-s

See also: -ś, -'s, and Appendix:Variations of "s"

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /s/ (following a voiceless consonant)
• IPA^(key): /z/ (postvocalic or following a voiced consonant)
• IPA^(key): /ɨz/ (following a sibilant consonant /s, z, ʃ, ʒ, tʃ, dʒ/—usually written -es)
• Homophone: -'s

Etymology 1

From Middle English -s, -es, from Old English -as, nominative-accusative plural ending of masculine a-stem (i.e. strong) declension nouns, from Proto-Germanic *-ōs, *‑ōz, from Proto-Indo-European *-es, *-oes (plural endings). The spread of this ending in later Middle English was once argued to have been the result of Anglo-Norman influence; however, -as was already the most common Old English plural marker (used in approximately 40% of Old English nouns), and was initially more common in the North of England where French influence was weakest, only later gradually spreading south. Cognate with Scots -s (plural ending), Saterland Frisian -s (plural ending), West Frisian -s (plural ending), Dutch -s (plural ending), Low German -s (plural ending), Danish -er (plural ending), Swedish -r, -ar, -or (plural ending), Icelandic -ar (plural ending), Gothic -𐍉𐍃 (-ōs, nominative plural ending of a-stem masculine nouns) (note that German -er has a different origin).

Suffix

-s

1. Used to form regular plurals of nouns.

   one computer → five computers

2. Used to form many pluralia tantum (nouns that are almost or entirely without singular forms).

   shorts, sunglasses

3. Used to form a word referring to a specific decade in the Gregorian calendar. Appended to the first year of the decade.

   1970s, 1890s

Usage notes

• (regular plurals): In semi-formal or formal contexts, where the plurality of a noun depends on some unknown aspect of the sentence, the s may be parenthesised: "The winner(s) will be invited to a prize ceremony."
• (decade): Decades formed with -s are usually pronounced as if they were written as two separate numbers. For example, 1970s is read as nineteen-seventies, as if it were written as 19 70s, not as *nineteen-hundred seventies or *one thousand nine hundred and seventies. A notable exception to this arose after the end of the 2000s, when the (relatively uniform) pronunciation of the years in that decade as two-thousand (and) _____ was continued for the following decade for some speakers. The pronunciation of the 2010s as twenty-tens largely took over starting in 2010, but it has not completely stamped out the previous two-thousand (and) _____ pronunciation which, again, was uniform in the prior decade. It remains to be seen if this will continue into the 2020s. Of note is that, some speakers, when speaking retroactively about the 2000s, now apply the 2010s' common pronunciation to the 2000s as well. In other words, they would pronounce 2001 as twenty-oh-one instead of two-thousand (and) one.

Translations

The translations below are a guide only. See individual words for precise translations.

regular plurals of nouns

• Arabic: ـَانِ du (-āni) (dual), ـَيْنِ du (-ayni) (dual), ـُونَ (-ūna), ـِينَ (-īna), ـَات (-āt)
• Classical Nahuatl: -h, -tin, -meh
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 們／们 (zh), 们 (zh) (men) (plural marker for humans, non-mandatory)

• Danish: -er (da), -e
• Dutch: -en (nl)
• Esperanto: -j (eo)
• Finnish: -t (fi)
• French: -s (fr)
• Georgian: -ები (-ebi)
• German: -en (de)
• Greek: -α (el) (-a)
• Guaraní: -kuéra (gn), -nguéra (gn)
• Hungarian: -k (hu), -ak, -ok, -ek, -ök
• Icelandic: -a, -ar
• Ido: -i
• Irish: -anna
• Italian: -i (it)
• Japanese: 達 (ja) (たち, tachi), 等 (ja) (ら, ​ra), 供 (ja) (ども, ​domo) (plural markers for humans, non-mandatory)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Kazakh: -лар (-lar), -лер (-ler), -тар (-tar), -тер (-ter), -дар (-dar), -дер (-der)
• Korean: 들 (ko) (deul) (non-mandatory)
• Latvian: -s
• Lithuanian: -s
• Manx: -yn, -aghyn, -jyn
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: -er (no)

  Nynorsk: -er

• Persian: ها (fa)
• Portuguese: -s (pt), -es (pt)
• Romanian: -le
• Russian: (the plural form depends on the declension type)
• Spanish: -s (es), -es (es)
• Swedish: -ar (sv) -er (sv) -or (sv) -r (sv) -n (sv)
• Vietnamese: những (vi), các (vi), mấy (vi)
• Welsh: -au, -i, -ion, -od, -oedd

See also

other plural-forming suffixes

• -en
• -es
• -i

• -a
• -z (nonstandard)

Etymology 2

From Middle English -(e)s (third person singular ending of verbs), from Northumbrian Old English -es, -as (third person singular ending). Gradually replaced historical Old English third person singular ending -(e)þ, -aþ (see -eth) during the Middle English and Early Modern English periods. Usually regarded as identical to the Old English second person singular indicative ending -es, -est (modern archaic English -est, as in thou singest), used in place of the third person singular, due to influence from North Germanic. In Old Norse, the second and third person singular indicative forms were identical (e.g. þú masar, hann masar; þú þekkir, hann þekkir; etc.), and speakers of Old Norse who switched to speaking English are believed to have confounded the endings due to analogy with Old Norse. See -est.

Suffix

-s

1. Used to form the third-person singular indicative present tense of verbs.

   to eat → he eats

Usage notes

• In Standard English, the -s suffix is only used to mark the third person singular present of verbs; however, in some varieties of English, particularly northern English, Scottish, US Southern and AAVE, the -s can be extended to other persons/numbers as well, as in: I eats me spinach; I hates the Yankees; they likes it here; etc.

