Plural Nouns and the Plural Indefinite Article Des
1.9.1. The Main Idea
To talk about more than one person or thing, French uses plural nouns.
The plural indefinite article des means some or simply plural a/an.
un livre | a book |
des livres | books / some books |
une table | a table |
des tables | tables / some tables |
In English, we often say just books or tables. In French, you often need des before plural nouns.
1.9.2. From Singular to Plural
Most French nouns become plural by adding -s.
un livre | des livres |
un stylo | des stylos |
un cahier | des cahiers |
une table | des tables |
une question | des questions |
une réponse | des réponses |
The final -s is usually written but not pronounced. Silent little tail, very important on paper.
1.9.3. Un / Une vs. Des
Use un with masculine singular nouns.
Use une with feminine singular nouns.
Use des with plural nouns, masculine or feminine.
un étudiant | a male student |
une étudiante | a female student |
des étudiants | students / some students, masculine or mixed |
des étudiantes | students / some students, feminine |
More examples:
un ami | a male friend |
une amie | a female friend |
des amis | friends / some friends, masculine or mixed |
des amies | friends / some friends, feminine |
1.9.4. Plural Nouns for People
For people, the noun often changes to show masculine, feminine, singular, or plural.
un étudiant | a male student |
une étudiante | a female student |
des étudiants | male students / mixed students |
des étudiantes | female students |
un ami | a male friend |
une amie | a female friend |
des amis | male friends / mixed friends |
des amies | female friends |
un Canadien | a Canadian man |
une Canadienne | a Canadian woman |
des Canadiens | Canadian men / mixed Canadians |
des Canadiennes | Canadian women |
For a mixed group, French uses the masculine plural form.
1.9.5. Plural Nouns for Things
For things and ideas, just use the noun’s grammatical gender in the singular, then form the plural.
un livre | des livres |
un musée | des musées |
un cours | des cours |
un pays | des pays |
une table | des tables |
une langue | des langues |
une ville | des villes |
une université | des universités |
Some nouns already end in -s in the singular, so they do not change in writing.
un cours | des cours |
un pays | des pays |
un choix | des choix |
1.9.6. Des Before Vowel Sounds
Before a vowel sound, the s in des is pronounced like z.
des étudiants | some students |
des amies | some female friends |
des universités | some universities |
des artistes | some artists |
This linking sound is called liaison.
1.9.7. Des with Adjectives
Adjectives usually agree with plural nouns by adding -s.
des livres intéressants | interesting books |
des questions importantes | important questions |
des étudiants français | French male / mixed students |
des étudiantes françaises | French female students |
des petits cafés | small cafés |
des petites tables | small tables |
Many final -s endings are written but not strongly pronounced.
1.9.8. C’est vs. Ce Sont
Use c’est for singular.
Use ce sont for plural.
C’est un livre. | It is a book. |
Ce sont des livres. | They are books. |
C’est une question. | It is a question. |
Ce sont des questions. | They are questions. |
C’est un étudiant. | He is a student. |
Ce sont des étudiants. | They are students. |
In everyday speech, people sometimes use c’est before plural ideas, but ce sont is the standard form to learn.
1.9.9. Asking What They Are
Use Qu’est-ce que c’est ? for both singular and plural in everyday French.
Qu’est-ce que c’est ? | What is it? / What are they? |
C’est un livre. | It is a book. |
C’est une table. | It is a table. |
Ce sont des livres. | They are books. |
Ce sont des tables. | They are tables. |
1.9.10. Negative Plural: Des Becomes De
In negative sentences, un, une, and des usually become de / d’ after ne… pas.
J’ai un livre. | Je n’ai pas de livre. |
J’ai une question. | Je n’ai pas de question. |
J’ai des livres. | Je n’ai pas de livres. |
J’ai des amis. | Je n’ai pas d’amis. |
Before a vowel sound, de becomes d’.
Je n’ai pas d’amis. | I do not have friends. |
Je n’ai pas d’examen. | I do not have an exam. |
Je n’ai pas d’idées. | I do not have ideas. |
1.9.11. Core Patterns
un + singular masculine noun | un livre |
une + singular feminine noun | une table |
des + plural noun | des livres / des tables |
singular noun + -s | livre → livres |
C’est un / une ___. | It is a ___. |
Ce sont des ___. | They are ___. |
ne… pas de + noun | no / not any ___ |
des + vowel sound | liaison: des étudiants |
1.9.12. Practice
books / some books | |
tables / some tables | |
students / some students, masculine or mixed | |
female students | |
friends / some friends, masculine or mixed | |
universities / some universities | |
They are books. | |
They are questions. | |
I have books. | |
I do not have books. | |
I do not have friends. |
1.9.13. Answers
books / some books | des livres |
tables / some tables | des tables |
students / some students, masculine or mixed | des étudiants |
female students | des étudiantes |
friends / some friends, masculine or mixed | des amis |
universities / some universities | des universités |
They are books. | Ce sont des livres. |
They are questions. | Ce sont des questions. |
I have books. | J’ai des livres. |
I do not have books. | Je n’ai pas de livres. |
I do not have friends. | Je n’ai pas d’amis. |
1.9.14. Short Dialogue
A : Qu’est-ce que c’est ? | A: What are they? |
B : Ce sont des livres. | B: They are books. |
A : Et ça ? | A: And that? |
B : Ce sont des stylos et des cahiers. | B: They are pens and notebooks. |
A : Tu as des questions ? | A: Do you have questions? |
B : Non, je n’ai pas de questions. | B: No, I do not have questions. |
1.9.15. Checkpoint
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to form regular plural nouns, use des with masculine and feminine plural nouns, recognize plural forms for people and things, use ce sont des…, and change des to de / d’ after ne… pas.