A1 Danish GrammarPlural Nouns
Form plurals correctly in Danish with common endings like -er, -e, and -r. Learn the main plural patterns, irregular plurals, and how to make definite plurals (the cars, the houses). Essential for talking about multiple things.
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1Plural Ending: -er
The most common plural ending in Danish is '-er'. This is used for most common gender (en-words) nouns that end in a consonant. Simply add '-er' to the singular form. This pattern covers a large percentage of Danish nouns.
Plurals with -er
| Singular | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| en bil | biler | cars |
| en hund | hunde | dogs |
| en bog | bøger | books |
| en dag | dage | days |
Examples
Jeg har to biler.
I have two cars.
bil → biler (add -er)
Der er mange hunde i parken.
There are many dogs in the park.
hund → hunde (add -e)
Hun læser tre bøger om ugen.
She reads three books a week.
bog → bøger (vowel change + -er)
Vi arbejder fem dage om ugen.
We work five days a week.
dag → dage (add -e)
2Plural Ending: -e
Many nouns, especially those ending in a consonant cluster, take the '-e' ending. Some monosyllabic nouns also use '-e'. This ending is common for both common and neuter nouns. The vowel sometimes changes in the plural (umlaut).
Plurals with -e
| Singular | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| en ven | venner | friends |
| en time | timer | hours |
| et træ | træer | trees |
| en nat | nætter | nights |
Examples
Jeg har mange venner.
I have many friends.
ven → venner (double consonant + -er)
Vi venter i to timer.
We wait for two hours.
time → timer (add -r)
Der er store træer i haven.
There are big trees in the garden.
træ → træer (add -er)
Jeg sov dårligt i tre nætter.
I slept badly for three nights.
nat → nætter (vowel change + -ter)
3No Change or Irregular Plurals
Some nouns don't change in the plural, especially neuter nouns ending in -er, -el, -en. Some nouns have irregular plurals that must be memorized. Common irregular plurals include børn (children), mænd (men), and kvinder (women).
Irregular and Unchanged Plurals
| Singular | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| et barn | børn | children |
| en mand | mænd | men |
| en fod | fødder | feet |
| et øje | øjne | eyes |
Examples
De har tre børn.
They have three children.
barn → børn (irregular)
To mænd venter udenfor.
Two men are waiting outside.
mand → mænd (vowel change)
Mine fødder gør ondt.
My feet hurt.
fod → fødder (vowel change + -der)
Hun har blå øjne.
She has blue eyes.
øje → øjne (irregular)
4Definite Plural (The + Plural)
To make a definite plural ('the cars', 'the houses'), add '-ne' to the indefinite plural. For words ending in -er, add -ne. For words ending in -e, add -ne. The pattern is: plural form + ne = definite plural.
Indefinite vs. Definite Plural
| Indef. Plural | Def. Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| biler | bilerne | the cars |
| huse | husene | the houses |
| børn | børnene | the children |
| bøger | bøgerne | the books |
Examples
Bilerne er parkeret udenfor.
The cars are parked outside.
biler + ne = bilerne
Husene i byen er gamle.
The houses in the city are old.
huse + ne = husene
Børnene leger i haven.
The children are playing in the garden.
børn + ene = børnene
Bøgerne er på bordet.
The books are on the table.
bøger + ne = bøgerne
Practice Exercises
3 exercises
What is the most common plural ending in Danish?
What is the plural of 'et barn' (a child)?
How do you say 'the cars' (definite plural) if 'cars' is 'biler'?
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