See also

other verb endings

• -ed
• -en

• -ing
• -t

Etymology 3

From Middle English -es, from Old English -es, the masculine and neuter genitive singular ending of strong nouns. More at -'s.

Suffix

-s

2. Used in the formation of certain English adverbs.

   ‎forward + ‎-s → ‎forwards

   ‎downward + ‎-s → ‎downwards

   ‎alway + ‎-s → ‎always

   ‎sometime + ‎-s → ‎sometimes

   ‎betime + ‎-s → ‎betimes

   ‎while + ‎-s → ‎whiles

   ‎betide + ‎-s → ‎betides

   ‎toward + ‎-s → ‎towards

   ‎beside + ‎-s → ‎besides

   ‎evening + ‎-s → ‎evenings

   ‎unaware + ‎-s → ‎unawares

Derived terms

• -st

Etymology 4

A variant spelling of -'s, partly an archaism, partly by dropping the apostrophe.

Alternative forms

• -'s (on pronouns; now nonstandard)

Suffix

-s

1. (on pronouns) Possessive marker, indicating that an object belongs to the word bearing the marker.
2. (on nouns, now nonstandard) Alternative form of -'s

Usage notes

• In most cases where -s is found nowadays as a possessive case marker, it is a simple misspelling of -'s. However, possessive determiners derived from personal pronouns use -s (e.g. its, not it's). The same is true of pronouns derived from possessive determiners (e.g. theirs, not their's). The possessive form of who takes -se (whose, not who's).
• Bare -s is used in some business names that derive from possessive family names, e.g. Barclays and Harrods, but compare Sainsbury’s; compare Wikipedia's article on possessives in business names. In speech, /z/ (or /s/) is sometimes added to business names which have neither -s nor -'s in writing, resulting in s-forms, which see.

Etymology 5

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Suffix

-s

1. Hypocoristic suffix

   Babs; moms; pops; homes; toots

Derived terms

English terms suffixed with -s

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Danish

Etymology

From Old Norse -s, originally the genitive singular ending of a-stem nouns.

Particle

-s

1. Used to form genitive/possessive phrases, attached to the last word in a noun phrase.

   Danmarks dronning — the Queen of Denmark

   Københavns snefald — snowfall in Copenhagen

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Dutch

Etymology 1

Unknown. Not present in Old Dutch, which used -a from Proto-Germanic *-ōz as the plural ending. Possibly spread from Middle Low German -s, -es, from Old Saxon -os, -as, from Proto-Germanic *-ōs. Further etymology is unknown, but cognate with Old English -as.

Suffix

-s pl

1. Used to form regular plurals of nouns that end in certain suffixes or syllables, such as -el, -er, -en, -em, -eur, -aar, -aard, diminutive -je, etc.

   bodem - bodems

2. Used to form irregular plurals of many other nouns, chiefly of foreign origin.

   telefoon - telefoons

Usage notes

• Nouns ending in unstressed -e generally have a plural in -s and one in -n (ziekte > ziektes, ziekten). Individual words, however, allow just one of the two ways.
• Most words of Latin origin ending in -um are pluralized either with the suffix -s (museum > museums) or by replacing -um with -a (> musea). The latter tends to be preferred in formal style.

Etymology 2

From the genitive case of masculine and neuter nouns and adjectives, Middle Dutch -s, -es, from Old Dutch -es, -is, from Proto-Germanic *-as, *-is.

Suffix

-s

1. (archaic, except in fixed expressions) Used to form the genitive case of (strong) masculine and neuter nouns.

   tijd - de tand des tijds

2. Used to form the genitive case of proper nouns and some pronouns.

   Pieter - Pieters jas

   iemand - iemands jas

3. Used to form the partitive form of the adjective

   lief - iets liefs

4. Used to form adverbs

   stad - steeds

Derived terms

Dutch terms suffixed with -s

The adverbial/adjectival -s combines with other suffixes like :

• -lijk → -lijks
• -je → -jes
• -ling → -lings
• -waarts

Etymology 3

From earlier -sch, from Middle Dutch -sch, from Old Dutch -isc, from Proto-Germanic *-iskaz (from which also -isch via German), from Proto-Indo-European *-iskos.

Suffix

-s

2. Used to form adjectives of characteristic from nouns.

   ‎winter (“winter”) + ‎-s → ‎winters (“wintery”)

   ‎spel (“game”) + ‎-s → ‎speels (“playful”)

3. Used to form adjectives or language names from names of nations or countries.

   ‎Engeland (“England”) + ‎-s → ‎Engels (“English”)

   ‎Finland (“Finland”) + ‎-s → ‎Fins (“Finnish”)

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Estonian

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Suffix

-s (genitive -sa, partitive -sat, comparative -sam, superlative kõige -sam)

1. creates adjectives from nouns

   au "honour" → aus "honest"

   ilu "beauty" → ilus "beautiful"

   lõbu "pleasure" → lõbus "fun"

Inflection

Declension of -s (ÕS type 2/õpik, no gradation)
		singular	plural
nominative		-s	-sad
accusative	nom.
	gen.	-sa
genitive			-sate
partitive		-sat	-said
illative		-sasse	-satesse -saisse
inessive		-sas	-sates -sais
elative		-sast	-satest -saist
allative		-sale	-satele -saile
adessive		-sal	-satel -sail
ablative		-salt	-satelt -sailt
translative		-saks	-sateks -saiks
terminative		-sani	-sateni
essive		-sana	-satena
abessive		-sata	-sateta
comitative		-saga	-satega

Derived terms

Estonian terms suffixed with -s

Etymology 2

From .

