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(2) If the noun is ending in 's', 'x', or 'z', it remains the same in the plural:
However, the article accompanying it will change:
eg. le nez (nose) - les nez
le palais (palace) - les palais
le fils (son) - les fils
le pays (country) - les pays
le prix (prize, price) - les prix
(3) Nouns ending in 'eau', ‘ou’, ‘eu’, ‘au’ form their plural by adding an 'x' to
the singular:
E.g. le manteau (coat) - les manteaux
le chapeau (hat) - les chapeaux
le bateau (boat) - les bateaux
le gâteau (cake) - les gâteaux
le château (castle) - les châteaux
l'oiseau (bird) - les oiseaux
le cadeau (gift) - les cadeaux
le bijou (jewel) - les bijoux
le genou (knee) - les genoux
le chou (cabbage) - les choux
le jeu (game) - les jeux
le feu (fire) - les feux (fires) (pl. also means traffic lights).
le cheveu (hair) - les cheveux
le neveu (nephew) - les neveux
Exceptions:
le trou (hole) - les trous
le sou (penny) - les sous
le cou (neck) - les cous
le clou (nail) - les clous
(6) The plural of a surname does not take an 's' as in English (eg:
Khannas). However, the article becomes plural (eg. Les Vincent - The
Vincents).
Some irregular plurals
In french, while converting from singular to plural, note that only the nouns but also the
corresponding articles (definite or indefinite) and the adjectives describing the nouns,
will change to the Plural. The verb will also change according to the new subject.
Thus:
Le, la or l’ (The) change to les
Un, une (A, An) des (some)
Je (I) Nous (We)
Tu (You) Vous (You)
Il/Elle (He, She, It) Ils/Elles (They)
The Demonstrative Adjectives - Ce, Cet and Cette (This): All change to Ces (These).
Note: De and à on their own do not change to des and are prepositions and not
contracted articles.
Examples:
1. (Singular) : Il a un stylo noir avec lui.
(Plural) : Ils ont des stylos noirs avec eux.
Note: ‘Des’ will change to de because there is an adjective in the plural before the noun.
However, if the adjective is after the noun, 'des' does not change to 'de the fou Note:
Certain phrases do not change in the plural, such as:
1. 'en francais' (in French), 'en allemand' (in German)- These refer to the language and
not to the people. However, Le Français (the French man) will change to Les Français -
The French Men.
2. 'en or' (made of gold) or 'en argent' (made of silver). in the plural.
Examples:
1. (Singular) : Il écrit à son ami en allemand, n'est-ce pas ? (He writes to his friend in
German, doesn't he?)
2. (Singular) : Voici un beau bijou, en argent. (Here is a beautiful jewel, made of silver.),