Plural Formation: Add -s

In French, nouns have a singular and plural form. The singular form is for one item. The plural form is for two or more. To make most nouns plural, you just add s. This s goes at the very end of the word. But here is the trick. The pronunciation usually stays the same. Un chat (one cat) sounds almost identical to des chats (some cats). The only difference you hear is the article. The article is the word before the noun. Words like le, la, un, or une. These articles change to show the plural. Le and la both become les. Un and une both become des. This is like a grammar traffic light. The article turns green to tell you it's plural. The s at the end is just for the eyes. It helps you when you are reading. It helps you when you are writing. But when you speak, the article does the heavy lifting.

1. 1Start with your singular noun, like pomme (apple).
2. 2Identify the article used with it, like la.
3. 3Change the article to its plural form: la becomes les.
4. 4Add an s to the end of the noun: pomme becomes pommes.
5. 5Combine them: les pommes.
6. 6Keep the final s silent when speaking.
7. 7Check if the next word starts with a vowel for a potential liaison sound.
8. 8Smile, because you just made a plural!

Use this rule almost every time you speak about multiple things. Are you at a bakery in Paris? You want two croissants, not one. You say deux croissants. The s is there on the menu. Are you at a grocery store? You need five apples for a pie. You ask for cinq pommes. Are you talking about your family? You might have two sisters. You say deux sœurs. This rule applies to most common objects. Books, chairs, tables, and windows all follow this. It is the default setting for French nouns. If you are in doubt, add an s. It is the safest bet for a beginner. Even if you meet a rare exception, people will understand you. French people are helpful like that. Yes, even native speakers mess this up in text messages sometimes!

Not every word likes the letter s. Some words are already "full." If a word ends in s, x, or z, stop. Do not add another s. One bus is un bus. Two buses are deux bus. The word stays exactly the same. It's like a suitcase that is already packed. You can't fit anything else inside. Also, some words ending in al or eau are picky. They prefer the letter x instead. But don't worry about those yet. For now, just remember the s, x, z rule. If it's already there, leave it alone. It is already doing its job. Think of it like a grammar traffic light that's already green. You don't need to change it.

The biggest mistake is pronouncing the s. English speakers love to hear that s sound. In French, keep your mouth closed at the end. Les chats should not sound like "lay chats-z." It should sound like "lay sha." Another mistake is forgetting to change the article. You cannot say le chats. That sounds very strange to a French ear. It's like wearing one shoe and one flip-flop. The article and the noun must match. They are a team. If the noun is plural, the article must be plural. Also, don't forget the s when writing. Even if you don't hear it, your teacher will see it. Don't worry, it happens to the best of us. Just take a breath and check your endings.

In English, the noun changes sound. "Cat" becomes "cats." You hear the difference clearly. In French, the change is "invisible" to the ear. The heavy lifting is done by the article. Think of les and des as your plural signals. In Spanish, you often hear the s at the end of words. In French, you usually don't. This makes French listening a bit like a puzzle. You have to listen for the very first word. If you hear les, you know more are coming. If you hear le, it's just one. It’s a different way of thinking about plurals. Instead of looking at the end of the word, listen to the start. It's like a secret code you're learning to crack.