Suffix

-s (genitive -nda, partitive -ndat, comparative -ndam, superlative kõige -ndam)

1. forms ordinal numbers from cardinal numbers

   kolm "three" → kolmas "third"

   kuus "six" → kuues "sixth"

Inflection

Declension of -s (ÕS type 2/õpik, no gradation)
		singular	plural
nominative		-s	-ndad
accusative	nom.
	gen.	-nda
genitive			-ndate
partitive		-ndat	-ndaid
illative		-ndasse	-ndatesse -ndaisse
inessive		-ndas	-ndates -ndais
elative		-ndast	-ndatest -ndaist
allative		-ndale	-ndatele -ndaile
adessive		-ndal	-ndatel -ndail
ablative		-ndalt	-ndatelt -ndailt
translative		-ndaks	-ndateks -ndaiks
terminative		-ndani	-ndateni
essive		-ndana	-ndatena
abessive		-ndata	-ndateta
comitative		-ndaga	-ndatega

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Finnish

Etymology 1

From , from Proto-Uralic *-mte.

Suffix

-s

1. Forms ordinal numbers from cardinal numbers, or ordinal pronouns.

   mones

Usage notes

Added to the genitive singular (weak grade) stem.

Declension

Back vowel harmony:

Inflection of -s (Kotus type 45*J/kahdeksas, nt-nn gradation)
nominative		-s	-nnet
genitive		-nnen	-nsien
partitive		-tta	-nsia
illative		-nteen	-nsiin
		singular	plural
nominative		-s	-nnet
accusative	nom.	-s	-nnet
	gen.	-nnen
genitive		-nnen	-nsien
partitive		-tta	-nsia
inessive		-nnessa	-nsissa
elative		-nnesta	-nsista
illative		-nteen	-nsiin
adessive		-nnella	-nsilla
ablative		-nnelta	-nsilta
allative		-nnelle	-nsille
essive		-ntena	-nsina
translative		-nneksi	-nsiksi
abessive		-nnetta	-nsitta
instructive		—	-nsin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of -s (Kotus type 45*J/kahdeksas, nt-nn gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative -nteni -nteni accusative nom. -nteni -nteni gen. -nteni genitive -nteni -nsieni partitive -ttani -nsiani inessive -nnessani -nsissani elative -nnestani -nsistani illative -nteeni -nsiini adessive -nnellani -nsillani ablative -nneltani -nsiltani allative -nnelleni -nsilleni essive -ntenani -nsinani translative -nnekseni -nsikseni abessive -nnettani -nsittani instructive — — comitative — -nsineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative -ntesi -ntesi accusative nom. -ntesi -ntesi gen. -ntesi genitive -ntesi -nsiesi partitive -ttasi -nsiasi inessive -nnessasi -nsissasi elative -nnestasi -nsistasi illative -nteesi -nsiisi adessive -nnellasi -nsillasi ablative -nneltasi -nsiltasi allative -nnellesi -nsillesi essive -ntenasi -nsinasi translative -nneksesi -nsiksesi abessive -nnettasi -nsittasi instructive — — comitative — -nsinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative -ntemme -ntemme accusative nom. -ntemme -ntemme gen. -ntemme genitive -ntemme -nsiemme partitive -ttamme -nsiamme inessive -nnessamme -nsissamme elative -nnestamme -nsistamme illative -nteemme -nsiimme adessive -nnellamme -nsillamme ablative -nneltamme -nsiltamme allative -nnellemme -nsillemme essive -ntenamme -nsinamme translative -nneksemme -nsiksemme abessive -nnettamme -nsittamme instructive — — comitative — -nsinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative -ntenne -ntenne accusative nom. -ntenne -ntenne gen. -ntenne genitive -ntenne -nsienne partitive -ttanne -nsianne inessive -nnessanne -nsissanne elative -nnestanne -nsistanne illative -nteenne -nsiinne adessive -nnellanne -nsillanne ablative -nneltanne -nsiltanne allative -nnellenne -nsillenne essive -ntenanne -nsinanne translative -nneksenne -nsiksenne abessive -nnettanne -nsittanne instructive — — comitative — -nsinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative -ntensa -ntensa accusative nom. -ntensa -ntensa gen. -ntensa genitive -ntensa -nsiensa partitive -ttaan -ttansa -nsiaan -nsiansa inessive -nnessaan -nnessansa -nsissaan -nsissansa elative -nnestaan -nnestansa -nsistaan -nsistansa illative -nteensa -nsiinsa adessive -nnellaan -nnellansa -nsillaan -nsillansa ablative -nneltaan -nneltansa -nsiltaan -nsiltansa allative -nnelleen -nnellensa -nsilleen -nsillensa essive -ntenaan -ntenansa -nsinaan -nsinansa translative -nnekseen -nneksensa -nsikseen -nsiksensa abessive -nnettaan -nnettansa -nsittaan -nsittansa instructive — — comitative — -nsineen -nsinensa

Front vowel harmony:

