Nouns Used Only in the Plural

Level 3

Some nouns have only plural forms, even when they mean one thing: durvis (a door or doors), bikses (trousers), kāzas (a wedding). Everything that agrees with them is plural: Durvis ir aizvērtas. (The door is closed.)

How It Works

1. Common plural-only nouns.

  • things in two parts: durvis (door), vārti (gate), bikses (trousers), brilles (glasses), šķēres (scissors)
  • meals and events: brokastis (breakfast), pusdienas (lunch), vakariņas (dinner), kāzas (wedding), svētki (holiday), Ziemassvētki (Christmas)
  • masses of something: milti (flour), dūmi (smoke)
  • people: ļaudis (people), which is masculine
  • some towns: Cēsis, Talsi (see town names)

2. Agreement. Adjectives, pronouns and participles are plural and keep the noun's gender: manas brilles (my glasses), jaunas bikses (new trousers), lieli vārti (a big gate).

3. Counting. For one item, use the plural of viens: vienas durvis (one door), vieni vārti (one gate). Larger numbers work as usual: divas durvis (two doors). See numbers that agree.

4. Everyday phrases. Meals often appear in the locative: brokastīs (for breakfast), pusdienās (at lunch). Greetings use the accusative: Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus! (Merry Christmas!).

Examples (6)

  1. Durvis ir vaļā.

    The door is open.

    Durvis can mean one door. It is always plural in form.

  2. Kur ir manas brilles?

    Where are my glasses?

    Brilles is plural, so the possessive is plural too: manas.

  3. Es nopirku jaunas bikses.

    I bought new trousers.

    Bikses takes a plural adjective: jaunas.

  4. Kāzas būs sestdien.

    The wedding will be on Saturday.

    One wedding, but kāzas is plural in form. The verb būs looks the same in the singular and the plural.

  5. Brokastīs es ēdu putru.

    For breakfast I eat porridge.

    Brokastis → brokastīs, the locative plural.

  6. Mājai ir tikai vienas durvis.

    The house has only one door.

    One door is vienas durvis, with the plural of viens.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a singular adjective with a plural-only noun.

    Durvis ir aizvērta.
    Durvis ir aizvērtas.

    Durvis is plural, so the word describing it is plural too, even for one door.

  • Counting one item with viena.

    Man ir tikai viena bikses.
    Man ir tikai vienas bikses.

    Plural-only nouns take the plural of viens: vienas bikses, vieni vārti.

  • Making the adjective singular with kāzas.

    Kāzas bija ļoti skaista.
    Kāzas bija ļoti skaistas.

    Kāzas means one wedding, but it is plural, so the adjective is plural.

How It Connects

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Nouns Used Only in the PluralLevel 3

Learn This First

Some nouns are used only in the plural.

Words in This Pattern

durvisbiksesbrillesbrokastisvienivienas