| 3.3.1 Morphemes for the formation of the plural |
| 3.3.1.1 Regular formationof the plural with -s |
The most common way of forming the plural is with the ending -s (exactly as it is in English; finally something simple).
| Examples plural with -s | ||
 |
le livre | les livres |
| book | books | |
|
le chemin | les chemins |
| way | ways | |
|
le garçon | les garçons |
| boy | boys | |
|
le papier | les papiers |
| paper | papers | |
|
la maison | les maisons |
| house | houses | |
|
la rue | les rues |
| street | streets | |
|
la table | les tables |
| table | tables | |
|
la fourchette | les fourchettes |
| fork | forks | |
As you have probably noticed the final -s is only written but not voiced (there are again exceptions to this rule). To know whether the thing in question is in singular or plural (which is often of some importance) there are several possibilities of differentiation, for instance by pronouns and articles. Following some examples with articles:
| Examples | |
| Je mange une pomme. | Je mange des pommes. |
| I eat an apple. | I eat apples. |
| J' achète une chemise. | J' achète des chemises. |
| I buy a shirt. | I buy shirts. |
As mentioned before the final -s is voiced, when a vowel or a mute h follows this final -s. Listen to the following sentences, there is a difference in the pronunciation of the final -s.
| Example | ||
| les | gouvernements | européens |
| the | governments | European |
| les | gouvernements | corrumpus |
| the | governments | corrupt |
| les | femmes | intelligentes |
| the | women | intelligent |
| les | femmes | belles |
| the | women | beautiful |
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