Inflection of -s (Kotus type 45*J/kahdeksas, nt-nn gradation)
nominative		-s	-nnet
genitive		-nnen	-nsien
partitive		-ttä	-nsiä
illative		-nteen	-nsiin
		singular	plural
nominative		-s	-nnet
accusative	nom.	-s	-nnet
	gen.	-nnen
genitive		-nnen	-nsien
partitive		-ttä	-nsiä
inessive		-nnessä	-nsissä
elative		-nnestä	-nsistä
illative		-nteen	-nsiin
adessive		-nnellä	-nsillä
ablative		-nneltä	-nsiltä
allative		-nnelle	-nsille
essive		-ntenä	-nsinä
translative		-nneksi	-nsiksi
abessive		-nnettä	-nsittä
instructive		—	-nsin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of -s (Kotus type 45*J/kahdeksas, nt-nn gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative -nteni -nteni accusative nom. -nteni -nteni gen. -nteni genitive -nteni -nsieni partitive -ttäni -nsiäni inessive -nnessäni -nsissäni elative -nnestäni -nsistäni illative -nteeni -nsiini adessive -nnelläni -nsilläni ablative -nneltäni -nsiltäni allative -nnelleni -nsilleni essive -ntenäni -nsinäni translative -nnekseni -nsikseni abessive -nnettäni -nsittäni instructive — — comitative — -nsineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative -ntesi -ntesi accusative nom. -ntesi -ntesi gen. -ntesi genitive -ntesi -nsiesi partitive -ttäsi -nsiäsi inessive -nnessäsi -nsissäsi elative -nnestäsi -nsistäsi illative -nteesi -nsiisi adessive -nnelläsi -nsilläsi ablative -nneltäsi -nsiltäsi allative -nnellesi -nsillesi essive -ntenäsi -nsinäsi translative -nneksesi -nsiksesi abessive -nnettäsi -nsittäsi instructive — — comitative — -nsinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative -ntemme -ntemme accusative nom. -ntemme -ntemme gen. -ntemme genitive -ntemme -nsiemme partitive -ttämme -nsiämme inessive -nnessämme -nsissämme elative -nnestämme -nsistämme illative -nteemme -nsiimme adessive -nnellämme -nsillämme ablative -nneltämme -nsiltämme allative -nnellemme -nsillemme essive -ntenämme -nsinämme translative -nneksemme -nsiksemme abessive -nnettämme -nsittämme instructive — — comitative — -nsinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative -ntenne -ntenne accusative nom. -ntenne -ntenne gen. -ntenne genitive -ntenne -nsienne partitive -ttänne -nsiänne inessive -nnessänne -nsissänne elative -nnestänne -nsistänne illative -nteenne -nsiinne adessive -nnellänne -nsillänne ablative -nneltänne -nsiltänne allative -nnellenne -nsillenne essive -ntenänne -nsinänne translative -nneksenne -nsiksenne abessive -nnettänne -nsittänne instructive — — comitative — -nsinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative -ntensä -ntensä accusative nom. -ntensä -ntensä gen. -ntensä genitive -ntensä -nsiensä partitive -ttään -ttänsä -nsiään -nsiänsä inessive -nnessään -nnessänsä -nsissään -nsissänsä elative -nnestään -nnestänsä -nsistään -nsistänsä illative -nteensä -nsiinsä adessive -nnellään -nnellänsä -nsillään -nsillänsä ablative -nneltään -nneltänsä -nsiltään -nsiltänsä allative -nnelleen -nnellensä -nsilleen -nsillensä essive -ntenään -ntenänsä -nsinään -nsinänsä translative -nnekseen -nneksensä -nsikseen -nsiksensä abessive -nnettään -nnettänsä -nsittään -nsittänsä instructive — — comitative — -nsineen -nsinensä

Derived terms

Finnish terms suffixed with -s

Etymology 2

Contracted from the second-person singular pronoun sa, sä (sinä in modern standard language), but no longer tied to being used in second-person.

Clitic

-s (somewhat informal or familiar)

1. When appended to a second-person singular or plural imperative, gives the command or request slightly rude or impatient tone—often with different verbs and different independent particles adjacent, the tone is different.

   Kuules nyt! (addressing one person)

   Now do listen! (with nyt, quite an established expression of frustration, speaker very impatient)

   Kuulkaas nyt! (addressing many persons or formally one person)

   Now do listen! (same tone as above)

   Tees nämä tehtävät. (addressing one person, tone less impatient)

   Go do these tasks.

2. When appended to the particle -pa/-pä that is appended to a second-person imperative, gives the command or request a slightly more persuasive or inspiring tone.

   Laitapas lautaset pöytään.

   Hey, go put the plates on the table.

3. Mainly in informal contexts: a particle appended to an interrogative suffix -ko/-kö of the verb conjugated (also -kö with the negation verb) in order to bring the conversation partner or a person outside the conversation, talked about, emotionally closer to the speaker, or to create familiarity into the conversation; also to express that closeness or familiarity—sometimes very difficult to translate well into English, in some cases corresponds to tag questions.

   Jaksatkos sinä?

   May you make it maybe?

   Eikös Saara opiskele oikeustieteitä?

   Saara studies law, nuh?

4. (colloquial) appended to the shortened impersonal indicative present form (-n omitted) to soften the command or request or to make it more persuasive.

   Tehdääs tämä huomenna.

   Let's go do this tomorrow.

See also

• -kin
• -kaan / -kään
• -han / -hän
• -ko / -kö
• -pa / -pä

Etymology 3

From apocope of the final vowel of -ssa, -ssä.

Suffix

-s

1. (case suffix, colloquial or dialectal) Alternative form of -ssa (inessive)

Etymology 4

From , from earlier *-ks.

