Language plural rules
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Every language has its own rules for handling plurals. Some languages have only 2 plural categories, like “one” & “other” for English, some languages have 4 categories, like “one”, “few”, “many” & “other” for Russian, etc. But even if languages have the same categories, it does not mean those categories will be used for the same numbers. You can compare “Applies when the number is” columns in the tables below for different languages.
Knowing all these complexities around determining what plural format should be used for what number, it is better to leave that out to software libraries or frameworks that already have such support.
Translating plural texts with editor
Having all those plural rules in mind while translating the texts is not easy.
Localizely has translation editor that guides you with plural support for each language as shown in the screenshot below.
Singular & plural rules per language
Arabic
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| zero | ٠ كتاب ٠٫٠٠٠٠ كتاب | 0 0.0, 0.00, 0.000, 0.0000 |
| one | ولد واحد حضر ولد واحد حضر | 1 1.0, 1.00, 1.000, 1.0000 |
| two | ولدان حضرا ولدان حضرا | 2 2.0, 2.00, 2.000, 2.0000 |
| few | ٣ أولاد حضروا ٣٫٠ أولاد حضروا | 3~10, 103~110, 1003, … 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0, 10.0, 103.0, 1003.0, … |
| many | ١١ ولدًا حضروا ١١٫٠ ولدًا حضروا | 11~26, 111, 1011, … 11.0, 12.0, 13.0, 14.0, 15.0, 16.0, 17.0, 18.0, 111.0, 1011.0, … |
| other | ١٠٠ ولد حضروا ٠٫١ ولد حضروا | 100~102, 200~202, 300~302, 400~402, 500~502, 600, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.1~0.9, 1.1~1.7, 10.1, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Bulgarian
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 ден 1,0 ден | 1 1.0, 1.00, 1.000, 1.0000 |
| other | 2 дена 0,9 дена | 0, 2~16, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~0.9, 1.1~1.6, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Chinese
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| other | 15 天 1.5 天 | 0~15, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Czech
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 den | 1 |
| few | 2 dny | 2~4 |
| many | 1,5 dne | 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
| other | 5 dní | 0, 5~19, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … |
Danish
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 dag 0,1 dag | 1 0.1~1.6 |
| other | 2 dage 2,0 dage | 0, 2~16, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0, 2.0~3.4, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Dutch
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 dag | 1 |
| other | 2 dagen 1,5 dagen | 0, 2~16, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
English
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 day | 1 |
| other | 2 days 1.5 days | 0, 2~16, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Finnish
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 päivä | 1 |
| other | 2 päivää 1,5 päivää | 0, 2~16, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
French
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 jour 1,5 jour | 0, 1 0.0~1.5 |
| other | 2 jours 2,0 jours | 2~17, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 2.0~3.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
German
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 Tag | 1 |
| other | 2 Tage 1,5 Tage | 0, 2~16, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Greek
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 ημέρα 1,0 ημέρα | 1 1.0, 1.00, 1.000, 1.0000 |
| other | 2 ημέρες 0,9 ημέρες | 0, 2~16, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~0.9, 1.1~1.6, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Hebrew
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | שנה | 1 |
| two | שנתיים | 2 |
| many | 20 שנה | 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … |
| other | 3 שנים 1.5 שנים | 0, 3~17, 101, 1001, … 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Hungarian
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | A kosár tartalma: 1 X. Megveszi? A kosár tartalma: 1,0 X. Megveszi? | 1 1.0, 1.00, 1.000, 1.0000 |
| other | A kosár tartalma: 2 X. Megveszi őket? A kosár tartalma: 0,9 X. Megveszi őket? | 0, 2~16, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~0.9, 1.1~1.6, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Indonesian
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| other | 15 hari 1,5 hari | 0~15, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Italian
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 giorno | 1 |
| other | 2 giorni 1,5 giorni | 0, 2~16, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Japanese
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| other | 15日 1.5日 | 0~15, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Korean
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| other | 15일 1.5일 | 0~15, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Malay
