Making Nouns Plural

After learning about noun gender, the next essential concept is number — knowing how to form the plural of French nouns. While the most common rule is simply adding an -s, French has several important exceptions and special patterns that you need to know.

---

The Basic Rule: Add -s

For the vast majority of French nouns, the plural is formed by adding -s to the singular form. This is the same principle as English.

Singular	Plural	English
le chat	les chats	the cat(s)
la maison	les maisons	the house(s)
un livre	des livres	a book / books
une fleur	des fleurs	a flower / flowers
le garçon	les garçons	the boy(s)

Important pronunciation note: The final -s is silent in French. Chat and chats are pronounced identically — "shah." The only way to tell singular from plural in spoken French is usually through the article: le chat (singular) vs les chats (plural). This is why articles are so important in French.

---

Nouns Ending in -s, -x, or -z

Nouns that already end in -s, -x, or -z do not change in the plural. They are already "ready" for plural use.

Singular	Plural	English
le bras	les bras	the arm(s)
la voix	les voix	the voice(s)
le nez	les nez	the nose(s)
le pays	les pays	the country/countries
la noix	les noix	the nut(s) / walnut(s)
la croix	les croix	the cross(es)

---

Nouns Ending in -eau, -au, and -eu: Add -x

Nouns ending in -eau, -au, or -eu form their plural by adding -x instead of -s.

Singular	Plural	English
le chapeau	les chapeaux	the hat(s)
le gâteau	les gâteaux	the cake(s)
le bateau	les bateaux	the boat(s)
le bureau	les bureaux	the desk(s) / office(s)
le jeu	les jeux	the game(s)
le feu	les feux	the fire(s)
le noyau	les noyaux	the kernel(s) / core(s)
l'eau (f.)	les eaux	the water(s)

Exceptions: le pneu (tyre) → les pneus (adds -s, not -x); le bleu (bruise/blue) → les bleus.

---

Nouns Ending in -al: Change to -aux

Most nouns ending in -al change to -aux in the plural.

Singular	Plural	English
le journal	les journaux	the newspaper(s)
l'animal	les animaux	the animal(s)
l'hôpital	les hôpitaux	the hospital(s)
le cheval	les chevaux	the horse(s)
le canal	les canaux	the canal(s)

Exceptions that just add -s:

• le festival → les festivals
• le carnaval → les carnavals
• le bal → les bals (dance/ball)

---

Nouns Ending in -ail: Two Patterns

Most nouns ending in -ail simply add -s:

• le détail → les détails (the detail(s))
• le rail → les rails

But some important nouns ending in -ail change to -aux:

• le travail → les travaux (the work / works / roadworks)
• le vitrail → les vitraux (the stained-glass window(s))
• le corail → les coraux (the coral(s))

---

Nouns Ending in -ou: Two Patterns