Suffix

-s

1. Forms some nouns.

   jalka (“foot”) + -s → jalas (“runner, skid”)

   liha (“meat”) + -s → lihas (“muscle”)

Declension

Back vowel harmony:

Inflection of -s (Kotus type 39/vastaus, no gradation)
nominative		-s	-kset
genitive		-ksen	-sten -ksien
partitive		-sta	-ksia
illative		-kseen	-ksiin
		singular	plural
nominative		-s	-kset
accusative	nom.	-s	-kset
	gen.	-ksen
genitive		-ksen	-sten -ksien
partitive		-sta	-ksia
inessive		-ksessa	-ksissa
elative		-ksesta	-ksista
illative		-kseen	-ksiin
adessive		-ksella	-ksilla
ablative		-kselta	-ksilta
allative		-kselle	-ksille
essive		-ksena	-ksina
translative		-kseksi	-ksiksi
abessive		-ksetta	-ksitta
instructive		—	-ksin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of -s (Kotus type 39/vastaus, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative -kseni -kseni accusative nom. -kseni -kseni gen. -kseni genitive -kseni -steni -ksieni partitive -stani -ksiani inessive -ksessani -ksissani elative -ksestani -ksistani illative -kseeni -ksiini adessive -ksellani -ksillani ablative -kseltani -ksiltani allative -kselleni -ksilleni essive -ksenani -ksinani translative -ksekseni -ksikseni abessive -ksettani -ksittani instructive — — comitative — -ksineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative -ksesi -ksesi accusative nom. -ksesi -ksesi gen. -ksesi genitive -ksesi -stesi -ksiesi partitive -stasi -ksiasi inessive -ksessasi -ksissasi elative -ksestasi -ksistasi illative -kseesi -ksiisi adessive -ksellasi -ksillasi ablative -kseltasi -ksiltasi allative -ksellesi -ksillesi essive -ksenasi -ksinasi translative -kseksesi -ksiksesi abessive -ksettasi -ksittasi instructive — — comitative — -ksinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative -ksemme -ksemme accusative nom. -ksemme -ksemme gen. -ksemme genitive -ksemme -stemme -ksiemme partitive -stamme -ksiamme inessive -ksessamme -ksissamme elative -ksestamme -ksistamme illative -kseemme -ksiimme adessive -ksellamme -ksillamme ablative -kseltamme -ksiltamme allative -ksellemme -ksillemme essive -ksenamme -ksinamme translative -kseksemme -ksiksemme abessive -ksettamme -ksittamme instructive — — comitative — -ksinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative -ksenne -ksenne accusative nom. -ksenne -ksenne gen. -ksenne genitive -ksenne -stenne -ksienne partitive -stanne -ksianne inessive -ksessanne -ksissanne elative -ksestanne -ksistanne illative -kseenne -ksiinne adessive -ksellanne -ksillanne ablative -kseltanne -ksiltanne allative -ksellenne -ksillenne essive -ksenanne -ksinanne translative -kseksenne -ksiksenne abessive -ksettanne -ksittanne instructive — — comitative — -ksinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative -ksensa -ksensa accusative nom. -ksensa -ksensa gen. -ksensa genitive -ksensa -stensa -ksiensa partitive -staan -stansa -ksiaan -ksiansa inessive -ksessaan -ksessansa -ksissaan -ksissansa elative -ksestaan -ksestansa -ksistaan -ksistansa illative -kseensa -ksiinsa adessive -ksellaan -ksellansa -ksillaan -ksillansa ablative -kseltaan -kseltansa -ksiltaan -ksiltansa allative -kselleen -ksellensa -ksilleen -ksillensa essive -ksenaan -ksenansa -ksinaan -ksinansa translative -ksekseen -kseksensa -ksikseen -ksiksensa abessive -ksettaan -ksettansa -ksittaan -ksittansa instructive — — comitative — -ksineen -ksinensa

Front vowel harmony:

Inflection of -s (Kotus type 39/vastaus, no gradation)
nominative		-s	-kset
genitive		-ksen	-sten -ksien
partitive		-stä	-ksiä
illative		-kseen	-ksiin
		singular	plural
nominative		-s	-kset
accusative	nom.	-s	-kset
	gen.	-ksen
genitive		-ksen	-sten -ksien
partitive		-stä	-ksiä
inessive		-ksessä	-ksissä
elative		-ksestä	-ksistä
illative		-kseen	-ksiin
adessive		-ksellä	-ksillä
ablative		-kseltä	-ksiltä
allative		-kselle	-ksille
essive		-ksenä	-ksinä
translative		-kseksi	-ksiksi
abessive		-ksettä	-ksittä
instructive		—	-ksin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of -s (Kotus type 39/vastaus, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative -kseni -kseni accusative nom. -kseni -kseni gen. -kseni genitive -kseni -steni -ksieni partitive -stäni -ksiäni inessive -ksessäni -ksissäni elative -ksestäni -ksistäni illative -kseeni -ksiini adessive -kselläni -ksilläni ablative -kseltäni -ksiltäni allative -kselleni -ksilleni essive -ksenäni -ksinäni translative -ksekseni -ksikseni abessive -ksettäni -ksittäni instructive — — comitative — -ksineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative -ksesi -ksesi accusative nom. -ksesi -ksesi gen. -ksesi genitive -ksesi -stesi -ksiesi partitive -stäsi -ksiäsi inessive -ksessäsi -ksissäsi elative -ksestäsi -ksistäsi illative -kseesi -ksiisi adessive -kselläsi -ksilläsi ablative -kseltäsi -ksiltäsi allative -ksellesi -ksillesi essive -ksenäsi -ksinäsi translative -kseksesi -ksiksesi abessive -ksettäsi -ksittäsi instructive — — comitative — -ksinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative -ksemme -ksemme accusative nom. -ksemme -ksemme gen. -ksemme genitive -ksemme -stemme -ksiemme partitive -stämme -ksiämme inessive -ksessämme -ksissämme elative -ksestämme -ksistämme illative -kseemme -ksiimme adessive -ksellämme -ksillämme ablative -kseltämme -ksiltämme allative -ksellemme -ksillemme essive -ksenämme -ksinämme translative -kseksemme -ksiksemme abessive -ksettämme -ksittämme instructive — — comitative — -ksinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative -ksenne -ksenne accusative nom. -ksenne -ksenne gen. -ksenne genitive -ksenne -stenne -ksienne partitive -stänne -ksiänne inessive -ksessänne -ksissänne elative -ksestänne -ksistänne illative -kseenne -ksiinne adessive -ksellänne -ksillänne ablative -kseltänne -ksiltänne allative -ksellenne -ksillenne essive -ksenänne -ksinänne translative -kseksenne -ksiksenne abessive -ksettänne -ksittänne instructive — — comitative — -ksinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative -ksensä -ksensä accusative nom. -ksensä -ksensä gen. -ksensä genitive -ksensä -stensä -ksiensä partitive -stään -stänsä -ksiään -ksiänsä inessive -ksessään -ksessänsä -ksissään -ksissänsä elative -ksestään -ksestänsä -ksistään -ksistänsä illative -kseensä -ksiinsä adessive -ksellään -ksellänsä -ksillään -ksillänsä ablative -kseltään -kseltänsä -ksiltään -ksiltänsä allative -kselleen -ksellensä -ksilleen -ksillensä essive -ksenään -ksenänsä -ksinään -ksinänsä translative -ksekseen -kseksensä -ksikseen -ksiksensä abessive -ksettään -ksettänsä -ksittään -ksittänsä instructive — — comitative — -ksineen -ksinensä

