Plural (-d)

Level 1

The basic plural adds -d to the genitive singular: raamat, raamatu, raamatud (books).

How It Works

The nominative plural is the "many" form of the basic case. It answers kes? (who?) and mis? (what?) when there is more than one.

1. How to build it
Take the genitive singular and add -d:

  • raamat → raamatu → raamatud (books)
  • laps → lapse → lapsed (children)
  • sõber → sõbra → sõbrad (friends)
  • võti → võtme → võtmed (keys)
  • tuba → toa → toad (rooms)

The last example shows why the genitive matters. Many words change their stem before an ending; this is consonant gradation. The plural simply follows the genitive, so tuba becomes toad, never *tubad.

2. Where it is used

  • Plural subject: Lapsed mängivad õues. The verb takes the plural ending -vad.
  • After "these": need raamatud (these books). See see and need.
  • Describing words agree: suured toad (big rooms). See adjective agreement.
  • A whole plural object: Ma ostsin raamatud. (I bought the books.) See the whole plural object.

3. Watch out
After a number, Estonian does not use this plural: kaks raamatut, not *kaks raamatud (see number + partitive singular). Also, a word like maad can be a plural ("lands") or a partitive singular ("some land"); the sentence tells you which. Most other plural cases use a different marker, -de- or -te-, as in majades; see plural case forms. The plural partitive has its own forms, such as raamatuid and lapsi.

Examples (5)

  1. Lapsed mängivad õues.

    The children are playing outside.

    Word by Word: Children play outside.

    laps → lapse → lapsed, and the verb takes -vad.

  2. Raamatud on laual.

    The books are on the table.

    Word by Word: Books are on-table.

    raamat → raamatu → raamatud.

  3. Minu sõbrad elavad Tartus.

    My friends live in Tartu.

    Word by Word: My friends live in-Tartu.

    sõber → sõbra → sõbrad.

  4. Kus on mu võtmed?

    Where are my keys?

    Word by Word: Where are my keys?

    võti → võtme → võtmed: the plural is built on the genitive võtme.

  5. Need toad on suured.

    These rooms are big.

    Word by Word: These rooms are big.

    tuba → toa → toad, and suur → suure → suured agrees with it.

Common Mistakes

  • Building the plural from the dictionary form instead of the genitive.

    Need tubad on suured.
    Need toad on suured.

    The plural is the genitive singular plus -d. The genitive of tuba is toa, so the plural is toad.

  • Using the plural after a number.

    Mul on kaks raamatud.
    Mul on kaks raamatut.

    After numbers from two up, use the partitive singular: kaks raamatut.

  • Leaving the verb in the singular with a plural subject.

    Lapsed mängib õues.
    Lapsed mängivad õues.

    A plural subject needs the plural verb ending -vad.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Plural (-d)Level 1

Learn This First

The plural adds -d to the genitive singular.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

-dneed