De or het sirene?

Forms

Singular

de sirene

Plural

de sirenen, de sirenes

Diminutive

het sirenetje

Why de?

• No reliable spelling rule decides this one, so de sirene is learned together with the word.
• Every plural takes de, so it is de sirenen whatever the singular takes.
• Every diminutive takes het: het sirenetje.

The rules for de and het, with the exceptions

Meaning in English

1. a siren, a noisy warning device
2. a siren, a dangerous nymph of Greek mythology, luring passers-by using an irresistible song
3. a seductive but dangerous female