When you want to make a noun plural in Korean, you can often add the suffix ~들 (deul) to the end of the noun. This is similar to adding an "-s" or "-es" in English.
However, ~들 is not always used. If the plurality is already clear from the context (e.g., using a number like "two books"), you usually don't need to add ~들. It's often used when talking about people or animate objects, or when you want to emphasize the plurality.
For example, "학생" means "student," and "학생들" means "students." Another example is "친구" (friend) becoming "친구들" (friends).
While it's a helpful tool, remember that Korean speakers sometimes omit ~들 even when talking about multiple things, especially when the meaning is obvious without it.
~들 in 30 Sekunden
- Use ~들 to make nouns plural.
- It's not always necessary; context often implies plurality.
- Commonly used with people and animate objects.
Wusstest du?
The suffix ~들 is related to the word '무리' (muri), which means 'group' or 'crowd' in modern Korean.
Beispiele nach Niveau
학생들
students
A common way to pluralize nouns referring to people.
책들
books
Can be used for inanimate objects, though often implied from context.
선생님들
teachers
Used to show respect and pluralize at the same time.
친구들
friends
Commonly used when referring to a group of friends.
사람들
people
The most common way to pluralize 'person'.
저의 가족들
my family members
Used when referring to multiple members of a family.
이것들
these things
Used to pluralize demonstrative pronouns like '이것' (this thing).
그것들
those things
Used to pluralize demonstrative pronouns like '그것' (that thing).
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Think of '~들' as 'deals' with multiple items. When you 'deal' cards, you deal many of them, making them plural.
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a group of friends standing together, and each person has a little speech bubble above their head saying '~들', indicating there's more than one of them.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Look around your room or outside. Pick 5 singular nouns you see and try to make them plural using ~들. Write them down!
Wortherkunft
Old Korean
Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: group/collection
KoreanicKultureller Kontext
When speaking Korean, adding ~들 to a noun makes it plural. While it's similar to adding '-s' in English, it's not always used. Koreans often understand plurality from context without explicitly adding ~들, especially with inanimate objects. It's more commonly used with people or animate objects when you specifically want to emphasize that there are multiple of them.
Im Alltag üben
Kontexte aus dem Alltag
When talking about groups of people (e.g., students, friends, children).
- 학생들 (hak-saeng-deul) - students
- 친구들 (chin-gu-deul) - friends
- 아이들 (a-i-deul) - children
When referring to multiple animals of the same type.
- 강아지들 (gang-a-ji-deul) - puppies/dogs
- 고양이들 (go-yang-i-deul) - cats
- 새들 (sae-deul) - birds
When generally talking about multiple inanimate objects, though it's often omitted in informal speech.
- 책들 (chaek-deul) - books
- 연필들 (yeon-pil-deul) - pencils
- 의자들 (ui-ja-deul) - chairs
When addressing a group directly.
- 여러분 (yeo-reo-bun) - everyone/ladies and gentlemen (a polite plural address)
- 너희들 (neo-hui-deul) - you all (informal, plural 'you')
- 우리들 (u-ri-deul) - us/we (plural of 'we')
When the context already implies plurality, ~들 is sometimes used for emphasis or clarity, but often omitted.
- 과일들 (gwa-il-deul) - fruits (can also be just 과일)
- 사진들 (sa-jin-deul) - photos (can also be just 사진)
- 선물들 (seon-mul-deul) - presents (can also be just 선물)
Gesprächseinstiege
"학생들 어디 있어요? (hak-saeng-deul eo-di i-sseo-yo?) - Where are the students?"
"친구들이랑 뭐 할 거예요? (chin-gu-deul-i-rang mwo hal geo-ye-yo?) - What are you going to do with your friends?"
"이 고양이들 정말 귀엽네요! (i go-yang-i-deul jeong-mal gwi-yeop-ne-yo!) - These cats are really cute!"
"오늘 저녁에 아이들 뭐 먹을까요? (o-neul jeo-nyeok-e a-i-deul mwo meo-geul-kka-yo?) - What should the children eat for dinner tonight?"
"우리 가족들은 영화 보러 갈 거예요. (u-ri ga-jok-deul-eun yeong-hwa bo-reo gal geo-ye-yo.) - Our family members are going to watch a movie."
Tagebuch-Impulse
Think about your friends. Write a few sentences about what your 친구들 are like.
Describe a place where you've seen many animals. What kind of 동물들 (dong-mul-deul - animals) did you see?
Imagine you're hosting a party. What kind of 음식들 (eum-sik-deul - foods) would you prepare for your 손님들 (son-nim-deul - guests)?
Write about the books you've read recently. What are your favorite 책들?
Think about your family. What are some things your 가족들 (ga-jok-deul - family members) enjoy doing together?
