들 (deul): How Korean Plurals Actually Work
Written and reviewed by Jun and Jin, native Korean speakers
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After this page, you can use 들 (deul) correctly — how Korean plurals actually work.
10-second answer
How do you say deul (들) in Korean?
들 (deul) is Korean's plural marker, roughly like English -s. But unlike English, it's often OPTIONAL — context, numbers, or plain common sense frequently make plurality obvious without 들, so Korean speakers skip it constantly. Adding 들 to every plural noun the way English requires -s actually sounds unnatural.
Quick check — did that land?
1. Is 들 required on every plural Korean noun?
친구들, 사람들! 그런데 숫자가 있으면 들은 자주 생략해요.
How 들 Attaches
친구들
chingudeul
friends
친구 (friend) + 들
사람들
saramdeul
people
사람 (person) + 들
See also: Korean Particles, Complete Guide
When Korean Skips It Entirely
Once a number is already in the sentence, plurality is already obvious — so 들 usually isn't added. This is the same logic you saw with the shortened counting forms: 사과 세 개 ("three apples") doesn't need 사과들 세 개; the number alone is doing the job.
This is exactly why textbook-style plurals can sound stiff in Korean — native speakers often drop 들 entirely when context already makes the plural obvious, even without a number in the sentence.
들 on Pronouns and Places, Too
들 isn't limited to ordinary nouns. It attaches to pronouns for emphasis — 우리들 ("we," emphasized) — and even shows up colloquially on other words, like a casual 여기들 있어요? ("are you all here?").
Three Different 들: Suffix, Particle and List Word
Korean dictionaries actually list three separate 들, and telling them apart clears up most of the confusion. The Standard Korean Language Dictionary (표준국어대사전) records a plural suffix, a particle and a dependent noun — same sound, different jobs:
| Which 들 | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -들 (suffix) | Makes a countable noun or pronoun plural. Written attached. | 사람들 (saramdeul, people), 너희들 (neohuideul, you all) |
| 들 (particle) | Attaches to a word that isn't the subject — an adverb, a verb form, even a greeting — to show that the subject is more than one person. Written attached. | 안녕들 하세요? (annyeongdeul haseyo?, "Are you all well?"), 빨리들 와 (ppallideul wa, "Come quickly, all of you") |
| 들 (dependent noun) | Closes a list: "…and so on." Written with a space; it means the same as 등. | 사과, 배, 감 들 (sagwa, bae, gam deul — apples, pears, persimmons and the like) |
A native speaker's rule of thumb: you can leave this 들 out and the sentence is still correct. Adding it just makes clear that you're talking to more than one person.
The particle is the one you hear without noticing. 다들 (dadeul, "everyone") is 다 (all) + 들, and it turns up constantly in casual speech. In each case 들 points at a plural subject rather than pluralizing the word it's stuck to — 빨리 (quickly) obviously can't become "quicklies." The greeting version is covered on the 안녕 page.
어서들 와서 앉아.
eoseodeul waseo anja.
Come on in and sit down, everyone.
어서 (come on) + 들 — said to several guests or friends arriving at once.
다들 준비는 잘하고 있어?
dadeul junbineun jalhago isseo?
Is everyone getting ready okay?
다 (all) + 들 — asking a whole group before an event.
조용히들 좀 해라, 방해되잖아.
joyonghideul jom haera, banghaedoejana.
Quiet down, all of you — you're being a distraction.
조용히 (quietly) + 들 — telling several noisy people at once.
늦지 않게들 오세요.
neutji ankedeul oseyo.
Please don't be late, everyone.
-게 (so that) + 들 — a reminder to everyone attending a gathering.
Spacing tip
The suffix and the particle are written attached (친구들, 안녕들); only the list-closing 들 takes a space (사과, 배 들). If you're unsure at the end of a list, 등 (deung) means the same thing and is always a safe choice.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Adding 들 to every plural noun like English -s
Once a number or clear context already shows plurality, 들 is often redundant and can sound over-explained.
Mistake #2 — Assuming 들 only attaches to nouns
It can also attach to pronouns, and — as a separate particle — to adverbs and verb forms to show that the subject is plural: 빨리들 와 ("come quickly, all of you").
Quick Answers
Do I have to add 들 (deul) to every plural noun?
No. 들 is often optional in Korean, and adding it to every plural noun the way English requires -s sounds unnatural.
Do I use 들 (deul) after a number?
Usually not. Once a number is in the sentence plurality is already clear, so 사과 세 개 (sagwa se gae, “three apples”) doesn't need 사과들.
Can 들 (deul) go on pronouns?
Yes. It attaches to pronouns for emphasis, as in 우리들 (urideul, “we,” emphasized), and shows up colloquially on other words too.
Mini Quiz
2 short questions — about 1 minute
2. What does 친구들 mean?
3. Why might "사과들 세 개" sound unnatural?
Part of Korean Grammar Basics — Particles, Tense, and Negation
Related Knowledge
Learn Next
은/는 vs 이/가: What's the Difference?
You now know 들 is optional — the next particle puzzle is the one everyone trips on: topic 은/는 versus subject 이/가.
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