Day 2: Plural forms in use and common adjectives
Overview
Self-Study Topic | Duration: 25–30 minutes
Level: Absolute Beginner
OBJECTIVE
By the end of this topic, you will be able to:
✔ Form the plural of common German nouns.
✔ Use common adjectives to describe objects.
✔ Describe a room using plural nouns and adjectives.
CONTENT
1. Self-check
Regular self-testing helps retain new knowledge and skills. Before proceeding with the new topic, check what you have learned so far.
Vocabulary check
Translate the English words into German. Remember to use the proper definite article and capitalize the nouns
2. Plural forms
Step 1: Grammatical Explanation
- In German, the plural form is NOT just about adding an “s” like in English.
- Nouns change their endings, and sometimes their vowels (Umlaut ¨), to become plural.
- An important rule to remember first is: The definite article for all plural nouns is “die”.
There are several ways to form the plural. Here are some common patterns using our room vocabulary.
| Singular | Gender | Plural | Rule Applied & Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| der Stuhl | masculine | die Stühle | Umlaut + -e Many masculine nouns add an umlaut and -e. |
| der Tisch | masculine | die Tische | Add -e Many masculine (and some neuter) nouns simply add -e. |
| der Schrank | masculine | die Schränke | Umlaut + -e Another common masculine pattern. |
| der Sessel | masculine | die Sessel | No Change Some masculine nouns ending in -el, -en, -er stay the same. |
| der Teppich | masculine | die Teppiche | Add -e Nouns ending in -ich or -ig typically just add -e. |
| der Computer | masculine | die Computer | No Change Many loanwords from other languages do not change. |
| der Bildschirm | masculine | die Bildschirme | Add -e Follows the common masculine pattern. |
| die Lampe | feminine | die Lampen | Add -n Most feminine nouns ending in -e simply add -n. |
| die Pflanze | feminine | die Pflanzen | Add -n Another example of the common feminine -nplural. |
| die Tür | feminine | die Türen | Umlaut + -en Many one-syllable feminine nouns add an umlaut and -en. |
| die Wand | feminine | die Wände | Umlaut + -e Some feminine nouns use this pattern. |
| die Uhr | feminine | die Uhren | Add -en Feminine nouns not ending in -e often need -en. |
| das Bett | neuter | die Betten | Add -en Some neuter nouns, especially those with one syllable, add -en. |
| das Buch | neuter | die Bücher | Umlaut + -er A very common pattern for many one-syllable neuter nouns. |
| das Bild | neuter | die Bilder | Add -er Some neuter nouns add -er without an umlaut. |
| das Fenster | neuter | die Fenster | No Change Many neuter nouns ending in -el, -en, -er, -chen stay the same. |
| das Regal | neuter | die Regale | Add -e Follows the common neuter pattern of adding -e. |
| das Kissen | neuter | die Kissen | No Change Neuter noun ending in -en remains unchanged. |
| das Papier | neuter | die Papiere | Add -e While often uncountable (“paper”), it can be “papers/documents”. |
| das Radio | neuter | die Radios | Add -s Loanwords, especially those ending in a vowel, often take an -s. |
| das Handy | neuter | die Handys | Add -s Another example of a modern loanword taking the -s plural. |
Summary of Key Rules:
- Masculine Nouns: Often add -e (with or without an umlaut). Umlaut is a vowel change marked with this sign “¨” (example: Stuhl –> Stühle). Some nouns stay the same.
- Feminine Nouns: Most add -n or -en. Some add -e with an umlaut.
- Neuter Nouns: Common patterns are no change, adding -e, or adding -er (with or without an umlaut).
- Loanwords: Often take an -s or no change.
The best strategy is to learn the plural form when you learn the noun!
Step 2: Practice
Exercise 1: Listen to the audio file containing singular and plural nouns, pause, and repeat. Learn all the words by heart.
Exercise 2: Apply the rules
Based on the rules, write the plural form for the nouns below. The first one is done for you.
3. Common Adjectives
Step 1: Learn Descriptive Words
- Below are common adjectives to describe the items, for example in your room.
- Remember, when you use them after “sein” (ist/sind), they do not change!
| German | English |
|---|---|
| groß | big, large |
| klein | small |
| alt | old |
| neu | new |
| schön | beautiful, nice |
| hässlich | ugly |
| bequem | comfortable |
| interessant | interesting |
| langweilig | boring |
| teuer | expensive |
| billig | cheap |
Example Sentences:
- Der Stuhl ist alt. (The chair is old.)
- Die Bücher sind interessant. (The books are interesting.)
- Das Bett ist bequem. (The bed is comfortable.)
Step 2: Listen and reapeat
Listen to the audio file, stop the recording if necessary, and repeat.
Learn all the adjectives by heart as you will use them frequently to describe properties.
Step 3: Practice
Exercise 1
Practice the common adjectives on Quizlet. You may need to create an account there for full access.
Exercise 2
Solve the crossword.
Copy this letter if you do not have it on your keyboard: ß
Exercise 3
Copy this letter if you do not have it on your keyboard: ß
Exercise 4
Translate the sentences into German.
Remember to use the verb “ist” with singular nouns and the verb “sind” with plural nouns.
Copy this letter if you do not have it on your keyboard: ß
Listen to our educational song and sing Along
4. Homework & Preview FOR TOMORROW
Homework
- Writing: Describe items in your room using the adjectives you have learned.
- Listening: Watch our adjective song again and sing along.
- Speaking: Record yourself describing items in your room.
PREVIEW
Tomorrow, we’ll learn about the indefinite article and colors.