Study Resource: German plural nouns reference sheet

By: Dr. Daniel Krauße

Common plural endings in German


Add to plural	Example
no change	der Jäger — die Jäger Translation: hunter — hunters
	der Fischer — die Fischer Translation: fisherman — fishermen
	der Kegel — die Kegel Translation: bowling pin — bowling pins
-e	das Brot — die Brote Translation: bread — breads
	der Tag — die Tage Translation: days — days
	das Boot — die Boote Translation: boat — boats
-er	das Kind — die Kinder Translation: child — children
	das Bild — die Bilder Translation: picture — pictures
	das Reis — die Reiser Translation: twig — twigs
-en	die Zeit — die Zeiten Translation: time — times
	die Bahn — die Bahnen Translation: railway — railways
	das Bett — die Betten Translation: bed — beds
-n	die Nase — die Nasen Translation: nose — noses
	die Dose — die Dosen Translation: can — cans
	der Junge — die Jungen Translation: boy — boys
umlaut	der Schaden — die Schäden Translation: damage — damages
	der Boden — die Böden Translation: floor — floors
	der Laden — die Läden Translation: shop — shops
umlaut + -e	der Sohn — die Söhne Translation: son — sons
	der Bach — die Bäche Translation: creek — creeks
	der Pfahl — die Pfähle Translation: pole — poles
umlaut + -er	das Buch — die Bücher Translation: book — books
	das Loch — die Löcher Translation: hole — holes
	das Fach — die Fächer Translation: subjects — subjects
-nen	die Lehrerin — die Lehrerinnen Translation: female teacher — female teachers
	die Juristin — die Juristinnen Translation: female lawyer — female lawyers
	die Hündin — die Hündinnen Translation: female dog — female dogs
-se	das Zeugnis — die Zeugnisse Translation: report card — report cards
	das Erlebnis — die Erlebnisse Translation: experience — experiences
	der Kürbis — die Kürbisse Translation: pumpkin — pumpkins
-s	das Auto — die Autos Translation: car — cars
	das Pony — die Ponys Translation: pony — ponies
	das Video — die Videos Translation: video — videos

Less common plural endings in German

Many of the endings in the table below are applied to loan words, rather than native German words.


Plural modifications	Example
remove -us or -um, add -een	der Jäger — die Jäger Translation: hunter — hunters
remove -us or -um, add -een	der Fischer — die Fischer Translation: fisherman — fishermen
remove -um, add -ien	das Aquarium — die Aquarien Translation: aquarium — aquariums
remove -um, add -ien	das Ministerium — die Ministerien Translation: governmental department — governmental departments
remove -um add -a	das Visum — die Visa Translation: visa — visas
remove -um add -a	das Antibiotikum — die Antibiotika Translation: antibiotic — antibiotics
remove -o add -i	das Solo — die Soli Translation: solo — solos
remove -o add -i	der Paparazzo — die Paparazzi Translation: paparazzi — paparazzi
remove -a add -en	die Firma, die Firmen Translation: company — companies
remove -a add -en	die Pizza, die Pizzen Translation: pizza — pizzas
remove -o add -en	das Konto — die Konten Translation: bank account — bank accounts
remove -o add -en	das Risiko — die Risiken Translation: risk — risks

Very uncommon plural rules in German

The following plural rules are used by a few words, but these patterns don’t extend to many verbs.


Plural modifications	Example
remove -us, add -en	der Globus, die Globen Translation: globe — globes
remove -us, add -oden	der Oktopus — die Oktopoden Translation: octopus — octopi
remove -us, add -ora	das Tempus — die Tempora Translation: tense — tenses
remove -us, add -i	der Modus — die Modi Translation: modus — modi
remove -um, add -en	das Album — die Alben Translation: album — albums
remove -s, add -nten	der Atlas — die Atlanten Translation: atlas — atlases
remove -us, add -a	das Lexikon — die Lexika Translation: lexicon — lexicons
remove -is, add -en	die Arztpraxis — die Arztpraxen Translation: doctor's office — doctor's offices
add -nen	der Embryo — die Embryonen Translation: embryo — embryos
add -ta	das Komma — die Kommata Translation: comma — commas
remove -ex, add -izes	der Index — die Indizes Translation: index — indexes

Examples from some unusual groups of German nouns

Some nouns have multiple plurals, no plural, or no singular. Let’s have a look!

German nouns with two different plural forms


Singular	Plurals
der Junge Translation: the boy	die Jungen / die Jungs Translation: the boys
der Kerl Translation: the guy	die Kerle / die Kerls Translation: the guys
die Mädel Translation: the girl	die Mädel / die Mädels Translation: the girls
der Kaktus Translation: cactus	die Kakteen / die Kaktusse Translation: cacti
der Oktopus Translation: octopus	die Oktopoden / die Oktopusse Translation: octopi
der Globus Translation: globe	die Globen / die Globusse Translation: globes

Examples of German nouns that only have a plural form


Plural-only noun
die Eltern Translation: parents
die Leute Translation: people
die Kosten Translation: expenses

Examples of German nouns that only have a singular form

This group includes nouns for uncountable things and concepts.


Singular-only noun
die Obst Translation: fruit (in general)
der Lärm Translation: noise
die Wehmut Translation: wistfulness