Keeping Vowels Apart
When Dutch nouns are made plural by adding -en, consecutive vowels can sometimes blend together and confuse the pronunciation. To fix this, Dutch uses a trema (two dots over a vowel, like ë) to clearly mark where a new syllable starts.
Nouns Ending in Stressed -ie
Many abstract concepts and academic terms end in -ie with the stress on the final syllable (like de theorie or de analogie). To make these plural, add -ën. This creates the ending -ieën.
| During the session we brainstorm about new theories. | Tijdens de sessie brainstormen we over nieuwe theorieën. |
| Those analogies, we evaluate them tomorrow. | Die analogieën, die evalueren we morgen. |
Nouns Ending in -ee
The spelling rule is exactly the same for nouns ending in -ee (like het idee, meaning "the idea"). Just add -ën to form the plural ending -eeën.
| We evaluate each other's ideas, as the teacher wants. | We evalueren elkaars ideeën, zoals de docent wil. |
This same stressed -ie rule continues to apply to many words you might use when evaluating concepts or holding a session, such as de filosofie and de fantasie.
| Her philosophies stimulate the imagination. | Haar filosofieën prikkelen de fantasie. |
Nouns Ending in Unstressed -ie
If a noun ends in -ie but the stress falls on an earlier syllable (like de kolonie or de porie), the spelling rule changes. You do not add an extra 'e'. Instead, just add an -n and place the trema over the existing 'e', resulting in the ending -iën.
| We build colonies so that we survive. | We bouwen koloniën zodat we overleven. |
| The doctor shares his insights about our pores. | De arts deelt zijn inzichten over onze poriën. |