French Plural Nouns

French nouns add -S to form their plural. Here are their exceptions

Plural nouns ending -S, -X, -Z don’t changed

Le tas = les tas – heap
La croix = les croix – cross
Le nez = les nez – nose

Nouns ending -AU, -EAU, -EU add –X

Le tuyau = les tuyaux – drainpipe
Le gâteau = les gâteaux – cake
Le neveu = les neveux – nephew

Exceptions

Le bleu = les bleus – bruise
Le pneu = les pneus – tyre

French Plural Nouns ending –AL change to -AUX

Le corail = les coraux – coral
L’émail = les émaux – enamel
Le travail = les travaux – work
Le vitrail = les vitraux – stained glass window

Nouns endings -OU add -X (instead of -S)

Le bijou = les bijoux – jewel
Le caillou = les cailloux – pebble
Le chou = les choux – cabbage
Le genou = les genoux – knee
Le hibou = les hiboux – owl
Le joujou = les joujoux – toy
Le pou = les poux – louse

Irregular plural

L’aïeul = les aïeux – ancestor
Le bonhomme = les bonshommes – fellow
Le ciel = les cieux –sky
L’oeil = les yeux – eye
Madame = Mesdames – Mrs
Mademoiselle = Mesdemoiselles – Miss
Monsieur = Messieurs – Mr

Compound nouns written as a single word, the French Plural Nouns are -S

Le pourboire = les pourboires – tip

Compound nouns formed of an adjective plus a noun or two nouns, both add -S

La belle-mère = les belles mères – mother in law
Le chou fleur = les choux fleurs – cauliflower

Compound noun formed of a noun plus a prepositional phrase, only the noun adds -S

Un arc en ciel = des arcs en ciel – rainbow

Compound nouns formed of a nouns preceded by a preposition, the French Plural Nouns are the same as singular

Le hors d’oeuvre = les hors d’oeuvre – starter

Compound nouns formed of a verb plus its object noun, the noun adds -S

Le tire bouchon = les tires bouchons – corkscrew
Un essuie glace = des essuie glaces – windscreen wiper

Exceptions, compounds of this kind don’t change in the plural

Le coupe circuit = les coupe circuit – circuit breaker

Compound nouns formed without a noun component, the French Plural Nouns are the same as the singular

Le passe partout = les passe partout – master key

Plural in English but singular in French

Le bétail – cattle
La famille – family
La police – police

Singular in English but plural in French

Les funérailles – funeral
Les nouvelles – news
Les fiançailles – engagement
Les progrès – progress