Making a noun plural in French is simpler than you might think. Most of the time, you just add an -s. The challenge is learning the exceptions and understanding that in spoken French, plurals often sound identical to singulars.
The basic rule: add -s
- un chat → des chats
- une maison → des maisons
- un livre → des livres
The -s is not pronounced in most cases, so the article carries the plural signal: des, les, ces.
Nouns ending in -s, -x, or -z
These do not change in the plural.
- un bras → des bras
- une voix → des voix
- un nez → des nez
Nouns ending in -au, -eau, -eu
These usually take -x in the plural.
- un gateau → des gateaux
- un jeu → des jeux
- un oiseau → des oiseaux
Nouns ending in -al
These change to -aux.
- un animal → des animaux
- un journal → des journaux
- un festival → des festivals (exception)
Irregular plurals worth knowing
- un oeil → des yeux
- un monsieur → des messieurs
- madame → mesdames
Adjectives agree in number too
When a noun is plural, the adjective that goes with it is also plural.
- un grand arbre → des grands arbres
- une belle maison → de belles maisons
Final tip
When reading or listening, pay attention to the article before the noun. It is often the clearest signal that a noun is plural, since the -s ending is usually silent.
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