Dutch Nouns: Singular / Plural — English Meaning(s)
(de) enkel / enkels — ankle / ankles
(de) vogel / vogels — bird / birds
(de) merel / merels — blackbird / blackbirds
(de) lepel / lepels — spoon / spoons
(de) tafel / tafels — table (to sit at) / tables
(de) stapel / stapels — stack / stacks
(de) heuvel / heuvels — hill / hills
(de) tegel / tegels — tile / tiles
(de) regel / regels — rule (instruction, prescription); line (sentence) / rules; lines
(de) winkel / winkels — shop, store / shops, stores
(de) wortel / wortels — root; carrot / roots; carrots
(de) appel / appels — apple / apples
(de) sinaasappel / sinaasappels — orange (fruit) / oranges
(de) tunnel / tunnels — tunnel / tunnels
(de) druppel / druppels — drop (liquid) / drops
(de) bijbel / bijbels — bible / bibles
(de) bezem / bezems — broom / brooms
(de) bliksem / bliksems — lightning; lightning bolt / lightning bolts
(de) molen / molens — windmill / windmills
(het) kussen / kussens — pillow, cushion / pillows, cushions
(het) gegeven / gegevens — (known) fact, data / facts, data
(de) jongen / jongens — boy / boys
(de) toren / torens — tower; castle (chess) / towers; castles
(de) anjer / anjers — carnation (flower) / carnations
(de) Nederlander / Nederlanders — Dutchman / Dutchmen
(de) buitenlander / buitenlanders — foreigner, alien, expat / foreigners
(de) polder / polders — polder, reclaimed land / polders
(de) kraker / krakers — squatter / squatters
(de) suiker / suikers — sugar / sugars
(de) vinger / vingers — finger / fingers
(de) schouder / schouders — shoulder / shoulders
(de) emmer / emmers — bucket / buckets
(de) meter / meters — meter / meters
(de) veter / veters — shoelace, shoestring / shoelaces
(het) cijfer / cijfers — digit, number, mark / numbers
(de) koffer / koffers — suitcase / suitcases
(de) klinker / klinkers — vowel / vowels
(de) medeklinker / medeklinkers — consonant / consonants
Words with ‘s’ or apostrophe-s plurals
(de) paprika / paprika’s — bell pepper / bell peppers
(de) camera / camera’s — camera / cameras
(de) kolibri / kolibri’s — hummingbird / hummingbirds
(de) auto / auto’s — car / cars
(de) foto / foto’s — picture, photograph / pictures
(de) kilo / kilo’s — kilo, kilogram / kilos
(het) risico / risico’s — risk / risks
(de) paraplu / paraplu’s — umbrella / umbrellas
Other -s Plurals
(de) ooievaar / ooievaars — stork / storks
(de) geranium / geraniums — geranium / geraniums
(de) lelie / lelies — lily / lilies
Modern Loanwords
(de) fan / fans — fan (admirer, enthusiast) / fans
(de) computer / computers — computer / computers
Diminutives and -je Words
(het) meisje / meisjes — girl / girls
(het) glaasje / glaasjes — small glass / small glasses
(het) koekje / koekjes — cookie / cookies
(het) snoepje / snoepjes — piece of candy / pieces of candy
(het) blaadje / blaadjes — (small) leaf; small piece of notepaper / (small) leaves; pieces
(het) krukje / krukjes — stool / stools
(het) straatnaambordje / straatnaambordjes — street name sign / street name signs
(het) suikerklontje / suikerklontjes — sugar cube / sugar cubes
(het) viooltje / viooltjes — violet (flower) / violets
-en Plurals and Regular Nouns
(de) rib / ribben — rib / ribs
(de) lip / lippen — lip / lips
(het) paard / paarden — horse / horses
(de) kaart / kaarten — card; map / cards; maps
(de) wenkbrauw / wenkbrauwen — eyebrow / eyebrows
(de) kabeljauw / kabeljauwen — cod (fish) / cods
(de) kei / keien — rock, boulder / rocks, boulders
(het) feit / feiten — fact / facts
(de) kleur / kleuren — color / colors
(de) breuk / breuken — crack; fraction / cracks; fractions
