Plural of Nouns in -ин
Plurals of Nouns in -ин
For people ending in -ин, swap -ин for -и: българин → българи, селянин → селяни. Do not add -и to the whole word.
How It Works
1. The rule. Remove -ин and add -и:
- българин — българи (a Bulgarian — Bulgarians)
- англичанин — англичани (an Englishman — English people)
- гражданин — граждани (a citizen — citizens)
- селянин — селяни (a villager — villagers)
- християнин — християни (a Christian — Christians)
Турчин — турци (a Turk — Turks) also changes ч to ц.
2. Words that only look similar. If -ин belongs to the root, or the word does not name a person, use the usual plural (see the plural ending -и): магазин — магазини (shops), витамин — витамини (vitamins). This includes some words for people: бедуин — бедуини (Bedouins). Син (son) has the plural синове. Господин (Mr, gentleman) has the irregular plural господа (see irregular plurals).
3. Numbers and the article. These nouns name people, so they take the numerals for men: двама българи, трима англичани. The plural takes -те: българите (the Bulgarians); see plural articles.
4. Women. The feminine words use other suffixes: българка — българки, англичанка — англичанки, гражданка — гражданки (see feminine nouns for people).
Examples (6)
- Много българи живеят в Испания.
Many Bulgarians live in Spain.
Българин loses -ин: българи.
- Аз съм българин, а приятелите ми са англичани.
I am Bulgarian, and my friends are English.
The singular keeps -ин; the plural англичани drops it.
- В хотела има двама англичани.
There are two Englishmen in the hotel.
Men are counted with двама, followed by the plural.
- Всички граждани имат право да гласуват.
All citizens have the right to vote.
- Селяните работят на полето от сутрин до вечер.
The villagers work in the fields from morning to evening.
The plural селяни takes the article -те.
- В този квартал има много магазини.
There are many shops in this neighborhood.
In магазин, -ин is part of the root, so the plural simply adds -и.
Common Mistakes
Adding -и to the whole word.
Те са българини.Те са българи.The suffix -ин drops in the plural: българин becomes българи.
Using the count form for people.
Дойдоха три англичанина.Дойдоха трима англичани.Standard Bulgarian gives nouns for male people no count form. Use трима and the ordinary plural англичани.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Plurals in -ин follow the plural in -и.
Related Patterns
- Irregular Plurals
Господин — господа is an irregular exception to the -ин pattern.
Level 2 - двама/тримаNumbers for Groups of Men
These plurals are counted with двама, трима and so on.
Level 2 - Feminine Nouns for People
Explains the feminine partners such as българка and англичанка.
Level 3 - Masculine Nouns Ending in a Consonant
Nouns in -ин are masculine nouns ending in a consonant.
Level 1 - -те/-таThe Plural Articles -те and -та
The -и plurals take the article -те: българите.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice Plural of Nouns in -ин in Bubblegum
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