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<div class="pg_page_title">Dutch Grammar - Plurals</div>
<div class="pg_page_title">Dutch Grammar - Plurals</div>


Learning Dutch grammar can be a daunting task, but understanding plurals is a great place to start. Plurals are an essential part of the Dutch language and are used to indicate when more than one of something is being referred to. In this lesson, we'll explore the basics of Dutch plurals and how to use them correctly.  
Hi [https://polyglotclub.com/language/dutch Dutch] learners! 😊<br>In this lesson, we will learn how to form plurals in Dutch. Knowing the plural forms is crucial to communicate effectively in the language.  


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== What are Plurals? ==


Plurals are words that refer to more than one of something. For example, if you wanted to talk about two cats, you would use the plural form of the word "cat" - "cats". Plurals are used in many languages, including Dutch.  
<span link>Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: [[Language/Dutch/Grammar/Future-Tense|Future Tense]], [[Language/Dutch/Grammar/Conditional-Mood-in-Dutch|Conditional Mood in Dutch]], [[Language/Dutch/Grammar/Cardinal-Numbers-in-Dutch|Cardinal Numbers in Dutch]] & [[Language/Dutch/Grammar/Conditional-Mood|Conditional Mood]].</span>
== What are plurals? ==


In Dutch, plurals are formed by adding a suffix to the end of the word. The suffixes used depend on the type of word being used. For example, nouns have different suffixes than adjectives.  
Plurals are a grammatical category that refers to more than one of a noun. In English, most plurals are formed by adding -s or -es to the end of the word. In Dutch, however, forming plurals is a bit more complex.


== Nouns ==
In Dutch, the plural form of a word can be formed in several ways:


Nouns are words that refer to people, places, things, or ideas. In Dutch, nouns are made plural by adding a suffix to the end of the word. The most common suffixes are "-en", "-s", and "-en".
=== Adding -en to the singular ===


For example, the singular form of the word "boom" (tree) is "boom", and the plural form is "bomen". Similarly, the singular form of the word "huis" (house) is "huis", and the plural form is "huizen".  
Many Dutch nouns form their plural by adding -en to the singular form. Here are some examples:


It's important to note that some nouns don't change when they are made plural. For example, the word "kind" (child) is the same in both the singular and plural forms.
{| class="wikitable"
! Dutch !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| huis (house) || /hœys/ || houses
|-
| kast (cupboard)  || /kɑst/ || cupboards
|-
| man (man)  || /mɑn/ || men
|}


== Adjectives ==
Note that some nouns that end in -el or -er will drop the -e before adding -en. For example:


Adjectives are words that describe nouns. In Dutch, adjectives are made plural by adding a suffix to the end of the word. The most common suffixes are "-e" and "-en".
{| class="wikitable"
! Dutch !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| tafel (table)  || /taːfəɫ/ || tables
|-
| vinger (finger)  || /ˈvɪŋər/ || fingers
|-
| leer (leather)  || /leːr/ || leathers
|}


For example, the singular form of the word "groot" (big) is "groot", and the plural form is "grote". Similarly, the singular form of the word "mooi" (beautiful) is "mooi", and the plural form is "mooie".
=== Adding -s to the singular ===


It's important to note that some adjectives don't change when they are made plural. For example, the word "goed" (good) is the same in both the singular and plural forms.  
This is the easiest way to form the plural in Dutch. Just add -s to the singular form. However, this is less common than adding -en. Here are some examples:


== Verbs ==
{| class="wikitable"
! Dutch !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| auto (car) || /'ɑuto/ || cars
|-
| hotel (hotel) || /ho'tɛl/ || hotels
|-
| film (movie) || /fɪlm/ || movies
|}


Verbs are words that describe actions. In Dutch, verbs are made plural by adding a suffix to the end of the word. The most common suffixes are "-en" and "-s".
=== Vowel change ===


For example, the singular form of the word "lopen" (to walk) is "lopen", and the plural form is "lopen". Similarly, the singular form of the word "zwemmen" (to swim) is "zwemmen", and the plural form is "zwemmen".
Some words form their plural by changing the vowel in the singular form. This is common for words that end in a single vowel, such as:


