Guide to the Plural of Nouns in French
In French, just like in English, we use plural nouns to talk about more than one thing. Making nouns plural in French can be a little different from English, but once you learn the rules, it's easy! Let's explore how to turn singular nouns into plural nouns.
Basic Rule for Most Nouns
For most nouns in French, you make them plural by adding an 's' at the end of the word. This is similar to how we do it in English. But remember, in French, the 's' is usually silent.
Examples
- chien becomes chiens
- chat becomes chats
- maison becomes maisons
Nouns Ending in -eau, -eu, or -au
For nouns that end in -eau, -eu, or -au, we add 'x' instead of 's' to make them plural.
Examples
- château becomes châteaux
- jeu becomes jeux
- bureau becomes bureaux
Nouns that end in -al usually change to -aux in the plural form. But be careful, because there are some exceptions to this rule.
Examples
- animal becomes animaux
- journal becomes journaux
- cheval becomes chevaux
Nouns Ending in -s, -x, or -z
If a noun already ends in -s, -x, or -z, you don't need to add anything. The word stays the same in the plural form.
Examples
- bras stays bras
- prix stays prix
- nez stays nez
Some nouns have irregular plural forms that you just have to remember because they don't follow the usual rules.
Examples
- oeil becomes yeux
- travail becomes travaux
- bijou becomes bijoux
Important Points
- Add 's' to most nouns
- Add 'x' to nouns ending in -eau, -eu, or -au
- Change -al to -aux
- No change for nouns ending in -s, -x, or -z
- Memorize irregular plurals