(de) meeuw / meeuwen — seagull / seagulls
(de) vlieg / vliegen — house fly / flies
(het) wiel / wielen — wheel / wheels
(de) Ier / Ieren — Irishman / Irishmen
(de) Arabier / Arabieren — Arab / Arabs
(de) nier / nieren — kidney / kidneys
(de) mier / mieren — ant / ants
(de) rivier / rivieren — river / rivers
(de) margriet / margrieten — daisy / daisies
(de) bandiet / bandieten — bandit / bandits
(de) dijk / dijken — dike / dikes
(de) bij / bijen — bee / bees
(de) dij / dijen — thigh / thighs
(de) partij / partijen — (political) party / parties
(de) vijg / vijgen — fig / figs
(de) bloem / bloemen — flower / flowers
(de) hoek / hoeken — angle; corner / angles; corners
(het) boek / boeken — book / books
(de) broek / broeken — (pair of) pants / (pairs of) pants
(de) hoed / hoeden — hat / hats
(de) voet / voeten — foot / feet
(de) stoel / stoelen — chair / chairs
(de) schoen / schoenen — shoe / shoes
(de) vrouw / vrouwen — woman; wife / women; wives
(het) gebouw / gebouwen — building / buildings
(de) ui / uien — onion / onions
(de) bui / buien — shower / showers
(de/het) duin / duinen — dune / dunes
(de) struik / struiken — bush / bushes
(de) vuist / vuisten — fist / fists
(het) enzym / enzymen — enzyme / enzymes
(de) mand / manden — basket / baskets
(de) maand / maanden — month / months
(de) arm / armen — arm / arms
(de) balk / balken — beam / beams
(de) hand / handen — hand / hands
(het) land / landen — land, country / lands, countries
(de) krant / kranten — newspaper / newspapers
(de) plank / planken — board / boards
(de) wang / wangen — cheek / cheeks
(de) barst / barsten — crack / cracks
(de) paard / paarden — horse / horses
(de) kaart / kaarten — card; map / cards; maps
(de) schaats / schaatsen — (ice) skate / skates
(de) mens / mensen — human / humans
(het) recht / rechten — right / rights
(het) hert / herten — deer / deer
(de) erwt / erwten — pea / peas
(de) speld / spelden — pin / pins
(het) recept / recepten — recipe; prescription / recipes; prescriptions
(de) terp / terpen — mound / mounds
(de) Belg / Belgen — Belgian / Belgians
(de) berg / bergen — mountain / mountains
(de) plicht / plichten — duty / duties
(het) ding / dingen — thing / things
(de) kring / kringen — circle, ring / circles, rings
(de) verdieping / verdiepingen — floor, storey / floors, stories
(de) ontwikkeling / ontwikkelingen — development / developments
(de) vreemdeling / vreemdelingen — stranger, foreigner / strangers, foreigners
(de) uitvinding / uitvindingen — invention / inventions
(de) uitzondering / uitzonderingen — exception / exceptions
(de) wandeling / wandelingen — stroll, walk, hike / strolls, hikes
(de) vonk / vonken — spark / sparks
(de) vork / vorken — fork / forks
(de) worm / wormen — worm / worms
(de) klomp / klompen — wooden clog / clogs
(de) long / longen — lung / lungs
(de) worst / worsten — sausage / sausages
(het) hoofd / hoofden — head; department head / heads
(het) woord / woorden — word / words
(het) antwoord / antwoorden — answer / answers
(de) tulp / tulpen — tulip / tulips
(de) vrucht / vruchten — fruit / fruits
(de) fiets / fietsen — bicycle / bicycles
(de) dienst / diensten — service / services
(de) maan / manen — moon / moons
(de) man / mannen — man, male; husband / men, husbands
(de) Deen / Denen — Dane / Danes
(de) den / dennen — fir tree / fir trees
(de) boom / bomen — tree / trees
(de) bom / bommen — bomb / bombs
(de) vloot / vloten — fleet / fleets
(het) vlot / vlotten — raft / rafts
(de) naam / namen — name / names
(het) raam / ramen — window / windows
(de) Amerikaan / Amerikanen — American / Americans
(de) daad / daden — act (deed) / actions
