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In French, a noun is always either singular or plural.
It is usually introduced by a determiner, which reflects the number of the noun.
regular plural formation
As in English, the plural is formed by adding an -s to the singular form of the noun.
Note, however, that the -s is not pronounced.
In spoken language, the determiner is often the only indication that a noun is singular or plural.
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| Tex est un tatou. Tex et Tammy sont des tatous. |
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Tex is an armadillo. Tex and Tammy are armadillos. |
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nouns ending in -s, -x, -z in the singular
Nouns ending in -s, -x, or -z do not change in the plural. For example:
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| Tex a un long nez. Les tatous ont toujours de longs nez. |
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Tex has a long nose. Armadillos always have long noses. |
| Joe-Bob est un écureuil. Les écureuils adorent les noix. Joe-Bob mange au moins une noix par jour. |
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Joe-Bob is a squirrel. Squirrels adore nuts. Joe-Bob eats at least one nut every day. |
| Bette est une chatte. Les chats mangent des souris. Est-ce que Bette a jamais mangé une souris? |
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Bette is a cat. Cats eat mice. Has Bette ever eaten a mouse? |
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nouns ending in -al, -ail, -au, -eu, -eau, -ou in the singular
Nouns ending in -al, -ail, or -au in the singular end in -aux in the plural. For example:
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| Edouard est un animal distingué. Corey et Fiona ne sont pas des animaux, ce sont des insectes peu sociables! |
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Edouard is a distinguished animal. Corey et Fiona are not animals. They are unsociable insects! |
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There are a few exceptions: un bal (ball, dance), des bals; un carnaval (carnival), des carnavals;
un festival (festival), des festivals; un récital (recital), des récitals.
Nouns ending in -eu or -eau in the singular add -x in the plural. For example:
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| Edouard n'a pas un seul cheveu. Bien sûr, c'est un escargot! Mais Tammy a les cheveux longs. C'est une tatou extraordinaire! |
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Edouard does not have one single hair. Of course, he's a snail. But Tammy has long hair. She's an extraordinary armadillo! |
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Nouns ending in -ou end in -oux in the plural:
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| un bijou (jewel), des bijoux |
| un caillou (stone, pebble), des cailloux |
| un chou (cabbage), des choux |
| un genou (knee), des genoux |
| un hibou (owl), des hiboux |
| un pou (louse), des poux |
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Exceptions include: un clou (nail), des clous; un sou (money), des sous;
un trou (hole), des trous.
irregular plurals
Some nouns have an alternate form in the plural:
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| un oeil (eye), des yeux |
| Madame (Madam), Mesdames |
| Monsieur (Sir), Messieurs |
| Mademoiselle (Miss), Mesdemoiselles |
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Note that some nouns follow the regular rule of plural formation but are pronounced differently in the plural.
For example, the -f is pronounced in the singular, but not in the plural. Listen:
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| un oeuf (egg), des oeufs |
| un boeuf (steer), des boeufs |
| un os (bone), des os |
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Listen to the dialogue:
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| Corey: Dis Bette, tu as déjà mangé une souris? |
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Corey: Bette, have you ever eaten a mouse? |
| Bette: Oh oui! J'aime les souris! Et aussi les rats, les oiseaux, les lézards. Je ne mange jamais de végétaux, mais quelquefois des insectes ... |
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Bette: Oh yes! I love mice! And rats, birds and lizards too! I never eat plants, but sometimes insects ... |
| Corey: Des insectes! Allez, au revoir. |
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Corey: Insects! Alright, bye-bye. |
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