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| other | 15 hari 1.5 hari | 0~15, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Norwegian
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 dag 1,0 dag | 1 1.0, 1.00, 1.000, 1.0000 |
| other | 2 dager 0,9 dager | 0, 2~16, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~0.9, 1.1~1.6, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Polish
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 miesiąc | 1 |
| few | 2 miesiące | 2~4, 22~24, 32~34, 42~44, 52~54, 62, 102, 1002, … |
| many | 5 miesięcy | 0, 5~19, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … |
| other | 1,5 miesiąca | 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Portuguese
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 dia 1,5 dia | 0, 1 0.0~1.5 |
| other | 2 dias 2,0 dias | 2~17, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 2.0~3.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Romanian
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 zi | 1 |
| few | 2 zile 1,5 zile | 0, 2~16, 102, 1002, … 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
| other | 20 de zile | 20~35, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … |
Russian
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | из 1 книги за 1 день | 1, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81, 101, 1001, … |
| few | из 2 книг за 2 дня | 2~4, 22~24, 32~34, 42~44, 52~54, 62, 102, 1002, … |
| many | из 5 книг за 5 дней | 0, 5~19, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … |
| other | из 1,5 книги за 1,5 дня | 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Serbian
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 сат 0,1 сат | 1, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81, 101, 1001, … 0.1, 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1, 10.1, 100.1, 1000.1, … |
| few | 2 сата 0,2 сата | 2~4, 22~24, 32~34, 42~44, 52~54, 62, 102, 1002, … 0.2~0.4, 1.2~1.4, 2.2~2.4, 3.2~3.4, 4.2~4.4, 5.2, 10.2, 100.2, 1000.2, … |
| other | 5 сати 0,5 сати | 0, 5~19, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0, 0.5~1.0, 1.5~2.0, 2.5~2.7, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Slovak
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 deň | 1 |
| few | 2 dni | 2~4 |
| many | 1,5 dňa | 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
| other | 5 dní | 0, 5~19, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … |
Spanish
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 día 1,0 día | 1 1.0, 1.00, 1.000, 1.0000 |
| other | 2 días 0,9 días | 0, 2~16, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~0.9, 1.1~1.6, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Swedish
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | om 1 dag | 1 |
| other | om 2 dagar om 1,5 dagar | 0, 2~16, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Tagalog
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 3 mansanas 0.3 mansanas | 0~3, 5, 7, 8, 10~13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.8, 1.0~1.3, 1.5, 1.7, 1.8, 2.0, 2.1, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
| other | 4 na mansanas 0.4 na mansanas | 4, 6, 9, 14, 16, 19, 24, 26, 104, 1004, … 0.4, 0.6, 0.9, 1.4, 1.6, 1.9, 2.4, 2.6, 10.4, 100.4, 1000.4, … |
Thai
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| other | 15 วัน 1.5 วัน | 0~15, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Turkish
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | Sepetinizde 1 X var. Bunu almak istiyor musunuz? Sepetinizde 1,0 X var. Bunu almak istiyor musunuz? | 1 1.0, 1.00, 1.000, 1.0000 |
| other | Sepetinizde 2 X var. Bunları almak istiyor musunuz? Sepetinizde 0,9 X var. Bunları almak istiyor musunuz? | 0, 2~16, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~0.9, 1.1~1.6, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Ukrainian
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| one | 1 день | 1, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81, 101, 1001, … |
| few | 2 дні | 2~4, 22~24, 32~34, 42~44, 52~54, 62, 102, 1002, … |
| many | 5 днів | 0, 5~19, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … |
| other | 1,5 дня | 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
Vietnamese
| Category | Examples | Applies when the number is |
|---|---|---|
| other | Rẽ vào lối rẽ thứ 15 bên phải. Rẽ vào lối rẽ thứ 1,5 bên phải. | 0~15, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, … 0.0~1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, … |
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Resources
- What is Localizely?
- Getting started
- Localization workflow
- Translation editor
- Flutter Over-the-Air updates
- Flutter In-Context Editing
- Project branching
- Professional translation services
- Machine Translation
- AI Translation
- Translation Memory
- Glossary
- Reports and statistics
- Figma integration
- AWS S3 integration
- GitHub integration
- GitLab integration
- Bitbucket integration
- CLI
- Configuration file
- Supported file formats
- Language & Country Codes
- Referral Program
- I18N Questions
- FAQ
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