(de) tomaat / tomaten — tomato / tomatoes
(het) apparaat / apparaten — device, (small) machine / devices
(de) taak / taken — task / tasks
(de) blaar / blaren — blister / blisters
(de) leraar / leraren — teacher (male) / teachers
(het) gevaar / gevaren — danger / dangers
(de) schaar / scharen — (pair of) scissors / (pairs of) scissors
(de) aap / apen — monkey / monkeys
(het) schaap / schapen — sheep / sheep
(de) kraan / kranen — faucet; crane / faucets; cranes
(de) staat / staten — state / states
(de) zwaan / zwanen — swan / swans
(het) kanaal / kanalen — channel / channels
(het) verhaal / verhalen — story, narrative / stories
(de) vraag / vragen — question / questions
(het) ideaal / idealen — ideal / ideals
(het) jaar / jaren — year / years
(het) probleem / problemen — problem / problems
(het) been / benen — leg / legs
(de) teen / tenen — toe / toes
(de) baksteen / bakstenen — brick / bricks
(de) dobbelsteen / dobbelstenen — die / dice
(de) keet / keten — shed (building site) / sheds
(de) preek / preken — sermon / sermons
(het) juweel / juwelen — jewel / jewels, jewelry
(de) crimineel / criminelen — criminal / criminals
(het) oog / ogen — eye / eyes
(de) elleboog / ellebogen — elbow / elbows
(de) gladiool / gladiolen — gladiolus (flower) / gladioli
(het) oor / oren — ear / ears
(de) droom / dromen — dream / dreams
(het) brood / broden — loaf of bread / loaves of bread
(het) spoor / sporen — trace / traces
(de) noot / noten — nut; note (music) / nuts; notes
(de) poot / poten — leg (of animal, table, chair) / legs
(het) uur / uren — hour / hours
(de) schuur / schuren — shed / sheds
(de) minuut / minuten — minute / minutes
(de) vlag / vlaggen — flag / flags
(de) plak / plakken — slice (cake, cheese) / slices
(de) slak / slakken — snail, slug / snails
(het) getal / getallen — number / numbers
(de) kam / kammen — comb / combs
(de) zwam / zwammen — mushroom, toadstool / mushrooms
(de) pan / pannen — pan, cooking pot / pans
(de) kar / karren — cart / carts
(de) klas / klassen — class, grade / classes, grades
(de) rat / ratten — rat / rats
(de) pen / pennen — pen / pens
(de) pet / petten — cap / caps
(de) bes / bessen — berry / berries
(het) mes / messen — knife / knives
(de) les / lessen — lesson / lessons
(de) fles / flessen — bottle / bottles
(de) wet / wetten — law / laws
(de) schil / schillen — peel, skin, layer / peels, skins, layers
(de) bil / billen — buttock / buttocks
(de) bril / brillen — (pair of) glasses / (pairs of) glasses
(de) vis / vissen — fish / fish, fishes
(de) narcis / narcissen — daffodil / daffodils
(het) eiwit / eiwitten — protein, egg-white / proteins, egg-whites
(de) os / ossen — ox / oxen
(het) bos / bossen — forest / forests
(de) vos / vossen — fox / foxes
(het) bot / botten — bone / bones
(de) grot / grotten — cave / caves
(de) knop / knoppen — bud; button, switch / buds; buttons
(de) spion / spionnen — spy / spies
(het) stuk / stukken — piece, part; document, paper / pieces, documents
(de) bus / bussen — bus; metal jar, container / buses, jars
(de) kus / kussen — kiss / kisses
(de) brug / bruggen — bridge / bridges
(de) krul / krullen — curl / curls
-EN Plurals for Words Ending in -EE or -IE
(Dutch uses a dieresis on the plural ending: -eën or -iën)
(de) orchidee / orchideeën — orchid / orchids
(het) idee / ideeën — idea / ideas
(de) calorie / calorieën — calorie / calories
(de) kopie / kopieën — copy, xerox (not an original) / copies
(de) knie / knieën — knee / knees
(de) olie / oliën — oil / oils
Words With Two Plurals (-EN and -S)
(Some words accept both -en and -s plurals.)
