Grammar · Topic 10 · A1 · 8 questions · about 12 minutes

Plural nouns: -en and -s

Meervoud: -en en -s

In Dutch the plural is mostly made with -en or -s: boek → boeken, tafel → tafels. You will learn which ending to choose, the spelling changes and irregular plurals.

Explanation

One, two, many

In some languages you don't use a plural after a number. In Dutch a plural always comes after a number: twee boeken, drie kinderen.

Dutch has two plural endings: -en and -s. Most words take -en; -s comes after certain word endings. And don't forget: plural nouns always take de (het boek → de boeken). You also saw this rule in the topic 'de / het'.

-en or -s?

-en is used with most words, especially words of one syllable: de deur → de deuren, het boek → de boeken, de stoel → de stoelen.

-s is used in these cases: words ending in unstressed -el, -em, -en, -er (de tafel → de tafels, de jongen → de jongens, de kamer → de kamers) and diminutives (het meisje → de meisjes). Words ending in a, i, o, u, y take 's: de auto → de auto's, de foto → de foto's, de baby → de baby's.

Ik heb twee broers en een zus.I have two brothers and a sister.
De auto's staan voor de deur.The cars are parked in front of the door.

Spelling changesLocked

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Irregular pluralsLocked

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Everyday pluralsLocked

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Learn the plural together with the articleLocked

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Common mistakesLocked

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Words you need

het meervoudplural
het enkelvoudsingular
de kinderenchildren
de huizenhouses
de brievenletters
de foto'sphotos
de eiereneggs
de stedencities

Example questions

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Question 1

Wat is het meervoud van 'de bus'?

What is the plural of 'de bus'?

The u in bus is short; after a short vowel the consonant is doubled: bussen.

Test yourself

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0 of 8 answered · 0 correctYour answers are kept on this device.

Question 1

Wat is het meervoud van 'de bus'?

Choose an option

My answers

2Wat is het meervoud van 'het huis'?Locked
3Wat is het meervoud van 'de auto'?Locked
4Kies het goede woord: Wij hebben drie ___.Locked

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