Plurals
Written French adds -s; spoken French almost never pronounces it — so in speech the article carries the plural, not the noun.
The default: add -s (and don't say it)
| singular | plural | both sound like |
|---|---|---|
| le chat | les chats | /ʃa/ |
| la table | les tables | /tabl/ |
| un livre | des livres | /livʁ/ |
You hear the difference only in the article: le /lə/ vs les /le/, la vs les, un/une vs des.
Nouns already ending in -s, -x, -z: no change
| singular | plural |
|---|---|
| le fils | les fils |
| le prix | les prix |
| le nez | les nez |
-eau, -eu → add -x (still silent)
| singular | plural |
|---|---|
| le bureau | les bureaux |
| le gâteau | les gâteaux |
| le jeu | les jeux |
| le cheveu | les cheveux |
Exception: le pneu → les pneus.
-al → -aux — the one you can actually hear
| singular | plural |
|---|---|
| le journal /ʒuʁnal/ | les journaux /ʒuʁno/ |
| l'animal | les animaux |
| le cheval | les chevaux |
Exceptions keep -s: les festivals, les bals. A few -ail nouns join in: le travail → les travaux.
Seven -ou nouns take -x
bijoux, cailloux, choux, genoux, hiboux, joujoux, poux — every French child chants this list. All other -ou nouns take -s: les trous, les clous.
Irregulars worth knowing
| singular | plural | note |
|---|---|---|
| l'œil | les yeux /jø/ | completely different word |
| monsieur | messieurs | both halves pluralize |
| madame | mesdames | likewise |
| l'œuf /œf/ | les œufs /ø/ | spelling same pattern, sound changes |
Hearing plural in real speech
- The article: les, des, ces, mes all signal plural.
- Liaison: les amis /lez‿ami/, des enfants /dez‿ɑ̃fɑ̃/ — that /z/ is the plural made audible.
- The verb rarely helps: il parle and ils parlent sound identical; but il est /ilɛ/ vs ils sont /ilsɔ̃/ does.
Contrast with English
- English plural is audible (cat/cats); French plural is visible but silent — retrain your ears onto the article.
- French uses des where English uses nothing: J'ai acheté des pommes = "I bought apples".
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