(de) aardappel / aardappelen, aardappels — potato / potatoes
(de) doorn / doornen, dorens — thorn / thorns
(de) la (or) lade / laden, lades — drawer / drawers
(de) vitamine / vitaminen, vitamines — vitamin / vitamins
(het) teken / tekenen, tekens — sign, signal / signs, signals
(de) keten / ketenen, ketens — chain, shackle / chains, shackles
(het) middel / middelen, middels — means; waists
Special:
(de) hersenen / hersens — the brain / brains
(singular ‘hersen’ is only in compounds)
F/V and S/Z Shift in Plural
(Nouns ending in F/S often shift to V/Z in plural, like English “wolf/wolves”.)
(de) slab / slabben — bib / bibs
(de) rib / ribben — rib / ribs
(het) bed / bedden — bed / beds
(het) hoofd / hoofden — head / heads
(de) raaf / raven — raven / ravens
(de) zalf / zalven — cream, ointment / creams, ointments
(de) zeef / zeven — strainer, sieve / strainers, sieves
(de) dief / dieven — thief / thieves
(de) brief / brieven — letter (mail) / letters
(de) golf / golven — wave / waves
(het) lijf / lijven — (human) body / bodies
(de) hoef / hoeven — hoof (horse) / hooves
(de) schroef / schroeven — screw / screws
(de) boef / boeven — criminal (jocular) / criminals
(de) duif / duiven — dove, pigeon / doves, pigeons
(de) kaas / kazen — cheese / cheeses
(de) baas / bazen — boss, master / bosses, masters
(de) haas / hazen — hare / hares
(de) vaas / vazen — vase / vases
(de/het) aas / azen — ace (cards) / aces
(de) laars / laarzen — boot / boots
(de) kaars / kaarsen — candle / candles
(het) glas / glazen — glass / glasses
(de) gans / ganzen — goose / geese
(de) hals / halzen — neck, throat / necks, throats
(de) wals / walsen — waltz; steamroller / waltzes; steamrollers
(het) vers / verzen — poem, verse / poems, verses
(de) grens / grenzen — border / borders
(de) lens / lenzen — lens / lenses
(de) wees / wezen — orphan / orphans
(de) Chinees / Chinezen — Chinese person / Chinese people
(de) kies / kiezen — molar, tooth / molars, teeth
(de) Fries / Friezen — Frisian / Frisians
(de) spons / sponzen — sponge / sponges
(de) doos / dozen — box / boxes
(de) roos / rozen — rose / roses
(de) reis / reizen — trip, journey, tour / trips, journeys, tours
(de) neus / neuzen — nose / noses
(de) reus / reuzen — giant / giants
(de) biels / bielzen — railroad tie / railroad ties
(de) poes / poezen — cat / cats
(het) huis / huizen — house / houses
(de) muis / muizen — mouse / mice
(de) luis / luizen — louse / lice
(de) buis / buizen — pipe, tube / pipes, tubes
(het) kruis / kruisen — cross / crosses
-EREN Plurals (Irregular)
(Dutch words with -eren plural, similar to English children, oxen.)
(het) kind / kinderen — child / children
(het) ei / eieren — egg / eggs
(het) blad / bladeren — leaf / leaves
(het) rad / raderen — cogwheel / cogwheels
(het) kalf / kalveren — calf / calves
(het) lam / lammeren — lamb / lambs
(het) volk / volkeren — a people, a nation / peoples, nations
(het) lied / liederen — song / songs
(de/het) hoen / hoenderen — fowl / fowl (obsolete)
(het) rund / runderen — cow, bovine / cattle
(het) been / beenderen — bone / bones (old-fashioned; common word: het bot / botten)
Vowel Changes in Plural
(Dutch has a few words with stem vowel change in plural.)