Some derived suffixes (such as -ias, -las) use different declension.

Etymology 5

From , from Proto-Finno-Permic *-s.

Suffix

-s

1. A form of the lative case. In adverbial use only.

   ala- (“below, down, lower”) + -s → alas (“down”)

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French

Etymology

From Middle French -s, from Old French -s, from Latin -s (accusative).

Pronunciation

• Silent except in liaison environments, when it is pronounced IPA^(key): /z‿/

Suffix

-s

1. Used to form the regular plurals of most nouns and adjectives.

   homme → hommes

   bon → bons

2. Used to form the irregular plurals of a few nouns and adjectives in -au, -eu (which regularly add -x) and in -al (which regularly make -aux).

   landau → landaus

   bleu → bleus

   carnaval - carnavals

See also

• -x

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German

Etymology 1

From Middle High German -es, from Old High German [Term?].

Alternative forms

• -es
• -ens (proper nouns ending with a sibilant consonant; dated)
• -' (proper nouns ending with a sibilant consonant)
• -'s (common nouns; now proscribed)
• -'s (proper nouns; correct in certain cases, but often seen as a misspelling)

Suffix

-s

1. Used to form the genitive singular of most masculine nouns, neuter nouns, and proper nouns of all genders.

Usage notes

The formation of the strong genitive singular (in -s, -es, or no ending) may be of some difficulty both for learners and native speakers.

Only one form is possible in some nouns:

• Nouns in unstressed -as, -es,- is, -os, -us remain unchanged (except those in -nis, which make -nisses).
• Other nouns in -s, -ß, -x, -z take -es.
• Nouns ending in a vowel or in unstressed -el, -em, -en, -er, -or, -um take -s. (Only those in a diphthong or in -h allow -es, alternatively.)
• Nouns forming their plural in -s take the same ending also in the genitive singular. (Apparent exceptions will generally have an alternative plural in -e.)

Otherwise, both forms are usually correct, but certain tendencies can be observed:

• The es-form is strongly preferred in a number of frequently used monosyllables, to the degree that the s-form may even sound odd. No hard rule can be given to identify these nouns; they include e.g. Land, Mann, Weg, etc.
• The es-form is also preferred, for euphonic reasons, in words ending in certain clusters like -pf, -sch, -st.
• Most other monosyllables have no clear preference.
• The s-form is usually preferred in polysyllables, regardless of their being simple or compound and regardless also of stress patterns.

Note, finally, that there is a fairly strong tendency for proper nouns (used with the article) and for newer or less common loanwords to remain unchanged in the genitive singular.

Etymology 2

Probably derived from the genitive -s (etymology 1), but developed into a noun-forming suffix in German Low German and Central German dialects.

Suffix

-s m

1. used to form nouns from verb stems

   ‎klacken + ‎-s → ‎Klacks

   ‎schnappen + ‎-s → ‎Schnaps

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Middle Low German [Term?]. Reinforced by the fact that French and English also use -s as a plural suffix.

Alternative forms

• -'s (now proscribed)
• -ens (family names ending with a sibilant consonant)

Suffix

-s

1. Used to form the plurals of some nouns.
2. Used to form the plurals of personal names, particularly family names.

Usage notes

• The plural ending -s is most typical of loanwords (as in Schals, Parfüms, Videos), though there is a tendency for naturalised loanwords to switch to -e or -en (compare Generäle, Lifte, Pizzen with older Generals, Lifts, Pizzas). Conversely, -s is also used in a certain number of native words (as in Fräuleins, Mädels, Uhus). Moreover, it is the most productive plural marker in contemporary German, typically used to pluralise initialisms (LKWs), neologisms (Honks), and words that do not otherwise have a common plural form (Streits).