It's important to note that some verbs don't change when they are made plural. For example, the word "zijn" (to be) is the same in both the singular and plural forms.
{| class="wikitable"
! Dutch !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| man (man) || /mɑn/ || men
|-
| stad (city) || /stɑt/ || cities
|-
| kind (child) || /kɪnt/ || children
|}


== Conclusion ==
=== Irregular plurals ===


Understanding plurals is an important part of learning Dutch grammar. By understanding the rules for forming plurals, you can communicate more effectively in Dutch.  
Some Dutch words have an irregular plural, which means that they do not follow any of the above rules. Here are some examples:


If you're looking for more help with your Dutch language skills, why not join the Polyglot Club community [https://PolyglotClub.com Polyglot Club]? Our friendly and knowledgeable members are always happy to help.
{| class="wikitable"
! Dutch !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| kind (goat) || /kɪnt/ || goats
|-
| rund (cow) || /rʏnt/ || cows
|-
| oog (eye) || /oːx/ || eyes
|}


<br><hr>If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.<br>Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
It is important to learn the irregular plurals by heart.
 
== Different meanings for singular and plural ==
 
In Dutch, some words have different meanings in singular and plural form. Here are some examples:
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Dutch !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| kip (chicken) || /kɪp/ || singular: chicken, plural: banknote
|-
| plaats (place) || /plats/ || singular: place, plural: seats
|-
| (radio) omroep (broadcasting company) || /ˈɔmruːp/ || singular: broadcasting company, plural: broadcasts
|}
 
Make sure to pay attention to the context to not confuse the different meanings.
 
== Exercise ==
 
Create plurals for the following Dutch words:
 
* stoel (chair)
* fiets (bicycle)
* leraar (teacher)
* glas (glass)
* hand (hand)
 
Answers:
* stoelen
* fietsen
* leraren
* glazen
* handen
 
== Dialogue ==
 
Here's an example dialogue to illustrate plural forms in context:
 
* Person 1: Ik heb een nieuwe fiets gekocht. (I bought a new bike.)
* Person 2: Leuk, heb je ook nieuwe fietsenrekken gekocht? (Nice, did you also buy new bike racks?)
* Person 1: Ja, twee stuks. (Yes, two pieces.)
 
== Cultural tips ==
 
- Dutch people are known for their love of cheese. Some famous Dutch cheeses are Gouda, Edam, and Maasdam.
- Tulips are a symbol of the Netherlands. They were brought to the country from Turkey in the 16th century and have since become synonymous with Dutch culture.
- When greeting someone in the Netherlands, it is customary to give three kisses on the cheek. The kisses are not actual kisses, but rather the sound of the lips touching the other person's cheek.
 
To improve your [[Language/Dutch|Dutch]] [[Language/Dutch/Grammar|Grammar]], you can also use the [https://polyglotclub.com Polyglot Club] website. [https://polyglotclub.com/find-friends.php?search=send&d=0&f=36&offre1=34 Find native speakers] and ask them any [https://polyglotclub.com/language/dutch/question questions]!
 
<span class='maj'></span>
==Sources==
* [https://ielanguages.com/dutch-plural-nouns.html How to form plural nouns in Dutch - ielanguages.com]
* [https://www.dutchgrammar.com/en/?n=NounsAndArticles.11 Dutch Grammar • Plural ending: -s or -en?]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_grammar Dutch grammar - Wikipedia]
 
{{#seo:
|title=Dutch Grammar - Plurals
|keywords=Dutch plurals, Dutch grammar, Dutch language, Dutch culture, Gouda cheese, tulips, greetings in the Netherlands, Polyglot club, native speakers.
|description=Learn how to form plurals in Dutch with this complete lesson! Includes cultural tips and an exercise. Improve your Dutch with Polyglot Club and find native speakers to ask any questions!
}}
 
==Other Lessons==
* [[Language/Dutch/Grammar/How-to-use-“can”-in-Dutch|How to use “can” in Dutch]]
* [[Language/Dutch/Grammar/The-Instrumental-Case-in-Dutch|The Instrumental Case in Dutch]]
* [[Language/Dutch/Grammar/How-to-use-“must”-in-Dutch|How to use “must” in Dutch]]
* [[Language/Dutch/Grammar/Questions|Questions]]
* [[Language/Dutch/Grammar/Nouns|Nouns]]
* [[Language/Dutch/Grammar/How-to-use-“to-speak”-in-Dutch|How to use “to speak” in Dutch]]
* [[Language/Dutch/Grammar/Future-Tense|Future Tense]]
* [[Language/Dutch/Grammar/The-Nominative-Case-in-Dutch|The Nominative Case in Dutch]]
* [[Language/Dutch/Grammar/Plural|Plural]]
* [[Language/Dutch/Grammar/Present-Continuous-in-Dutch|Present Continuous in Dutch]]


