Making Nouns Plural in French

This section explains how to make nouns plural in French and includes tips for students studying foundation and higher tiers. In French, to make a noun plural, the form of the noun and sometimes the article (the word for "the" or "a") changes. Unlike in English, where you simply add an "s," the rules for pluralisation in French can vary depending on the ending of the noun.

General Rule: Add -s

The most common way to form the plural of a noun is by adding -s at the end of the word. This is similar to English, where you generally add an "s" to make a noun plural.

Examples:

• Le livre (the book) → Les livres (the books)
• Un chien (a dog) → Des chiens (dogs)
• Un garçon (a boy) → Des garçons (boys)

Nouns Ending in -s, -x, or -z

If a noun already ends in -s, -x, or -z, it does not change in the plural form. The plural is the same as the singular.

Examples:

• Le nez (the nose) → Les nez (the noses)
• Un prix (a prize) → Des prix (prizes)
• Le choix (the choice) → Les choix (the choices)

Nouns Ending in -eau, -au, -eu

For nouns that end in -eau, -au, or -eu, add -x to form the plural.

Examples:

• Le château (the castle) → Les châteaux (the castles)
• Un bateau (a boat) → Des bateaux (boats)
• Un jeu (a game) → Des jeux (games)
• Un feu (a fire) → Des feux (fires)

Nouns Ending in -al

Nouns that end in -al typically change to -aux in the plural form.

Examples:

• Un animal (an animal) → Des animaux (animals)
• Le journal (the newspaper) → Les journaux (the newspapers)
• Un cheval (a horse) → Des chevaux (horses)

Nouns Ending in -ail

Some nouns ending in -ail change to -aux in the plural, but not all. There are some exceptions to this rule.

Examples:

• Un travail (a job) → Des travaux (jobs/work)
• Un portail (a gate) → Des portails (gates)
• Un détail (a detail) → Des détails (details)

Nouns Ending in -e

Many nouns that end in -e form the plural by adding -s, just like most other nouns. However, there are some exceptions, as seen in the irregular plural rules.

Examples:

• Une table (a table) → Des tables (tables)
• La porte (the door) → Les portes (the doors)

Compound Nouns

In compound nouns (nouns made up of two or more words), the plural is generally formed by making the first word plural, or sometimes both words plural, depending on the noun.

Examples:

• Un grand-père (a grandfather) → Des grands-pères (grandfathers)
• Un porte-monnaie (a wallet) → Des porte-monnaies (wallets)
• Un après-midi (an afternoon) → Des après-midis (afternoons)

Nouns with Irregular Plurals

Some French nouns have irregular plural forms and do not follow the general rules. These need to be memorised.

Examples:

• Un œil (an eye) → Des yeux (eyes)
• Un travail (a job) → Des travaux (works)
• Un ciel (a sky) → Des cieux (skies)

Changing the Article: Singular vs. Plural

When a noun becomes plural, the article also changes. The singular articles "le", "la", and "un" change to "les" (the plural form of "the") and "des" (the plural form of "a").

Examples:

• Le chien (the dog) → Les chiens (the dogs)
• Une maison (a house) → Des maisons (houses)
• La voiture (the car) → Les voitures (the cars)
• Un homme (a man) → Des hommes (men)

Higher Tier: Special Plural Forms

Some words, particularly foreign words, may not follow the usual rules. Also, some words change in unexpected ways, requiring memorisation.

Examples:

• Un virus (a virus) → Des virus (viruses)
• Un jazz (a jazz) → Des jazz (jazzes)

To make nouns plural in French, there are several rules to follow, including adding -s, -x, or changing the ending entirely, as in the cases of -al to -aux or -eau to -eaux. It is essential to memorise irregular plurals and exceptions. When the noun becomes plural, the article changes as well, and this affects the sentence structure.

Tip for Memorisation:

For irregular plurals or tricky cases, try grouping nouns by their endings or practicing with flashcards to help you remember the rules. Also, note that pronunciation doesn't always change in the plural form – for example, les animaux (the animals) is pronounced the same as les animal.