While some nouns follow simple patterns in the formation of
their plural forms, most nouns do not. It is best therefore, to
memorize these forms along with the gender of the noun. There are
nine ways of forming the plural in German .
Examples:
der Teller, die Teller (plate, plates): no
change
der Vater, die Väter (father,
fathers): Umlaut added to stem vowel
das Geschäft, die Geschäfte (store,
stores): ending -e added
der Zug, die Züge (train, trains):
Umlaut and ending -e added
das Bild, die Bilder (picture, pictures):
ending -er added
das Buch, die Bücher (book, books):
Umlaut and ending -er added
die Frau, die Frauen (woman, women):
ending-en added
die Straße, die Straßen (street,
streets): ending -n added
das Auto, die Autos (car, cars): ending -s
added
Some discernible plural forms
All words ending in -ung, -heit, -keit, and
-schaft (all of which are feminine), add an -en to
their plural forms. Examples:
die Zeitung, Zeitungen (newspapers)
die Gelegenheit, Gelegenheiten
(opportunities)
die Kleinigkeit, Kleinigkeiten (small
matters)
die Gemeinschaft, Gemeinschaften
(communities)
Nouns ending in -in and referring to female persons add
-nen for their plural. Examples:
Freundin, Freundinnen
Studentin, Studentinnen
Schülerin, Schülerinnen
Loan words ending in -o add an -s:
Radio, Radios
Auto, Autos
Some words that only exist in the plural
die Leute (people), Möbel
(furniture), Eltern (parents),
Geschwister (siblings)