Plural Nouns in French

Quick Answer

Most French nouns can be singular, like le chien(the dog), or plural, like les chiens(the dogs). The main rule for making a noun plural in French is to add an -s to a singular word, but there are also some other possible plural endings. Here are some sentences showcasing French plural nouns!

examples
J’ai deux chiens, trois chats et cinq lapins ! I have two dogs, three cats, and five rabbits!
Mes parents préparent des omelettes avec des oignons, des épinards et du fromage. My parents are making omelets with onions, spinach, and cheese.

examples

J’ai deux chiens, trois chats et cinq lapins !

I have two dogs, three cats, and five rabbits!

Mes parents préparent des omelettes avec des oignons, des épinards et du fromage.

My parents are making omelets with onions, spinach, and cheese.

There are some nouns that are usually only singular in French, like le riz(rice), some that are usually only plural, like les cheveux(hair), and some proper nouns that can't be plural, like la France(France).

Questions This Article Answers

What is a plural noun in French?

How do I make a noun plural in French?

What is the difference between a mass noun and a countable noun in French?

What are some French nouns that are usually only plural or only singular?

How do I make a compound noun plural in French?

How do I make a proper noun plural in French?

How do I make a French noun phrase plural?

What Is a Plural Noun?

A plural noun is a noun that refers to two or more people, places, things, ideas, activities, or qualities. Plural nouns can be common nouns or proper nouns. Like singular nouns, plural nouns have grammatical gender, meaning they are either masculine or feminine. Not every noun can be made plural, and we’ll discuss some of those cases in this article, but most nouns can!

Examples of Plural French Nouns

Category	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Person	le garçon(the boy)	les garçons(the boys)
Place	le pays(the country)	les pays(the countries)
Thing	le château(the castle)	les châteaux(the castles)
Idea	la philosophie(the philosophy)	les philosophies(the philosophies)

Grammatical Gender of Plural Mixed Groups

If you're talking about a mixed group of people that includes people of different genders, the noun used to describe the group will be masculine plural even if only one person in the group is male and all the others are female.

Gender of Group Members	French	English
All Males	Ces chanteurs sont excellents.	These singers are excellent.
All Females	Ces chanteuses sont excellentes.	These singers are excellent.
Some Male and Some Female	Ces chanteurs sont excellents.	These singers are excellent.

Want to know more about common nouns and proper nouns in French? Check out these articles!

French Nouns

Proper Nouns in French

How to Make a Noun Plural in French

There are some key rules for making the plural form of a singular French noun. Here's an overview of those rules!

Rule 1. The Main Rule. Add an -S

With most French nouns, you add an -s to the singular noun to form the plural. Here are some examples!

Singular	Plural
l’ami(the friend)	les amis(the friends)
le changement(the change)	les changements(the changes)
la fille(the girl)	les filles(the girls)
le musée(the museum)	les musées(the museums)
la table(the table)	les tables(the tables)

examples
Il y a beaucoup de musées à Paris. There are a lot of museums in Paris.
Les filles jouent dans le salon. The girls are playing in the living room.

Rule 2. No Change If the Noun Ends in -S, -X, or -Z

If a singular noun already ends in -s, or if it ends in an -x or a -z, there’s no change in the plural. The plural form looks the same as the singular.

Singular	Plural
le bus(the bus)	les bus(the buses)
le choix(the choice)	les choix(the choices)
le nez(the nose)	les nez(the noses)
le pays(the country)	les pays(the countries)
le prix(the prize)	les prix(the prizes)

examples
Ces clowns ont de grands nez rouges. Those clowns have big red noses.
Il y a beaucoup de pays francophones en Afrique. There are a lot of francophone countries in Africa.

Rule 3. Add an -X to Most Nouns Ending in -EAU, -EU, or -OU

With most nouns ending in -eau, -eu, or -ou in the singular, you add an -x to make them plural.

Singular	Plural
le bateau(the boat)	les bateaux(the boats)
le bijou(the jewel)	les bijoux(the jewels)
le cadeau(the gift)	les cadeaux(the gifts)
le cheveu(the strand of hair)	les cheveux(the hair)
le genou(the knee)	les genoux(the knees)
l’oiseau(the bird)	les oiseaux(the birds)

examples
J’aime entendre les oiseaux chanter le matin. I love to hear the birds singing in the morning.
Cyrille a toujours mal aux genoux quand il fait du jogging. Cyrille’s knees always hurt when he goes jogging.

Exception Time!

There are some exceptions to Rule 3 that follow Rule 1 instead. For example, le bisou(the kiss) becomes les bisous(the kisses), and le pneu(the tire) becomes les pneus(the tires).

Rule 4. Change -AL to -AUX

With many French nouns that end in -al, the plural ending is -aux.

Singular	Plural
l’animal(the animal)	les animaux(the animals)
le cheval(the horse)	les chevaux(the horses)
le journal(the newspaper)	les journaux(the newspapers)
l’hôpital(the hospital)	les hôpitaux(the hospitals)

examples
Les résultats des élections sont à la une de tous les journaux. The election results are on the front page of all the newspapers.
Regardez ces beaux chevaux blancs ! Look at those beautiful white horses!

