeeld: de stad, het boek, de taal.

(A noun names people, animals or things, for example: de stad, het boek, de taal.)

Teacher explanation

What is a plural in Dutch?

In Dutch, the plural usually means: more than one person, thing or idea.

Example: de berg (the mountain) → de bergen (the mountains).

You mainly need to decide between two endings:

-en
-s or -’s

The table in your book shows the most frequent patterns. Below you see how to think when you form a plural, step by step.

Step 1 – Decide: -en or -s / -’s?

Use this small decision guide when you see a new noun.

Question	Then usually…	Example
Does the word end in -el, -en, -em, -er?	Use -s	de tafel → de tafels
Is it a diminutive (ends in -je)?	Use -s	het kopje → de kopjes
Does the word end in a, i, o, u, y?	Use -’s	de auto → de auto’s
In other cases (standard words)	Usually -en	de berg → de bergen

You will see many plurals with -en. Plurals with -s and -’s are special sound/ spelling cases.

Step 2 – When you add -en: what happens inside the word?

For plurals with -en, the spelling of the last consonant or vowel can change. This is normal Dutch spelling, not a new plural ending.

2A. Words ending in 2 or 3 consonants → simply add -en

If a word ends in two or three consonants, you just add -en.

de berg → de bergen
de hand → de handen
het kind → de kinderen (irregular, but very frequent)

The stem (berg, hand) stays the same.

2B. Words on -au, -ou, -ei, -ie → add -en, sound stays

For words that end in these vowel groups:

-au, -ou, -ei, -ie

you add -en and keep the same vowel sound.

de klauw → de klauwen
de sneeuw → de sneeuwen
de politie → de politieën (rare word, but same idea: vowel + en)

You do not change the vowel here; you only attach -en.

2C. Double vowel + consonant → one vowel disappears

If a word ends in a double vowel + consonant (for example aa + n, oo + r):

maan, zoon, boek is different, see below

In many of these, you add -en and one vowel disappears:

de maan → de manen
de deur (eu is already one vowel) → de deuren (no double vowel here)

Why? Dutch spelling rules prefer a single vowel before -en when the sound stays long. You do not need to remember the full spelling rule; just compare the singular and plural a few times. Your eye will get used to it.

2D. Words ending in -f or -s → often change to v or z

Many Dutch words change the final consonant when you add -en:

f → v
s → z

Singular	Plural
de brief	de brieven
de shef	de shevs (loan word, often just -s, but pattern is the same)
de huis	de huizen
de bas	de bazen

This is again a spelling rule: v and z do not usually appear at the end of a Dutch word, but they do appear in the middle (before -en).

Step 3 – When do we use -s and when -’s?

You use -s or -’s when -en would sound strange or make the word hard to read.

3A. -s after -el, -en, -em, -er

After these endings, plural -s is the default:

de tafel → de tafels
de wonen (verb form) is not a noun; but: de tuin → de tuinen (back to -en)
de program is different; here: de collega → de collega’s (ends in vowel)
de kramer → de kramers

Here -en would create a cluster of consonants that is not natural in Dutch.

3B. Diminutives: -je → -jes

A diminutive is a “small” word form with -je (or -tje/-pje/-kje etc.):

het kopje (small cup)
het huisje (small house)

The plural is almost always with -s:

het kopje → de kopjes
het huisje → de huisjes

So: first you make the diminutive, then you add -s.

3C. Words ending in a, i, o, u, y → -’s

When a word ends in a single vowel (not a vowel combination) like a, i, o, u, y, Dutch adds -’s for pronunciation and readability.

Singular	Plural
de auto	de auto’s
de taxi	de taxi’s
de hobby	de hobby’s

Without the apostrophe, the word would be harder to read: ~~autos~~, ~~taxis~~.

Step 4 – Watch out: consonant doubling in the plural

Some words double the consonant in the plural to keep the vowel sound short.

Compare:

Singular	Plural	Explanation
de bus	de bussen	Short u → needs double consonant
de kop	de koppen	Short o → double consonant
de zon	de zonnen	Short o → double consonant

Rule of thumb:

Short vowel in the singular + one consonant at the end → in the plural, the consonant often doubles before -en.