See also

• -s-

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Hungarian

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ʃ]

• Audio:

  (file)

Suffix

-s

1. (adjective-forming suffix) Added to a noun to form an adjective meaning "having something, a quality"; sometimes referred to as ornative.

   só (“salt”) → sós (“salty”)

2. (noun-forming suffix) Added to a noun to form an occupation or a collective noun.

   hajó (“ship”) → hajós (“sailor”)

3. (number-forming suffix) Added to an ordinal number to form a digit or figure, cf. the relevant template.

   nulla (“zero”) → nullás (“the digit or figure 0”)

Usage notes

• (all senses) Harmonic variants:

  -s is added to words ending in a vowel. Final -a changes to -á-. Final -e changes to -é-.

  -os is added to some back vowel words ending in a consonant

  -as is added to other back vowel words ending in a consonant

  -es is added to unrounded front vowel words ending in a consonant

  -ös is added to rounded front vowel words ending in a consonant

Derived terms

Hungarian adjectives suffixed with -s

Hungarian nouns suffixed with -s

See also

• Appendix:Hungarian suffixes

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Kashubian

Particle

-s

1. Appended to relative/interrogative pronouns to form indefinite pronouns

Derived terms

• chtos

---

Lushootseed

Suffix

-s

1. his, hers, theirs

---

Manx

Alternative forms

• -ish, -sh

Suffix

-s

1. -self (emphatic)

Usage notes

• Added to prepositional pronouns (ending in a broad consonant) to add emphasis:
  • Used in first-person singular: (e.g., lhiams).
  • Used in second-person singular: (e.g., orts).

See also

• -yn
• -syn

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Middle English

Suffix

-s

1. Adverbial genitive ending, developed into the -ce at the end of some words

Descendants

• English: hence, thence, whence

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Northern Sami

Etymology 1

From Proto-Samic *-s.

Suffix

-s

1. Forms nouns indicating a material.
2. Forms nouns from numbers, indicating a group.

   ‎golbma (“three”) + ‎-s → ‎golmmas (“group of three”)

Usage notes

• This suffix triggers the weak grade on a preceding stressed syllable in the nominative singular and essive, and the strong grade in the other forms.

Inflection

Odd, no gradation
Nominative	-s
Genitive	-sa
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	-s	-sat
Accusative	-sa	-siid
Genitive	-sa	-siid
Illative	-sii	-siidda
Locative	-sis	-siin
Comitative	-siin	-siiguin
Essive	-sin
Possessive forms Singular Dual Plural 1st person -san -seamẹ -seamẹt 2nd person -sat -seattẹ -seattẹt 3rd person -sis -seaskkạ -seasẹt

Derived terms

Northern Sami terms suffixed with -s (material)

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Suffix

-s

1. Forms adverbs of manner from adjectives.

   ‎buorre (“good”) + ‎-s → ‎būres (“well”)

Usage notes

• This suffix triggers the weak grade on a preceding stressed syllable.

Derived terms

Northern Sami terms suffixed with -s (manner adverb)

Etymology 3

From Proto-Samic *-ksë. Cognate with the Finnish translative ending -ksi.

Suffix

-s

1. Forms adverbs indicating direction or a span of time.

   ‎davvi (“north”) + ‎-s → ‎davás (“northwards”)

   ‎dálvi (“winter”) + ‎-s → ‎dálvvás (“for the winter”)

Usage notes

• This suffix triggers the weak grade on a preceding stressed syllable.

Derived terms

Northern Sami terms suffixed with -s (direction adverb)

Etymology 4

From a merger of two older case endings:

• Inessive, Proto-Samic *-snē. Cognate with Finnish -ssa.
• Elative, Proto-Samic *-stē. Cognate with Finnish -sta.

Suffix

-s

1. The ending of the locative singular case.

Usage notes

• This suffix triggers the weak grade on a preceding stressed syllable.

When possessive suffixes are attached, the suffix reverts to its earlier form -st- (for even-syllable stems) or -stti- (for odd-syllable stems).

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Norwegian

Etymology 1

From Old Norse -sk, a grammaticalisation of Proto-Germanic *sek (reflexive pronoun).

Suffix

-s

1. Used to form the passive voice of verbs.

Etymology 2

From Old Norse -s, originally the genitive singular ending of a-stem nouns.

Particle

-s

1. Used to form genitive/possessive phrases, attached to the last word in a noun phrase.

Usage notes

If the last word already ends with a sibilant, only an apostrophe (-') is added. It is incorrect to use an apostrophe before the s.

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Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *-isjō, *-usjō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /s/

Suffix

-s

1. (often affects the value or quality of preceding consonants, may or may not cause i-mutation) Feminine noun suffix forming nouns from adjectives and verbs

   ‎milde (“gentle, mild”) + ‎-s → ‎milts (“mercy”) (earlier milds)

   ‎līþe (“gentle, limber”) + ‎-s → ‎liss (“grace”) (earlier liþs)

   ‎cweþan (“to say, speak”) + ‎-s → ‎cwiss (“a saying”) (earlier cwiþs)

Declension

Declension of -s (strong ō-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	-s	-sa, -se
accusative	-se	-sa, -se
genitive	-se	-sa
dative	-se	-sum

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Old French

Alternative forms

• -z (for most words that do not end in -e)

Suffix

-s

1. indicates a nominative singular of a masculine noun or adjective
2. indicates an oblique plural of a masculine noun or adjective
3. indicates a (nominative or oblique) plural of a feminine noun or adjective

Descendants

• Middle French: -s
  • French: -s

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Portuguese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃ/
• IPA^(key): /s/

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

• -es (after certain consonants and nasal vowels)

Suffix

-s m or f pl

1. used to form the regular plural nouns and adjectives which end in vowels
   • 2007, J. K. Rowling, translated by Lia Wyler, Harry Potter e as Relíquias da Morte [Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows] (Harry Potter; 7), Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, →ISBN, page 308:

     Você notou os cabelos dela, são negros e brilhantes e macios...

