Plurals
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:
| 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 |