Exception Time!

There are some notable exceptions to this rule! Some nouns ending in -al follow Rule 1 and simply take an -s in the plural, like: un bal(a dance) becomes des bals(dances) and un festival(a festival) becomes des festivals(festivals).

Rule 5. Some Nouns Change Quite a Bit

There aren’t many completely irregular plural nouns in French, but here are a few examples!

Singular	Plural
la madame(the lady)	les mesdames(the ladies)
le monsieur(the gentleman)	les messieurs(the gentlemen)
l'œil(the eye)	les yeux(the eyes)
le travail(the job or the work)	les travaux(the jobs or the work)

examples
Mesdames et messieurs, prenez vos places. Le spectacle commence ! Ladies and gentlemen, take your seats. The show is starting!
Tes yeux sont tout rouges. Tu as des allergies ? Your eyes are all red. Do you have allergies?

Mass Nouns: Nouns That Usually Aren’t Used in the Plural

In French, as in English, there are countable nouns and mass nouns. Countable nouns are nouns that can be counted (for example: one book, two books, three books, etc.) and therefore are used regularly in the plural form. Mass nouns cannot be counted, usually because they are things that exist in a liquid or granular state (like milk or rice), and therefore aren’t used in the plural form very often.

Mass Noun	Example in a Sentence
l’eau(the water)	Je voudrais de l’eau, s’il vous plaît. I’d like some water, please.
le lait(the milk)	Tu mets du lait dans ton café ? Do you put milk in your coffee?
le riz(the rice)	On mange du riz ce soir. We’re eating rice tonight.
le sable(the sand)	Il y a du sable dans mes chaussures. There’s sand in my shoes.
le sucre(the sugar)	On a mis trop de sucre dans ce thé. They put too much sugar in this tea.

Exception Time!

There are two times when mass nouns can be used in the plural: when talking about plural portions of a mass noun or when talking about plural types of a mass noun. Here are examples to show the plural of a mass noun.

examples
S’il vous plaît, mettez deux sucres dans mon café. Please put two sugars in my coffee.
Le supermarché vend plusieurs sucres : le sucre ordinaire, le sucre roux et le sucre glace. The supermarket sells several sugars: regular sugar, brown sugar, and powdered sugar.

examples

S’il vous plaît, mettez deux sucres dans mon café.

Please put two sugars in my coffee.

Le supermarché vend plusieurs sucres : le sucre ordinaire, le sucre roux et le sucre glace.

The supermarket sells several sugars: regular sugar, brown sugar, and powdered sugar.

Nouns That Are Usually Only Plural or Usually Only Singular

There are some nouns that are usually only plural or usually only singular in French, as there are in English. However, these are not always the same in both languages. Here are some examples of mismatched plural and singular nouns!

Examples of French Plural Nouns That Are Singular in English

French Plural Noun	English
les affaires	the business
les bagages	the luggage
les céréales	the cereal
les cheveux	the hair
les pâtes	the pasta
les vacances	the vacation

examples
Nous avons mangé beaucoup de pâtes pendant nos vacances en Italie. We ate a lot of pasta during our vacation in Italy.
J’ai remarqué que les hommes qui travaillent dans le monde des affaires ont souvent les cheveux courts. I've noticed that men who work in the business world often have short hair.

Examples of French Singular Nouns That Are Plural in English

French Singular Noun	English
la batterie	the drums
l’escalier	the stairs
le jean	the jeans
le pantalon	the pants
le pyjama	the pajamas
la vaisselle	the dishes

examples
Est-ce que cette chemise va bien avec ce pantalon ? Does this shirt go with these pants?
Je ferai la vaisselle après le dîner. I’ll do the dishes after dinner.

Plural Compound Nouns in French

A nom composé(compound noun) is a noun made up of two or more words that may be combined into one word or linked by a hyphen. The rules for pluralizing compound nouns are a little tricky, as they change based on the composition of the compound noun. Here are some general rules, but keep in mind there are always exceptions to the rules!

Compound Noun Rule 1. When Two Words Are Combined Into One Word, Follow the Usual Rules for Making a Noun Plural

Singular	Plural
la motoneige(the snowmobile)	les motoneiges(the snowmobiles)
le portemanteau(the coat rack)	les portemanteaux(the coat racks)
le portefeuille(the wallet)	les portefeuilles(the wallets)

Compound Noun Rule 2. When There Are Two Nouns, Make Both Nouns Plural

Singular	Plural
le chou-fleur(the cauliflower)	les choux-fleurs(the cauliflowers)
le couteau-scie(the bread knife)	les couteaux-scies(the bread knives)
le bateau-pilote(the pilot boat)	les bateaux-pilotes(the pilot boats)

Compound Noun Rule 3. When There’s a Preposition Linking Two Nouns, Only the First Noun Is Pluralized

Singular	Plural
l’arc-en-ciel(the rainbow)	les arcs-en-ciel(the rainbows)
le chef-d'œuvre(the masterpiece)	les chefs-d'œuvre(the masterpieces)

Compound Noun Rule 4. When There’s an Adjective With a Noun, Make Both Plural

Singular	Plural
le grand-parent(the grandparent)	les grands-parents(the grandparents)
la belle-mère(the mother-in-law or the stepmother)	les belles-mères(the mothers-in-law or the stepmothers)
le centre-ville(the downtown)	les centres-villes(the downtowns)

Exception Time!

