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Nouns & Plurals

Forming the plural

Most plurals add -en

The commonest plural ending is -en.

💬 Examples
boek → boeken
book → books
📝 Add -en
stoel → stoelen
chair → chairs
📝 Regular -en plural
Some plurals add -s

Nouns in unstressed -el, -em, -en, -er, -je and most loanwords take -s.

📊 Plural endings
Singular Plural Rule
boek boeken + en
tafel tafels + s
auto auto's + 's after a vowel
kind kinderen + eren (irregular)
💬 Examples
tafel → tafels
table → tables
📝 -s after -el
meisje → meisjes
girl → girls
📝 -s after diminutive -je
Spelling keeps the vowel length

Consonants double or long vowels drop a letter to preserve the sound.

💬 Examples
man → mannen
man → men
📝 Double the n to keep the short a
huis → huizen
house → houses
📝 s→z and long vowel kept