Nouns and articles - plurality
If there is more than one of a The name of a thing such as an object, a place or a person. Nouns are often described as naming words., make it More than one of an item. by adding -s. For example:
- un père, deux pères – a father, two fathers
- une sœur, deux sœurs – a sister, two sisters
Some nouns have different endings when they become plural. For example:
- -al → -aux, eg un journal, deux journaux – a newspaper, two newspapers. There are some exceptions, eg un festival (festival) becomes des festivals.
- -eau → -eaux, eg un château, deux châteaux – a castle, two castles.
- -eu → -eux, eg un jeu, deux jeux – a game, two games.
- -ou → -oux, eg un bijou, deux bijoux – a jewel, two jewels.
Nouns that end in -s, -x or -z don’t change when they are plural. For example:
- un cas, deux cas – a case, two cases
- un choix, deux choix – a choice, two choices
- un gaz, des gaz (d’échappement) – a gas, (exhaust) fumes
Some nouns are always plural. For example:
- les gens - people
- les vacances - holiday
- les cheveux - hair
- les lunettes - glasses
- les actualités/les infos - the news
- les toilettes - toilet
A few nouns change completely from the Refers to only one object or person. to the plural. The most common is:
- un œil → deux yeux (one eye → two eyes)
Question
Look at the picture and fill in the blanks with the correct plural nouns.
Hier, je suis allé au supermarché, où j’ai acheté huit__________, cinq __________, six __________, deux __________, quatre__________ et trois __________.
Hier, je suis allé au supermarché, où j’ai acheté huit tomates, cinq ognons, six bananes, deux gâteaux, quatre pommes et trois journaux.
Translation
Yesterday, I went to the supermarket where I bought eight tomatoes, five onions, six bananas, two cakes, four apples and three newspapers.
Explanation
Most nouns simply need an -s to make them plural. However, nouns ending in -eau (such as gâteau) become -eaux, and words ending in -al (such as journal) become -aux.
