{"id":69,"date":"2009-03-11T17:23:12","date_gmt":"2009-03-11T21:23:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/?p=69"},"modified":"2009-03-11T17:23:12","modified_gmt":"2009-03-11T21:23:12","slug":"how-to-make-french-nouns-plural","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/how-to-make-french-nouns-plural\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make French Nouns Plural"},"content":{"rendered":"

Making nouns plural in the French language can be a bit more complicated than English, but perhaps not. \u00a0Just like in English, you normally add an -s<\/em><\/strong> to the written form of the singular. \u00a0I say written form, because usually the pronunciation doesn’t change one bit when using a plural noun, except for the links from the article to the noun. \u00a0But, just as in English, there are exceptions, of course.<\/p>\n

\u2192\u00a0Nouns that end in -s, -z, -x<\/em> do not change in the plural form.
\nun fils\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des fils
\nun gaz\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des gaz
\nune voix\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des voix<\/em><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2192\u00a0Nouns that end in -eau, -au, -eu<\/em> take on an -x<\/em> in the plural.<\/strong>
\nun tableau\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des tableaux
\nun tuyau\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des tuyaux
\nun jeu\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des jeux
\n<\/em>Careful!!! \u00a0There are some exceptions to this rule.\u00a0 un pneu<\/em>\u00a0\u2192\u00a0des pneus<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2192\u00a0There are seven nouns that end in -ou<\/em> which take on an –x<\/em> in the plural.<\/strong>
\nun bijou \u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des bijoux
\nun caillou\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des cailloux
\nun chou\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des choux
\nun genou\u00a0<\/em>\u2192des genoux
\nun hibou\u00a0<\/em>\u2192des hiboux
\nun joujou\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des joujoux
\nun pou\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des poux<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2192\u00a0Some nouns that end in -ail<\/em> or -al<\/em> take on -aux<\/em> in the plural.<\/strong>
\nun travail\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des travaux
\nun corail\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des coraux
\nun \u00e9mail\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des \u00e9maux
\nun vitrail\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des vitraux
\nun animal\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des animaux
\nun journal\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des journaux
\nun cheval\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des chevaux
\nun h\u00f4pital\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des h\u00f4pitaux<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2192\u00a0Others, however, follow the general add an -s<\/em> rule.<\/strong> \u00a0For example:
\nun bal\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des bals
\nun carnaval\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des carnavals
\nun festival\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des festivals<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em>\u2192\u00a0There are of course irregular plurals<\/strong>.
\nun \u0153il\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des yeux
\nun jeune homme\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des jeunes gens
\nun monsieur\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des messieurs
\nune madame\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des mesdames
\nune mademoiselle\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des mesdemoiselles
\nun ciel\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0des cieux
\n<\/em>
\n\u2192\u00a0Proper nouns do not change<\/strong> in the plural. \u00a0Only the article does<\/strong>:
\nles Goldman, les Roi, les Fabre<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u2192\u00a0However, an –s<\/em> can be added to names of artists to when referring to their work.<\/strong> \u00a0For example: un Monet\u00a0<\/em>\u2192\u00a0deux Monets<\/em> <\/em>(in other words, two Monet paintings).<\/p>\n

\u2192\u00a0Some nouns are only used in the plural form.<\/strong>\u00a0 Examples:
\nl<\/em>es environs, les gens, les m\u0153urs, les vacances<\/em> (holidays)<\/p>\n

Finally, compound nouns have all sorts of different rules, so we’ll leave them for another article.
\nTill then, Bonne soir\u00e9e <\/em>(Have a good evening).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Making nouns plural in the French language can be a bit more complicated than English, but perhaps not. \u00a0Just like in English, you normally add an -s to the written form of the singular. \u00a0I say written form, because usually the pronunciation doesn’t change one bit when using a plural noun, except for the links…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[357,374,381],"class_list":["post-69","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-grammar","tag-french-language","tag-french-nouns","tag-french-plurals"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t