plural: others (2)

German Plural-Only Nouns and Usage

In German, some nouns are used exclusively or predominantly in the plural. While some follow English patterns, others differ significantly.

1. Plural-Only Nouns (Pluraliatantum)

These nouns usually do not have a singular form:

• die Ferien (holidays): Meine Ferien waren schön. (My holidays were beautiful.)
• die Leute (people): Viele Leute sind hier. (Many people are here.)
• die Eltern (parents): Meine Eltern kommen morgen. (My parents are coming tomorrow.)
  Note: Use ein Elternteil for "a parent".
• die Geschwister (brothers and sisters/siblings): Hast du Geschwister? (Do you have siblings?)
• die Flitterwochen (honeymoon): Sie genießen ihre Flitterwochen. (They are enjoying their honeymoon.)
• die Möbel (furniture): Die Möbel sind modern. (The furniture is modern.)
• die Lebensmittel (food/groceries): Wir kaufen Lebensmittel. (We are buying groceries.)
• die Zinsen (interest), die Kosten (costs), die Trümmer (rubble).

2. Festival Names

Festivals like Ostern (Easter), Pfingsten (Whitsun), and Weihnachten (Christmas) are treated as plurals but typically take a singular verb:

• Weihnachten steht vor der Tür. (Christmas is just around the corner.)

They can also appear as neuter singulars with an article: ein stilles Weihnachten (a quiet Christmas).

3. German Singular vs. English Plural

Some nouns are singular in German where English uses a plural. German often uses compound words to express the plural idea:

• der Atem → die Atemzüge (breaths)
• das Obst → die Obstsorten (types of fruit/fruit)
• der Sport → die Sportarten (sports)
• das Unglück → die Unglücksfälle (accidents)

Words like der Kummer (sorrow/sorrows) and der Verdacht (suspicion/suspicions) stay singular in German.

4. German Plural vs. English Singular

Conversely, German often uses a plural for "uncountable" English concepts:

• die Information → die Informationen (information)
• die Hausaufgabe → die Hausaufgaben (homework)
• der Rat → die Ratschläge (advice)
• die Nachricht → die Nachrichten (news)
• die Kenntnis → die Kenntnisse (knowledge)

5. Body Parts and Clothing

German uses the singular for items possessed individually by each person in a group:

• Alle hoben die rechte Hand. (Everyone raised their right hand.)
• Ihnen klopfte das Herz. (Their hearts were beating.)

6. Measurements and Units

Masculine and neuter nouns of measurement or value stay singular after a number:

• zwei Pfund Kirschen (two pounds of cherries)
• drei Glas Bier (three glasses of beer)
• ein Euro 50 (one Euro 50)

Exception: Feminine units (except die Mark) take the plural: zehn Flaschen Wein (ten bottles of wine).