When the adjective grand(great) is used with a feminine noun in a compound noun, the word grand is not made plural. For example: les grand-mères(grandmothers).

Compound Noun Rule 5. When There’s a Verb or an Adverb With a Noun, Only the Noun is Pluralized

Singular	Plural
l’après-rasage(the aftershave)	les après-rasages(the aftershaves)
le lave-vaisselle(the dishwasher)	les lave-vaisselles(the dishwashers)
le couvre-lit(the bedspread)	les couvre-lits(the bedspreads)

examples
De grands chefs-d'œuvre sont exposés au musée d'Orsay. Great masterpieces can be found at the Musée d'Orsay.
Il est agréable de voir des grands-parents dans le parc avec leurs petits-enfants. It’s nice to see grandparents in the park with their grandchildren.

Want to know more about compound nouns in French? There’s a section on them in this article!

French Nouns

Plural Proper Nouns in French

There are some special rules to keep in mind regarding proper nouns, which are nouns that name a specific person, place, or thing. As many proper nouns refer to a unique individual or a unique place or thing, they generally can’t be plural. There are also some proper nouns that are always plural, like les États-Unis(the United States), so they aren’t used in the singular. For the rest, some special rules apply. See the table below!

Rule	Singular	Plural
1. If there's only one, no plural is possible.	la Tour Eiffel the Eiffel Tower
2. If it's always plural, no singular is possible.		les Seychelles the Seychelles
3. If it's a family name, no change in the plural.	Monsieur Plouffe Mr. Plouffe	les Plouffe the Plouffes
4. If it's a brand name, no change in the plural.	une Renault a Renault	des Renault some Renaults
5. If you're talking about people from a geographical location, follow the same rules as for common nouns.	le Parisien the Parisian	les Parisiens the Parisians
6. If there can be one or more than one, follow the same rules as common nouns.	l'Amérique America	les Amériques the Americas

examples
Je dîne avec les Dupont ce soir. Ils ont deux Monet dans leur salon ! I'm having dinner with the Duponts tonight. They have two Monets in their living room!
Les Algonquins sont originaires de la région des Grands Lacs aux États-Unis et au Canada. The Algonquins are indigenous to the Great Lakes region in the United States and in Canada.

Exception Time!

There are some exceptions to these rules, like how some specific family dynasty names can take a plural -s, like les Bourbons(the Bourbons). Also, proper nouns that have become common nouns in everyday speech don't follow these rules: des Michelins(Michelin car tires).

Want to know more about proper nouns in French? There’s a whole article dedicated to this topic!

Proper Nouns in French

Plural Noun Phrases

A locution nominale(noun phrase) is a group of words that, all together, function as a noun. Most often, a noun phrase is composed of two words that are linked together by a preposition. Sometimes, there are other parts of speech in a noun phrase, like articles, adjectives, or even descriptive clauses with verbs. The rules for making noun phrases plural are fairly straightforward.

Plural Noun Phrases Rule 1. When There’s a Preposition Linking Two Nouns, Only the First Noun Is Pluralized

Singular	Plural
le champ de blé the wheatfield	les champs de blé the wheatfields
la machine à café the coffeemaker	les machines à café the coffeemakers
la pomme de terre the potato	les pommes de terre the potatoes
le sac à dos the backpack	les sacs à dos the backpacks

Plural Noun Phrases Rule 2. When the Noun Phrase Includes an Adjective, Make Both the Noun and the Adjective Plural

Singular	Plural
la bombe incendiaire the firebomb	les bombes incendiaires the firebombs
le cousin paternel the paternal cousin	les cousins paternels the paternal cousins
le grand magasin the department store	les grands magasins the department stores
la maladie contagieuse the contagious disease	les maladies contagieuses the contagious diseases

Plural Noun Phrases Rule 3. When the Noun Phrase Includes a Verb, Make the Noun Plural and Conjugate the Verb Accordingly

Singular	Plural
l’eau qui coule the flowing water	les eaux qui coulent the flowing waters
l’insecte qui vole the flying insect	les insectes qui volent the flying insects
la personne qui crie the person shouting	les personnes qui crient the people shouting

examples
Vous pouvez acheter de magnifiques pulls en cachemire dans les grands magasins parisiens. You can buy gorgeous cashmere sweaters in Parisian department stores.
Ces masques de protection contribuent à empêcher la propagation des maladies contagieuses. These protective masks help to stop the spread of contagious diseases.