You do not need the full spelling theory at A1. Just notice: if the vowel should stay short, Dutch often doubles the consonant.

Step 5 – Irregular and frequent plurals: learn them as chunks

There are a few very frequent plurals that do not follow the basic pattern. Learn them as fixed forms (chunks).

het kind → de kinderen
het ei → de eieren
de stad → de steden
het museum → de musea / musea’s (both exist)

For conversation at A1, it is enough if you know the plural when you use the word often (city, country, language, colleague, etc.).

Step 6 – Self-check: can you form the plural?

Try to answer these questions mentally. If not sure, look back at the rules.

What is the plural of de collega? (tip: ends in a)
→ de collega’s
What is the plural of het kopje? (diminutive)
→ de kopjes
What is the plural of de brief? (ends in f)
→ de brieven
What is the plural of de bus? (short vowel + one consonant)
→ de bussen
What is the plural of de auto? (ends in vowel)
→ de auto’s

What should you pay attention to in real texts?

Underline plurals when you read (in Dutch): notice the endings.
Ask yourself: is this -en, -s or -’s? Why?
Check especially words ending in -f, -s, or a single vowel (a, i, o, u, y).
When you write, say the word aloud: does -en sound natural? If not, try -s or -’s.

If you can do this, you are ready to focus on speaking: using singular and plural naturally in conversation.

Nouns usually have a plural form and a diminutive form.
A noun usually has an article.
A noun can be a proper name.

Regel (Rule)	Meervoud (Plural)	Voorbeeld (Example)
Woorden op 2 of 3 medeklinkers (Words ending in 2 or 3 consonants)	-en (-en)	De berg → De bergen
Woorden op -au, -ou, -ei, -ie (Words ending in -au, -ou, -ei, -ie)	-en (-en)	De klauw → De klauwen
Woorden op -el, -en, -em, -er (Words ending in -el, -en, -em, -er)	-s (-s)	De tafel → De tafels
Verkleinwoorden (Diminutives)	-s (-s)	Het kopje → De kopjes
Woorden op -a, -i, -o, -u, -y (Words ending in -a, -i, -o, -u, -y)	-’s (-’s)	De auto → De auto's
Woorden op een dubbele klinker + medeklinker (Words ending in a double vowel + consonant)	-en (verdwijnt een klinker) (-en (one vowel disappears))	De maan → De manen
Woorden op -f of -s (Words ending in -f or -s)	-v of -z + en (-v or -z + en)	De brief → De brieven

Exceptions!

Some words double the consonant in the plural.

Exercise 1: Multiple choice

Instruction: Choose the correct answer

1. In Amsterdam wonen veel mensen uit andere ______, maar de meeste mensen spreken Nederlands met de buren.

2. In mijn buurt liggen drie bekende ______: Amsterdam, Rotterdam en Den Haag.

3. In België spreken veel mensen twee ______: Nederlands en Frans.

4. In mijn bedrijf werken dertig collega’s uit tien verschillende ______ en steden.

Exercise 2: Rewrite the phrases

Instruction: Rewrite the sentences: put the indicated noun into the plural and adjust the sentence grammatically.

Show/Hide translation Show/Hide hints

Hint Hint (tafels) Op mijn bureau staat één grote tafel.

⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
Op mijn bureau staan twee grote tafels.
(On my desk there are two big tables.)
Hint Hint (flats) In deze straat is één hoge flat.

⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
In deze straat zijn veel hoge flats.
(In this street there are many tall apartment buildings.)
Hint Hint (brieven) In de kast ligt een oude brief van mijn oma.

⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
In de kast liggen oude brieven van mijn oma.
(In the cupboard lie old letters from my grandma.)
Hint Hint (collega’s) In het buitenland heb ik één collega in Spanje.

⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
In het buitenland heb ik drie collega’s in Spanje.
(Abroad I have three colleagues in Spain.)
Hint Hint (bussen) Op het plein zie ik één grijze bus en één rode tram.

⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
Op het plein zie ik drie grijze bussen en twee rode trams.
(In the square I see three grey buses and two red trams.)
Hint Hint (kopjes) In mijn tas zit een klein kopje en een dun boek.

⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
In mijn tas zitten twee kleine kopjes en drie dunne boeken.
(In my bag there are two small cups and three thin books.)