Understanding Noun Number in Português
In Portuguese, nouns can be singular or plural. Singular means one, and plural means more than one. Just like in English, we change the form of the noun to show if we're talking about one thing or many things.
Important Points
- Most nouns add an 's' to make them plural.
- Nouns ending in 'r', 'z', or 's' usually add 'es'.
- Nouns ending in 'm' change to 'ns'.
- Nouns ending in 'ão' can change to 'ões', 'ães', or 'ãos'.
- Nouns ending in 'al', 'el', 'ol', or 'ul' change to 'ais', 'eis', 'óis', or 'uis'.
Sometimes, the way a word changes to plural can be tricky, but with practice, it becomes easier. Remember, the ending of the word often tells you how to make it plural.
Examples
- carro -> carros
- flor -> flores
- animal -> animais
Some nouns don't follow the usual rules and have irregular plural forms. It's important to memorize these exceptions.
Examples
- cão -> cães
- pão -> pães
- mão -> mãos
The more you practice, the better you'll get at recognizing and using the correct noun forms. Try to read and listen to Portuguese as much as possible to see these forms in action.