(de) stad / steden — city, town / cities, towns
(de) smid / smeden — smith / smiths
(het) schip / schepen — ship / ships
(het) lid / leden — member / members
Vowel Lengthening in Plural
(het) bad / baden — bath / baths
(het) pad / paden — path / paths
(de) pad / padden — toad / toads
(het) dal / dalen — valley / valleys
(het) dak / daken — roof / roofs
(de) dag / dagen — day / days
(het) slag / slagen — battle; blow / battles; blows
(het) verdrag / verdragen — treaty / treaties
(het) bedrag / bedragen — sum, amount / sums, amounts
(het) graf / graven — grave / graves
(de) graaf / graven — count (nobleman) / counts
(het) gat / gaten — hole / holes
(het) vat / vaten — barrel / barrels
(het) glas / glazen — glass / glasses
(het) gebed / gebeden — prayer / prayers
(het) gebrek / gebreken — handicap, disability / handicaps, disabilities
(het) spel / spelen — game, play / games, plays
(het) bevel / bevelen — order, command / orders, commands
(het) gen / genen — gene / genes
(het) schot / schoten — shot / shots
(de) god / goden — god / gods
(het) gebod / geboden — commandment / commandments
(het) lot / loten — lottery ticket / tickets
(het) slot / sloten — lock, castle / locks, castles
(de) sloot / sloten — ditch / ditches
(het) hof / hoven — court, courtyard / courts, courtyards
(het) hol / holen — lair / lairs
(het) ion / ionen — ion / ions
(de) hertog / hertogen — duke / dukes
-man to -lui/-lieden Plurals
(Sometimes, -man becomes -lui or -lieden in plural, esp. for professions.)
(de) zeeman / zeelui, zeelieden — sailor / sailors
(de) stuurman / stuurlui, stuurlieden — ship officer / ship officers
(de) timmerman / timmerlui — carpenter / carpenters
(de) tuinman / tuinlieden — gardener / gardeners
(de) edelman / edelen — nobleman / noblemen
(de) Engelsman / Engelsen — Englishman / Englishmen
(de) Fransman / Fransen — Frenchman / Frenchmen
(de) vuilnisman / vuilnismannen — garbageman / garbagemen (regular -en for this one)
vakman / vakmensen — professional / professionals
-heid / -heden Plurals
(de) waarheid / waarheden — truth / truths
(de) hoeveelheid / hoeveelheden — amount / amounts, quantities
(de) moeilijkheid / moeilijkheden — difficulty / difficulties
omstandigheden — circumstances
de mensheid — mankind, humanity
(de) schoonheid — beauty
(de) meerderheid — majority
(de) minderheid / minderheden — minority / minorities
(de) snelheid / snelheden — speed / speeds
(de) mogelijkheid / mogelijkheden — possibility / possibilities
(de) onvolkomenheid / onvolkomenheden — imperfection, incompleteness / imperfections
Latin Plurals
(het) museum / musea — museum / museums
(de) politicus / politici — politician / politicians
(de) criticus / critici — critic, reviewer / critics
(de) musicus / musici — musician (serious) / musicians
(de) technicus / technici — engineer, technician / engineers, technicians
(de) academicus / academici — person with a university degree / people with a university degree
(de) kubus / kubussen — cube / cubes
(de) cursus / cursussen — course, series of lessons / courses
Other Irregular Plurals & Exceptions
(de) tabel / tabellen — table, schematic list / tables
(het) toestel / toestellen — device, machine / devices, machines
(de) rebel / rebellen — rebel / rebels
(het) loket / loketten — counter window / counter windows
(de) raket / raketten — rocket / rockets
(de) kroket / kroketten — croquette (fried snack) / croquettes
(de) lerares / leraressen — female teacher / female teachers
(de) zangeres / zangeressen — lady singer / lady singers
(het) hotel / hotels — hotel / hotels
(het) gevoel / gevoelens — feeling / feelings
(het) excuus / excuses — apology, excuse / apologies, excuses
Special Cases and Other Patterns
(de) kraai / kraaien — crow / crows
(de) haai / haaien — shark / sharks
(de) koe / koeien — cow / cows
(de) vlo / vlooien — flea / fleas
(de) dinosaurus / sauriërs — dinosaur / dinosaurs, saurians