In Afrikaans we basically add an E or an S to pluralize the noun. The short and long vowel thing is very much part of the spelling rules when you pluralize a word. Pay close attention.
Note: word examples are a mix of real and fake words.
A. Plurals follow the rules of long and short vowels.
Here are some typical examples:
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pal > palle paal > pale kot > kotte koot > kote |
sup > suppe suup > supe mes > messe mees > mese |
B. Words ending with two consonants or vowels and diphtongs
that do not fall in the long/short vowel category just get an E addition, e.g.;
|
boek > boeke suin > suine oord > oorde maart > maarte kraai > kraaie koei > koeie |
meeu > meeue meid > meide kous > kouse looi > looie poei > poeie saai > saaie |
C. The S Ending
There is no clear-cut all encompassing rule for when an "S" ending is required. You will acquire a feel for these words. Often when a word ends in an R, L or M, the S is used. That is just a guide though.
|
komper > kompers vinger > vingers slinger > slingers hanger > hangers singer > singers werker > werkers kafee > kafees trofee > trofees slee > slees meisie > meisies |
tafel > tafels amandel > amandels appel > appels katel > katels skerm > skerms arm > arms derm > derms alarm > alarms film > films stasie > stasies |
D. The suffix -heid becomes -hede
|
eenheid > eenhede waarheid > waarhede leegheid > leeghede matigheid > matighede |
mattigheid > mattighede hartlikheid > hartlikhede moeilikheid > moeilikhede |
E. The -ens ending. (Only a few words)
|
nooi > nooiens lewe > lewens hawe > hawens wa > waens |
gevoel > gevoelens jong > jongens wese >wesens |
F. Exceptions
| kind > kinders | pad > paaie |
G. The -TE ending (All these words are English cognates with and -st ending.)
|
bees > beeste fees > feeste gees > geeste skrif > skrifte toeris > toeriste |
kas > kaste teks > tekste vrug > vrugte amp > ampte |
H. The -F ending when preceded by a short vowel
|
gelof > gelofte skrif > skrifte |
graf > grafte skof > skofte |
I. The -F ending when preceded by a long vowel.
|
druif > druiwe slaaf > slawe |
staaf > stawe gaaf > gawe |
J. The -G ending when preceded by a short vowel.
|
plig > pligte vrug > vrugte krag > kragte |
nag > nagte dag > dae (exception) weg > weë (exception) |
K. The -G ending when preceded by a long vowel.
| plaag > plae | vlieg > vlieë |