Teste dich selbst 36 Fragen
Write a sentence using '친구' (friend) in its plural form to say 'My friends are here.'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
제 친구들이 여기 있어요.
Write a short sentence in Korean saying 'The students are studying.'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
학생들이 공부해요.
How would you say 'These books are interesting' in Korean, using the plural suffix?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
이 책들이 재미있어요.
What does '아이들이' mean in this passage?
Read this passage:
아이들이 공원에서 놀아요. 그들은 행복해 보여요.
What does '아이들이' mean in this passage?
'아이' means child, and '들' is the plural suffix, so '아이들이' means 'the children'.
'아이' means child, and '들' is the plural suffix, so '아이들이' means 'the children'.
Who are '선생님들이'?
Read this passage:
선생님들이 학교에 있어요. 그들은 학생들을 가르쳐요.
Who are '선생님들이'?
'선생님' means teacher, and with the plural suffix '들', it becomes 'the teachers'.
'선생님' means teacher, and with the plural suffix '들', it becomes 'the teachers'.
What is '꽃들' in this sentence?
Read this passage:
이 꽃들이 정말 예뻐요. 저는 꽃들을 좋아해요.
What is '꽃들' in this sentence?
'꽃' means flower, and '들' makes it plural, so '꽃들' means 'the flowers'.
'꽃' means flower, and '들' makes it plural, so '꽃들' means 'the flowers'.
학생___은 교실에 있습니다. (The students are in the classroom.)
To make '학생' (student) plural, you add the suffix '~들'.
친구___과 함께 영화를 봤어요. (I watched a movie with my friends.)
To make '친구' (friend) plural, you add the suffix '~들'.
선생님___이 오셨습니다. (The teachers have arrived.)
To make '선생님' (teacher) plural, you add the suffix '~들'.
아이___이 공원에서 놀고 있어요. (The children are playing in the park.)
To make '아이' (child) plural, you add the suffix '~들'.
책___을 읽고 있습니다. (I am reading books.)
To make '책' (book) plural, you add the suffix '~들'.
사람___이 많아요. (There are many people.)
To make '사람' (person) plural, you add the suffix '~들'.
교실에 ___ 있어요. (students)
To make 'student' plural, add ~들. The sentence means 'There are students in the classroom.'
저는 제 ___ 만났어요. (friends)
To make 'friend' plural, add ~들. The sentence means 'I met my friends.'
공원에는 많은 ___ 있었어요. (people)
To make 'person' plural, add ~들. The sentence means 'There were many people in the park.'
우리 ___ 다 같이 영화를 봤어요. (family members)
To make 'family' plural, add ~들. The sentence means 'All our family members watched a movie together.'
이 식당에는 외국인 ___ 자주 와요. (foreigners)
To make 'foreigner' plural, add ~들. The sentence means 'Foreigners often come to this restaurant.'
회의에 ___ 참석했어요. (employees)
To make 'employee' plural, add ~들. The sentence means 'Employees attended the meeting.'
Which of these words correctly uses the plural suffix to mean 'friends'?
The suffix ~들 is added to '친구' (friend) to make it plural, '친구들' (friends).
Choose the correct plural form for '선생님' (teacher).
To make '선생님' (teacher) plural, you add ~들, forming '선생님들' (teachers).
Which option translates to 'my family members'?
The word '가족' (family) can be made plural with ~들 to specifically emphasize multiple members, though '가족' itself can sometimes imply plurality. '우리 가족들' is the most explicit plural form.
Adding ~들 to '고양이' (cat) makes it '고양이들', meaning 'cats'.
Yes, '고양이' (cat) becomes '고양이들' when ~들 is added to make it plural, meaning 'cats'.
The word '학생들' (haksaeng-deul) means a single student.
No, '학생들' (haksaeng-deul) means 'students' (plural). '학생' (haksaeng) means a single student.
The suffix ~들 can only be used with living beings.
While commonly used with people, ~들 can also be used with inanimate objects, like '책들' (books) or '의자들' (chairs), to emphasize plurality.
Listen to the sentence and understand who is studying Korean.
Listen to the sentence and identify where the students are and what they are doing.
Listen to the sentence and understand what the teachers are doing.
Read this aloud:
친구들은 공원에서 놀아요.
Focus: 친구들은
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
아이들은 사과를 좋아해요.
Focus: 아이들은
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
손님들은 음식을 맛있게 먹었습니다.
Focus: 손님들은
Du hast gesagt:
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You are organizing a school event. Write a short email (3-4 sentences) to your colleagues listing the necessary items and people involved, making sure to use the plural suffix ~들 at least twice. Explain what needs to be done.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
안녕하세요 선생님들! 이번 학예회 준비를 위해 학생들의 참여가 중요합니다. 필요한 준비물들을 미리 챙겨주세요. 모두의 도움이 필요합니다.
