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This lesson explains German noun plural forms with common endings like -(e)n (die Katze - die Katzen), -e (der Hut - die Hüte), -er (das Wort - die Wörter), and -s (das Auto - die Autos), focusing on patterns and key exceptions.
  1. There are many exceptions in German plural formation, which is why it is important to learn the plural form of the noun at the same time.
EndungRegelBeispiel
-(e)nDie meisten femininen Nomen (Most feminine nouns)

die Katze - die Katzen (the cats - the cats)

die Tür - die Türen (the door - the doors)

-e

Die meisten maskulinen Nomen (oft mit Umlaut) (Most masculine nouns (often with umlaut))

Viele einsilbige feminine Nomen (mit Umlaut) (Many monosyllabic feminine nouns (with umlaut))

der Hut - die Hüte (the hat - the hes)

die Hand - die Hände (the hand - the hands)

-er Viele einsilbige neutrale Nomen (oft mit Umlaut) (Many monosyllabic neuter nouns (often with umlaut))das Wort - die Wörter (the word - the words)
-s

Nomen, die auf -a, -i, -o, -u oder -y enden (Nouns ending in -a, -i, -o, -u or -y)

Viele Wörter fremder Herkunft (Many words of foreign origin)

das Auto - die Autos (the car - the cars)

das Team - die Teams (the team - the teams)

Ohne Endung (Without ending)

Alle maskulinen und Neutralen Wörter auf -en (All masculine and neuter words ending in -en)

Die meisten Nomen auf -er (Most nouns ending in -er)

der Kuchen- die Kuchen (the cake- the cakes)

der Lehrer - die Lehrer (the teacher - the teachers)

Exceptions!

  1. For feminine nouns ending in 'in', the 'n' is doubled -> die Studentin - die Studentinnen
  2. If a noun receives the ending -(e)n or -s, then a vowel change never occurs.

Exercise 1: Nomen und ihre Pluralformen

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Antworten, Städte, Frauen, Länder, Fragen

1. Die Frage:
Die ....
(Die Fragen.)
2. Das Land (mit Umlaut) :
Die ....
(Die Länder.)
3. Die Stadt (mit Umlaut):
Die ....
(Die Städte.)
4. Die Antwort:
Die ....
(Die Antworten.)
5. Die Frau:
Die ....
(Die Frauen.)

Exercise 2: Dialogue completion

Instruction: Complete the dialogue with the correct solution

1. Das ist ___ Hund meines Freundes.

( That is ___ dog of my friend.)

2. Ich sehe ___ Katze im Garten.

( I see ___ cat in the garden.)

3. Wir wohnen in ___ Deutschland.

( We live in ___ Germany.)

4. Sie hat ___ Stuhl gekauft.

( She bought ___ chair.)

5. Das Mädchen liest ___ Buch.

( The girl is reading ___ book.)

6. Die Lehrer geben ___ Schülern Aufgaben.

( The teachers give ___ students tasks.)

Understanding Nouns and Their Plural Forms in German

This lesson covers the pluralization of German nouns (Nomen), which is a fundamental aspect of mastering the language. Nouns in German name people, animals, objects, places, or abstract concepts. Learning how to form their plurals correctly is essential due to the many exceptions and patterns involved.

Key Plural Endings in German Nouns

German nouns form their plurals with various endings and sometimes with vowel changes (Umlaut). Below are the most common plural endings and their general rules, along with examples:

  • -(e)n: Most feminine nouns use this ending.
    Examples: die Katze - die Katzen, die Tür - die Türen
  • -e: Most masculine nouns (often with Umlaut). Many monosyllabic feminine nouns also use this ending with Umlaut.
    Examples: der Hut - die Hüte, die Hand - die Hände
  • -er: Many monosyllabic neuter nouns, often with Umlaut.
    Example: das Wort - die Wörter
  • -s: Nouns ending in -a, -i, -o, -u, or -y and many loanwords.
    Examples: das Auto - die Autos, das Team - die Teams
  • Without ending: All masculine and neuter nouns ending in -en and most nouns ending in -er remain unchanged.
    Examples: der Kuchen - die Kuchen, der Lehrer - die Lehrer

Additional Notes on Plural Formation

Some feminine nouns ending in -in double the 'n' in the plural form, such as die Studentin - die Studentinnen. Also, when a noun takes the plural endings -(e)n or -s, there is no vowel change within the word.

Useful Vocabulary and Phrases

  • der Hund – the dog
  • die Katze – the cat
  • die Studentin – the (female) student
  • das Auto – the car
  • der Lehrer – the teacher

Differences Between English and German Nouns

Unlike English, where plural forms are mostly formed by adding an -s or -es, German plurals are more varied and depend on the noun's gender, ending, and sometimes vowel changes. English nouns do not change vowels, but in German, many plurals involve umlaut changes (e.g., der Hut - die Hüte). Also, German nouns have grammatical gender (masculine, feminine, neuter), which influences plural formation and articles.

Examples of basic German phrases that highlight noun usage include:

  • Das ist der Hund meines Freundes. (That is my friend's dog.)
  • Ich sehe eine Katze im Garten. (I see a cat in the garden.)
  • Sie hat einen Stuhl gekauft. (She bought a chair.)
  • Die Lehrer geben den Schülern Aufgaben. (The teachers give tasks to the students.)

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Sophie Schmidt

International Administration Management

Würzburger Dolmetscherschule

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Last Updated:

Friday, 18/07/2025 00:20