     Did you notice her hair, it's dark and bright and soft...

Usage notes

-s vs. -es vs. non-use:

• After l ([ɫ] [l], [w]), -s is used and the l is replaced with i ([j]): pastel → pastéis, capital → capitais,
  • A scattering of exceptions have or allow -es after l, the most common being mal → males
  • After stressed il, -s is used and the l is dropped: hostil → hostis, canil → canis
  • After unstressed il, the ending becomes -eis: réptil → répteis, projétil → projéteis
  • In sporadic and strongly proscribed Brazilian usage, the same rules are applied to words that end in a vowel + u or o ([w]): degrau → *degrais, troféu → *troféis
• After s:
  • -es if the word is stressed in the last syllable: convés → conveses, anis → anises
  • not used otherwise: status → status, íris → íris
• after m, -s is used and the m becomes s; this is an orthographic process, since in both cases the final consonant marks vowel nasalisation
• after n, either, but -es is more common in dialects where it is produced as /n/ rather than vowel nasalisation: hífen → hifens or hífenes
• after r and z, -es is used
• after vowels and semivowels, -s is used
  • the plural words ending in -ão can be -ões (by far the most common), -ãos (usually masculines with a feminine in -ã) or -ães (only a handful of words)
• loanwords usually follow the same rules: mouse → mouses, ópera → óperas
  • in recent English loanwords ending in r, and occasionally in loans from other languages, -s is used: player → players
  • unadapted loanwords ending in unusual consonants usually take -s or no morpheme: ankh → ankhs, flood → floods, spam → spam or spams
  • rarely, and often alongside a regular form, the plural from the original language is used: campus → campi (also campus), mafioso → mafiosi (more commonly mafiosos), gol → gols (very rarely goles or gois)
  • after x, Hellenisms and Latinisms are usually unchanged (following the rule for words ending in s), but sometimes have -es and the x becomes c (/s/), especially in Brazilian Portuguese: tórax → tórax, clímax → clímax or clímaces
• more often than not, surnames do not take an extra morpheme in the plural; when they do, they are usually Portuguese surnames with recognisable Portuguese morphemes: o Ferreira → os Ferreira or os Ferreiras
• names of peoples that do not contain Portuguese endings usually do not take the plural morpheme: polaco → polacos; ashanti → ashanti or ashantis (less common)

In informal varieties of Brazilian Portuguese, a noun phrase may take a single plural marker, usually in the article. For example, “the big houses” may be as casa grande where standard Portuguese requires as casas grandes. This usage is very widespread, however, it is proscribed and generally regarded as unacceptable in formal contexts and in serious writing.

In some words that end in O and have a stressed /o/ in the penult, the stressed vowel becomes /ɔ/ in the plural. See Category:Portuguese nouns with metaphonic plurals.

Colloquial Brazilian Portuguese allows /j/ to be added before /s/ is words stressed in their final syllables. This is blocked by morpheme boundaries, such that nós (“we”) may be pronounced /nɔjs/, but nós (“knots”) can only be pronounced as /nɔs/. Vocês (and colloquial forms cê and ocê) is an exception to this rule, and can be pronounced /voˈsejs/. Note that this process is usually avoided avoided in formal speech.

Etymology 2

Suffix

-s

1. (Brazil, slang) used to form slangier forms of certain words

   ‎foi mal (“sorry”) + ‎-s → ‎foi mals (“soz”)

   ‎grande coisa (“big deal”) + ‎-s → ‎grandes coisa (“biggie”)

   ‎valeu (“thank you”) + ‎-s → ‎valeus (“thanks”)

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Quechua

Alternative forms

• (after consonants) -si
• -sh

Suffix

-s

1. Evidential suffix, second-hand information. Indicates that the speaker has not directly experienced the information at hand; hearsay

   Qusqumantas kanki.

   (They say that) you are from Cusco.

   Inisqa qayna ñañantas watukusqan.

   Inez visited her sister yesterday (so I heard).

See also

• -m/-mi

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Spanish

Suffix

-s

1. Used to form the regular plural of nouns which end in vowels.

   amigo (“friend”) → amigos (“friends”)

   cocina (“kitchen”) → cocinas (“kitchens”)

Related terms

• -es

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Swedish

Etymology 1

From Old Norse -s, originally the genitive singular ending of a-stem nouns.

Clitic

-s

1. Used to form possessive phrases, attached to the last word in a noun phrase.

Etymology 2

From Old Norse -sk, a grammaticalisation of Proto-Germanic *sek (reflexive pronoun).

Suffix

-s

1. Used to form the passive voice of verbs.

Etymology 3

Mostly from English -s.

Suffix

-s

1. (colloquial, often proscribed) Used to form the plural form of some words, mostly loanwords

   partner → partners

   fan → fans

See also

• -sar

Etymology 4

Originally from Old Swedish -s, a genitive suffix. Many of the examples are later analogically derived from each other.

Suffix

-s

1. Used to derive some adverbs from nouns or adjectives

   ‎söndag (“Sunday”) + ‎-s → ‎i söndags (“last Sunday”)

Alternative forms

• -as, -se, -es

Derived terms

-s

• ens
• i aftons
• i fredags
• i jåns
• i lördags
• i måndags
• i onsdags
• i söndags
• i tisdags
• i torsdags
• inomlands
• inrikes
• långs
• nyss
• tids nog
• tvärs
• utomlands
• utrikes

 

-as

• i höstas
• i julas
• i påskas
• i somras
• i vintras
• i våras

 

-se

• i afse
• i morse

 

-es

• alldeles
• framledes
• -ledes

 

References

-s in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)