Number - Nombre
This page is about the number of French nouns. If you are looking for "number" as in "numbers and digits", go to http://www.howtopronouncefrench.com/pages/digits.html and find how to spell and how to pronounce French numbers and digits.
How to make simple nouns plural: two rules apply to 99%
of French common nouns.
Most nouns are made plural by adding s
to the singular forms:
- un jour, des jours.
- une semaine, des semaines.
- un cousin, des cousins.
Nouns ending in s, x or
z are alike in both the singular and plural forms:
- un bras, des bras
- un thorax, des thorax
- un nez, des nez.
Exceptions
Among the nouns ending in -ou, model: un clou, des clous, only 7 are made plural by adding x:
- un bijou, des bijoux
- un caillou, des cailloux
- un chou, des choux
- un hibou, des hiboux
- un genou, des genoux
- un joujou, des joujoux
- un pou, des poux
Among the nouns ending in -ail, model: un détail, des détails, only 3 change to -aux to form the plural:
- un bail, des baux
- un travail, des travaux
- un vitrail, des vitraux
Compound nouns
How to make compound nouns plural is the more difficult point of French grammar. To keep it short, and avoid 90% of possible mistakes, apply these rules:
- Only nouns and adjectives may vary.
- Noun + noun: what appear most time is that either the words are both
singular, or the they are both plural
un oiseau-mouche, deux oiseaux-mouches - Noun + adjective: mostly, the two elements vary
- Verb + noun: only the noun varies
I record new videos regularly on this matter but be aware that even French grammarians have doubts about certain forms. At least, they all agree on one point: the rules of the plural must be simplified. Alas, they disagree on the way to achieve the task.