Imagine you are reviewing a new apartment. Write a short paragraph (3-4 sentences) describing the various features and amenities, using the plural suffix ~들 to talk about different rooms or items.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
이 아파트는 방들이 넓고 채광이 좋습니다. 주방에는 새 가구들이 잘 갖춰져 있고, 거실도 편안합니다. 편의 시설들도 가까워서 생활하기 편리할 것 같습니다.
You are a tour guide. Write a short description (3-4 sentences) of a local market, highlighting the different kinds of goods and people you can see there. Use the plural suffix ~들 at least twice.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
이 시장에는 다양한 상인들이 신선한 물건들을 팔고 있습니다. 활기찬 분위기 속에서 여러 나라의 관광객들이 구경하는 모습을 볼 수 있습니다. 먹거리들도 풍부해서 좋은 경험이 될 것입니다.
젊은 세대가 관심을 가지고 있는 환경 문제들은 무엇입니까?
Read this passage:
최근 몇 년 동안 많은 사람들이 환경 문제에 대한 인식을 높이고 있습니다. 특히 젊은 세대들은 지구 온난화와 플라스틱 쓰레기 문제에 대해 큰 관심을 가지고 있습니다. 이들은 환경 보호를 위한 다양한 활동들에 적극적으로 참여하고 있습니다. 예를 들어, 재활용 운동이나 에너지 절약 캠페인 등이 있습니다.
젊은 세대가 관심을 가지고 있는 환경 문제들은 무엇입니까?
지문에서 '젊은 세대들은 지구 온난화와 플라스틱 쓰레기 문제에 대해 큰 관심을 가지고 있습니다.'라고 언급되어 있습니다.
지문에서 '젊은 세대들은 지구 온난화와 플라스틱 쓰레기 문제에 대해 큰 관심을 가지고 있습니다.'라고 언급되어 있습니다.
한국 전통 시장의 특징으로 언급되지 않은 것은 무엇입니까?
Read this passage:
한국의 전통 시장들은 단순한 쇼핑 공간을 넘어선 문화 체험의 장소입니다. 이곳에서는 신선한 식료품들뿐만 아니라 다양한 수공예품들을 구경할 수 있습니다. 상인들의 정겨운 모습과 손님들의 활기찬 흥정 소리는 시장의 특별한 분위기를 만듭니다. 외국인 관광객들에게도 인기가 많아, 많은 사람들이 한국 문화를 경험하기 위해 시장들을 찾습니다.
한국 전통 시장의 특징으로 언급되지 않은 것은 무엇입니까?
지문에는 신선한 식료품과 수공예품에 대한 언급은 있지만, 고급 브랜드 의류 판매에 대한 내용은 없습니다.
지문에는 신선한 식료품과 수공예품에 대한 언급은 있지만, 고급 브랜드 의류 판매에 대한 내용은 없습니다.
정보 기술 발전이 소통 방식에 가져온 긍정적인 변화는 무엇입니까?
Read this passage:
현대 사회에서는 정보 기술의 발전으로 인해 소통 방식에 많은 변화가 있었습니다. 사람들은 스마트폰과 컴퓨터를 통해 언제 어디서든 친구들이나 가족들과 연락할 수 있게 되었습니다. 이러한 기술들은 업무 효율성을 높이는 데도 기여했습니다. 하지만 과도한 온라인 소통은 때때로 개인적인 관계들에도 영향을 미칠 수 있습니다.
정보 기술 발전이 소통 방식에 가져온 긍정적인 변화는 무엇입니까?
지문에서 '사람들은 스마트폰과 컴퓨터를 통해 언제 어디서든 친구들이나 가족들과 연락할 수 있게 되었습니다.'라고 명시되어 있습니다.
지문에서 '사람들은 스마트폰과 컴퓨터를 통해 언제 어디서든 친구들이나 가족들과 연락할 수 있게 되었습니다.'라고 명시되어 있습니다.
/ 36 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Use ~들 to clearly mark nouns as plural, especially when referring to people or when clarity is needed, though it's not always mandatory.
- Use ~들 to make nouns plural.
- It's not always necessary; context often implies plurality.
- Commonly used with people and animate objects.
Beispiel
학생들 모두 교실에 모였어요.
Verwandte Inhalte
Mehr general Wörter
몇몇
A2An unspecified small number of; some or a few.
조금
A1A little/a bit
적게
A1A little / Few
약간
A2A little; slightly; somewhat.
많이
A1A lot/much
잠시
A2For a moment; briefly.
잠깐
A2For a short time; a moment.
아까
A2A little while ago, earlier.
대해
A2About, concerning.
~에 대해서
A2Concerning or regarding a particular subject; about.
