French Plurals: Add -s, -x, or Change -al to -aux
Learn to form regular French noun plurals by adding -s or -es, and practice with everyday words like livre, table, and gâteau.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In French, most nouns become plural by adding -s to the singular form. This is different from English because the final -s is usually silent. For example, 'book' becomes 'books' in English, and 'livre' becomes 'livres' in French. However, the pronunciation stays the same: /livʁ/. Nouns ending in -eau, -au, or -eu add -x instead of -s. Also, nouns ending in -al often change to -aux. In this lesson, you will learn the regular patterns for forming plurals with common nouns, so you can talk about more than one person, place, or thing.
By the end, you can…
- form the plural of regular French nouns by adding -s or -es.
- recognize and use common plural nouns in simple sentences.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
un livre
a book
uh(n) LEE-vruh
Singular masculine noun. The article 'un' means 'a' or 'one'.
des livres
books / some books
day LEE-vruh
Plural of 'un livre'. 'Des' is the plural indefinite article. The final -s is silent.
une table
a table
ewn TAH-bluh
Singular feminine noun. 'Une' means 'a' or 'one' for feminine nouns.
des tables
tables / some tables
day TAH-bluh
Plural of 'une table'. Again, the -s is not pronounced.
un gâteau
a cake
uh(n) gah-TOH
Singular masculine noun ending in -eau. This noun takes -x in the plural.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Most French nouns add -s to form the plural. For example, 'un livre' becomes 'des livres', and 'une table' becomes 'des tables'. The -s is silent, so 'livre' and 'livres' sound the same. Nouns ending in -eau, -au, or -eu add -x instead: 'un gâteau' becomes 'des gâteaux', 'un bateau' becomes 'des bateaux'. Nouns ending in -al often change to -aux: 'un journal' becomes 'des journaux'. These patterns are regular and apply to many common nouns.
When to use it
Use plural nouns when talking about more than one item. For example, 'J'ai deux livres' means 'I have two books'. Use 'des' before plural nouns to mean 'some' or unspecified plural: 'Je vois des tables' means 'I see tables' or 'I see some tables'. Remember that the plural marker -s or -x is not pronounced, so context and articles help listeners understand if you mean one or more. For nouns ending in -s, -x, or -z, the plural form is the same as the singular: 'un pois' (a pea) and 'des pois' (peas).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Tu as des livres ?
Do you have books?tew ah day LEE-vruhOui, j'ai trois livres.
Yes, I have three books.wee, zhay trwah LEE-vruhEt des gâteaux ?
And cakes?ay day gah-TOHNon, mais j'ai des tables.
No, but I have tables.noh(n), may zhay day TAH-bluhA little context goes a long way
In French, the plural -s is almost never pronounced, which can surprise English speakers. However, in liaison, a silent consonant may be pronounced before a vowel: 'des amis' sounds like 'day-zah-MEE'. This is a key feature of standard French. In Quebec, plural marking follows the same rules, but pronunciation may vary slightly. Always pay attention to articles like 'des' to identify plurals.
One thing to watch for
Pronouncing the plural -s as /s/ or /z/ at the end of words, as in English 'books'.
Try this instead: In French, the plural -s is silent. Say 'des livres' as 'day LEE-vruh', not 'day LEE-vruhz'. The only exception is liaison, where a normally silent consonant is pronounced before a vowel: 'des amis' becomes 'day-zah-MEE'.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1What is the plural of 'un stylo' (a pen)?
Show a sample answer
des stylos
'Stylo' is a regular masculine noun, so it adds -s. 'Des' is the plural indefinite article. The -s is silent.
2What is the plural of 'un château' (a castle)?
Show a sample answer
des châteaux
Nouns ending in -eau take -x in the plural. So 'château' becomes 'châteaux'. The pronunciation is the same.
3What is the plural of 'un animal' (an animal)?
Show a sample answer
des animaux
Nouns ending in -al often change to -aux. So 'animal' becomes 'animaux'. This is a common pattern, but some nouns like 'bal' take -s: 'des bals'.
To form most French plurals, add -s to the singular noun. Remember that the -s is silent. For nouns ending in -eau, -au, or -eu, add -x instead. For nouns ending in -al, change to -aux. Always use 'des' before plural nouns.
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