Ik heb twee boeken.
English: I have two books.
- Language
- Dutch
- Level
- A2
- Unit
- Zelfstandige naamwoorden en lidwoorden
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
In Dutch, 'meervoud' means the plural form of nouns. It is used when talking about more than one person, animal, thing, or idea.
When to use it
Use the plural in Dutch when you are talking about two or more things, people, or animals.
Key forms
- Most nouns add -en: boek → boeken
- Some nouns add -s: foto → foto's
- Spelling changes may happen: schip → schepen
Examples
De kinderen spelen buiten.
English: The children play outside.
We kopen appels.
English: We buy apples.
Er staan fietsen voor het huis.
English: There are bikes in front of the house.
Tips
- Pay attention to the ending: use -en or -s, not both.
- Some words change spelling in the plural (like dropping a vowel or changing a consonant).
- Do not use a plural article (de/het) before a plural noun; always use 'de'.
Exceptions and edge cases
- Some nouns have irregular plurals, like 'kind' → 'kinderen', 'blad' → 'bladeren'.
- A few words have two plural forms with different meanings.