An introduction to nouns

A noun is a word that names something. It can be a person, animal, thing or abstract concept. Nouns can be countable or non-countable, and they can be core of a noun group.

Examples in Dutch are:

There are two genders for Dutch nouns: common and neuter. This has repercussions for the definite article (de or het) and for the ending of adjectives.

Countable and non-countable

Most nouns are countable and can be put into the plural. For example:

Not all nouns are countable. Some words like rijst (‘rice’) and melk (‘milk’) cannot be counted; i.e. cannot be put into the plural. These nouns do not occur with indefinite articles, either.

The word zusjes in the example above shows a special form of nouns: the diminutive.

Noun groups

A noun group is a group of words which constitutes one unit in a sentence and which contains at least one noun. In the following examples the noun groups are marked.

Karin en Simone zijn zusjes.
Karin and Simone are sisters.

Alan past op het kleine broertje van Karin en Simone.
Alan looks after Karin and Simone’s little brother.