French Plural Nouns - Learn French Help

French Plural Nouns

French Plural Nouns formation

French nouns add -S to form their plural. Here are their exceptions

Plural nouns ending -S, -X, -Z don’t changed

Le tas = les tas – heap La croix = les croix – cross Le nez = les nez – nose

Nouns ending -AU, -EAU, -EU add –X

Le tuyau = les tuyaux – drainpipe Le gâteau = les gâteaux – cake Le neveu = les neveux – nephew

Exceptions

Le bleu = les bleus – bruise Le pneu = les pneus – tyre

French Plural Nouns ending –AL change to -AUX

Le corail = les coraux – coral L’émail = les émaux – enamel Le travail = les travaux – work Le vitrail = les vitraux – stained glass window

Nouns endings -OU add -X (instead of -S)

Le bijou = les bijoux – jewel Le caillou = les cailloux – pebble Le chou = les choux – cabbage Le genou = les genoux – knee Le hibou = les hiboux – owl Le joujou = les joujoux – toy Le pou = les poux – louse

Irregular plural

L’aïeul = les aïeux – ancestor Le bonhomme = les bonshommes – fellow Le ciel = les cieux –sky L’oeil = les yeux – eye Madame = Mesdames – Mrs Mademoiselle = Mesdemoiselles – Miss Monsieur = Messieurs – Mr

French Plural Nouns of compound nouns

Compound nouns written as a single word, the French Plural Nouns are -S

Le pourboire = les pourboires – tip

Compound nouns formed of an adjective plus a noun or two nouns, both add -S

La belle-mère = les belles mères – mother in law Le chou fleur = les choux fleurs – cauliflower

Compound noun formed of a noun plus a prepositional phrase, only the noun adds -S

Un arc en ciel = des arcs en ciel – rainbow

Compound nouns formed of a nouns preceded by a preposition, the French Plural Nouns are the same as singular

Le hors d’oeuvre = les hors d’oeuvre – starter

Compound nouns formed of a verb plus its object noun, the noun adds -S

Le tire bouchon = les tires bouchons – corkscrew Un essuie glace = des essuie glaces – windscreen wiper

Exceptions, compounds of this kind don’t change in the plural

Le coupe circuit = les coupe circuit – circuit breaker

Compound nouns formed without a noun component, the French Plural Nouns are the same as the singular

Le passe partout = les passe partout – master key

Singular for French Plural Nouns

Plural in English but singular in French

Le bétail – cattle La famille – family La police – police

Singular in English but plural in French

Les funérailles – funeral Les nouvelles – news Les fiançailles – engagement Les progrès – progress

To look at more grammar lessons like French Plural Nouns, click here More French Grammar Lessons Accelerated French Vocab Learning | French Colors | Compound Tense French | Demonstrative Pronouns | French Comparative Superlative Adjectives | French Comparative Superlative Adverbs | French Conditional Present | French Future Tense | French Gestures | French Grammar Lessons | French Greetings | French Imperfect Indicative | French Imperfect Subjunctive | French Indicative Present | French Infinitives | French Interrogatives | French Passe Simple | French Present Participle | French Subjunctive Tense | French Proverbs | French Reflexive Pronouns | French Grammar Terms | Indefinite Article | Introduce Yourself | To Love In French | French Verbs Learn French Help Copyright 2005.

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