-s (meervoud)

Plural with -s

Level 1

The -s plural is one of two main ways to make Dutch nouns plural. It is used for words that end in a 'weak' or unstressed sound, such as vader (father) → vaders.

How It Works

The -s plural follows specific phonological rules based on how a word ends:

  • Unstressed Endings: Nouns ending in -el, -em, -en, -er, -aar, -aard, or -erd usually take an -s.
    Example: tafel → tafels, wandelaar → wandelaars.
  • Unstressed -ie: Words ending in an unstressed -ie take an -s.
    Example: familie → families, vakantie → vakanties. (Note: Stressed -ie takes -ën).
  • Diminutives: Every single diminutive in Dutch uses the -s plural.
    Example: meisje → meisjes.
  • Loanwords: Many words borrowed from English or French take an -s, even if they end in a stressed vowel like -é or -ee.
    Example: computer → computers, café → cafés, logee → logees.
  • The Apostrophe Rule: Nouns ending in a single long vowel letter (a, i, o, u, or y) use an apostrophe: 's. The apostrophe acts as a "spelling protector" to ensure the vowel stays long (e.g., auto's vs autos).
    Example: baby → baby's.
  • Abbreviations: Acronyms and abbreviations always use the apostrophe: 's.
    Example: cd → cd's, tv → tv's.
  • Multi-letter Vowels: If the long vowel is written with multiple letters (like -eau or -ay), just add a plain -s.
    Example: bureau → bureaus, display → displays.
  • The -e Rule: Words ending in a schwa (unstressed -e) take a plain -s: tante → tantes.

Regardless of whether the singular word was de or het, all plural nouns always use the definite article de.

Examples (6)

  1. De vaders werken in de tuin.

    The fathers are working in the garden.

    Word by Word: The fathers work in the garden.

    'Vader' ends in the unstressed '-er', so it takes a simple -s.

  2. Er staan drie tafels in de keuken.

    There are three tables in the kitchen.

    Word by Word: There stand three tables in the kitchen.

    'Tafel' ends in '-el', which is unstressed, requiring the -s plural.

  3. De meisjes spelen met de hond.

    The girls are playing with the dog.

    Word by Word: The girls play with the dog.

    All diminutives ending in '-je' always take the -s plural.

  4. Ik zie twee auto's op de weg.

    I see two cars on the road.

    Word by Word: I see two cars on the road.

    Words ending in a long 'o' need an apostrophe before the -s to keep the vowel sound long.

  5. Mijn tantes wonen in Amsterdam.

    My aunts live in Amsterdam.

    Word by Word: My aunts live in Amsterdam.

    Words ending in a silent or weak '-e' take a plain -s without an apostrophe.

  6. We hebben twee tv's in huis.

    We have two TVs in the house.

    Word by Word: We have two TVs in house.

    Abbreviations like 'tv' or 'cd' use an apostrophe before the -s.

Common Mistakes

  • Using -en for diminutives.

    De meisje-en eten een appel.
    De meisjes eten een appel.

    Learners often try to apply the general -en rule to everything, but diminutives (-je) strictly take -s.

  • Forgetting the apostrophe for single long vowels.

    Ik heb twee autos.
    Ik heb twee auto's.

    Without the apostrophe, 'autos' would be pronounced with a short 'o' sound. The apostrophe is needed to keep the 'o' long.

  • Adding an unnecessary apostrophe to multi-letter vowels.

    Ik zie twee bureau's.
    Ik zie twee bureaus.

    If a long vowel is already written with multiple letters (like -au or -ee), you do not need an apostrophe before the -s.

How It Connects

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-s (meervoud)Level 1Plural with -s

Learn This First

To learn the -s plural, you first need to understand the general concept of pluralization in Dutch and be familiar with basic spelling patterns to recognize the specific word endings like -el, -er, and -en that trigger this rule.

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Words in This Pattern

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