{{Dutch-Page-Bottom}}
{{Dutch-Page-Bottom}}
<span links></span>

Latest revision as of 21:03, 27 March 2023

Dutch-flag-polyglotclub.png
Dutch Grammar - Plurals

Hi Dutch learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn how to form plurals in Dutch. Knowing the plural forms is crucial to communicate effectively in the language.


Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Future Tense, Conditional Mood in Dutch, Cardinal Numbers in Dutch & Conditional Mood.

What are plurals?[edit | edit source]

Plurals are a grammatical category that refers to more than one of a noun. In English, most plurals are formed by adding -s or -es to the end of the word. In Dutch, however, forming plurals is a bit more complex.

In Dutch, the plural form of a word can be formed in several ways:

Adding -en to the singular[edit | edit source]

Many Dutch nouns form their plural by adding -en to the singular form. Here are some examples:

Dutch Pronunciation English
huis (house) /hœys/ houses
kast (cupboard) /kɑst/ cupboards
man (man) /mɑn/ men

Note that some nouns that end in -el or -er will drop the -e before adding -en. For example:

Dutch Pronunciation English
tafel (table) /taːfəɫ/ tables
vinger (finger) /ˈvɪŋər/ fingers
leer (leather) /leːr/ leathers

Adding -s to the singular[edit | edit source]

This is the easiest way to form the plural in Dutch. Just add -s to the singular form. However, this is less common than adding -en. Here are some examples:

Dutch Pronunciation English
auto (car) /'ɑuto/ cars
hotel (hotel) /ho'tɛl/ hotels
film (movie) /fɪlm/ movies

Vowel change[edit | edit source]

Some words form their plural by changing the vowel in the singular form. This is common for words that end in a single vowel, such as:

Dutch Pronunciation English
man (man) /mɑn/ men
stad (city) /stɑt/ cities
kind (child) /kɪnt/ children

Irregular plurals[edit | edit source]

Some Dutch words have an irregular plural, which means that they do not follow any of the above rules. Here are some examples:

Dutch Pronunciation English
kind (goat) /kɪnt/ goats
rund (cow) /rʏnt/ cows
oog (eye) /oːx/ eyes

It is important to learn the irregular plurals by heart.

Different meanings for singular and plural[edit | edit source]

In Dutch, some words have different meanings in singular and plural form. Here are some examples:

Dutch Pronunciation English
kip (chicken) /kɪp/ singular: chicken, plural: banknote
plaats (place) /plats/ singular: place, plural: seats
(radio) omroep (broadcasting company) /ˈɔmruːp/ singular: broadcasting company, plural: broadcasts

Make sure to pay attention to the context to not confuse the different meanings.

Exercise[edit | edit source]

Create plurals for the following Dutch words:

  • stoel (chair)
  • fiets (bicycle)
  • leraar (teacher)
  • glas (glass)
  • hand (hand)

Answers:

  • stoelen
  • fietsen
  • leraren
  • glazen
  • handen

Dialogue[edit | edit source]

Here's an example dialogue to illustrate plural forms in context:

  • Person 1: Ik heb een nieuwe fiets gekocht. (I bought a new bike.)
  • Person 2: Leuk, heb je ook nieuwe fietsenrekken gekocht? (Nice, did you also buy new bike racks?)
  • Person 1: Ja, twee stuks. (Yes, two pieces.)

Cultural tips[edit | edit source]

- Dutch people are known for their love of cheese. Some famous Dutch cheeses are Gouda, Edam, and Maasdam. - Tulips are a symbol of the Netherlands. They were brought to the country from Turkey in the 16th century and have since become synonymous with Dutch culture. - When greeting someone in the Netherlands, it is customary to give three kisses on the cheek. The kisses are not actual kisses, but rather the sound of the lips touching the other person's cheek.

To improve your Dutch Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Sources[edit | edit source]

Other Lessons[edit | edit source]


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