A noun names an object, person, or place.
When a noun is singular, it means there is one of them. When a noun is plural it means there is more than one.
In Hindi, the plural number is also used as a polite and respectful form to address a single person (generally a stranger or elder).
Masculine nouns
To form the plural of Type I masculine nouns, the ending aa आ is changed to ye ए.
Examples:
ladka लड़का (boy) becomes ladke लड़के (boys)
kapda कपड़ा (dress) becomes kapde कपड़े (dresses)
kamra कमरा (room) becomes kamre कमरे (rooms)
kela केला (banana) becomes kele केले (bananas)
billa बिल्ला (he cat) becomes bille बिल्ले (he cats)
pagla पगला (mad man) becomes पगले (mad men)
ghoda घोडा (horse) becomes ghode घोड़े (horses)
heera हीरा (diamond) becomes heere हीरे (diamonds)
raastha रास्ता (road) becomes raaste रास्ते (roads)
Type II masculine nouns are easy to remember as they have the same form in singular and plural.
Examples:
ek ghar एक घर (one house) / do ghar दो घर (two houses)
ek aadmee एक आदमी (one man) / theen aadmee तीन आदमी (three men)
ek ulloo एक उल्लू (one owl) / chaar ulloo चार उल्लू (four owls)
ek sanganak एक संगणक (one computer) / paanch sanganak पाँच संगणक (five computers)
ek bail एक बैल (one bull) / chhe bail छे बैल (six bulls)
Few masculine nouns that end in the vowel aa आ do not change to ye ए in the plural and will have the same singular and plural forms. These are mainly kinship/relationship nouns.
Examples: netaa नेता (leader), devataa देवता (god), mukhiya मुखिया (chief), pitaa पिता (father), daadaa दादा (grandfather)
A very few masculine nouns that end in the nasalized vowel carry the nasalization over to the plural form.
Example:
ek kuaan एक कुआँ – one well / do kueen दो कुएँ – two wells
Feminine nouns
To form the plural of Type I feminine nouns, the ending ee ई is changed to eyaan इयाँ.
Examples:
ladkee लड़की (girl) becomes ladkiyaan लड़कियाँ (girls)
sadee साड़ी (saree) becomes saadiyaan साड़ियाँ (saadiyaan)
ghadee घडी (clock) becomes ghadiyaan घड़ियाँ (ghadiyaan)
billee बिल्ली (cat) becomes billiyaan बिल्लियाँ (billiyaan)
paglee पगली (mad woman) becomes pagliyaan पगलियाँ (pagliyaan)
mitaee मिठाई (sweet) becomes mitaeeyaan मिठाइयाँ (sweets)
betee बेटी (daughter) becomes betiyaan बेटियाँ (daughters)
Note:
- If the singluar noun ends in the independent vowel form ee ई, then it is shortened to e इ and then yaan याँ is added (mitaee मिठाई example above). If the singular noun ends in a consonant with ee ई sound/maatra, then the sound/maatra is shortened before adding the yaan याँ (other examples above).
- Singular feminine nouns ending in e इ also follow the above rules.
Examples:
neethi नीति (policy) becomes neethiyaan नीतियाँ (policies)
jaati जाति (caste) becomes jaatiyaan जातियाँ (castes)
shakti शक्ति (power) becomes shaktiyaan शक्तियाँ (powers)
- Singular feminine nouns ending in yaa या have chandrabindu in plural
chidiya चिड़िया (birds) becomes chidiyaan चिड़ियाँ (birds)
kutiyaa कुटिया (cottage) becomes कुटियाँ kutiyaan (cottages)
एँ yen sound is added to Type II singular feminine nouns ending with inherent अ sound ending to form the plural.
Examples:
kitaab किताब (book) becomes kitaaben किताबें (books)
aankh आँख (eye) becomes aankhen आँखें (eyes)
deevaar दीवार (wall) becomes deevaaren दीवारें (walls)
kalam कलम (pen) becomes kalamen कलमें (pens)
dhoban धोबन (washer woman) becomes धोबनें dhobanen (washer women)
Note:
- If the singular noun ends in the maatraa form of a vowel, then एँ yen is added in independent form.
Examples:
bhaashaa भाषा (language) becomes bhaashaaen भाषाएँ (languages)
senaa सेना (army) becomes senaaen सेनाएँ (armies)
maalaa माला (garland) becomes maalaaen मालाएँ (garlands)
It has become common to write एँ as यें in the plural (भाषायें, सेनायें, मालायें from the above examples), but avoid using यें as the plural sign is एँ and not यें. एँ and यें sound the same.
- If the singular noun ends in ya य, then it is replaced by एँ yen. Example: gaay गाय (cow) becomes gaaen गाएँ (cows).
- If a singular feminine noun ends in oo ऊ sound, it is shortened to o उ before adding yen एँ. Example: bahoo बहू (daughter-in-law) becomes bahuen बहुएँ (daughters-in-law).
- As mentioned previously, we don’t use articles in Hindi, so kitaab किताब (book) can mean “a book” or “the book” depending on the context.
- If the same noun can be used for both males and females, it is assumed to be a masculine noun while forming plural form.
Examples:
chhatr छात्र (student) can be used for a male or a female. So for forming plural form, it is assumed to be a masculine noun.
videshee विदेशी (foreigner) can be used for a male or a female. So for forming plural form, it is assumed to be a masculine noun.