Plurals
Add -s to a vowel and you are usually done. The rest are worth learning as a short list.
| ending | plural | example |
|---|---|---|
| vowel | +s | casa → casas |
| -r, -z, -n | +es | flor → flores, luz → luzes |
| -m | -ns | homem → homens, jardim → jardins |
| -al, -ol, -ul | -ais, -óis, -uis | animal → animais, lençol → lençóis |
| -il (stressed) | -is | funil → funis |
| -s (stressed) | +es | país → países |
| -s (unstressed) | unchanged | o lápis → os lápis |
The -ão problem
Words ending -ão go three different ways, and there is no rule that predicts which.
- -ões (much the commonest): lição → lições, coração → corações
- -ães: pão → pães, cão → cães, alemão → alemães
- -ãos: mão → mãos, irmão → irmãos, cidadão → cidadãos
Learn the plural with the word. Nobody can work these out.
Agreement
Everything in the phrase agrees: as minhas velhas amigas portuguesas. Four words carrying the same two pieces of information.
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