Language plural rules

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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