When learning French, you will quickly notice that some everyday words do not match up with English when it comes to singular and plural forms. In English, we have many words that we do not count, like homework, hair, or applause. We also have singular concepts like a bathroom or a vacation. English speakers naturally pair these words with singular verbs and articles.
In French, these same concepts are frequently expressed in the plural. This means you must remember to use plural articles like les, des, or mes, as well as plural verb forms, even when your English brain is telling you the concept is singular.
Word list
cheveuxmA1hairmes cheveux = my hairdevoirsmA1homeworkles devoirs = homeworkpâtesfA1pastales pâtes = pastatoilettesfA1bathroomles toilettes = the bathroom/restroomvacancesfA1vacationles vacances = the holiday(s)céréalesA2cerealdes céréales = cerealcoursesfA2groceriesfaire les courses = to do the shopping; les courses sont lourdes = the shopping is heavyéchecsmA2chessjouer aux échecs = to play chessmathématiquesfA2mathematicsles mathématiques = mathmathsfA2mathematicsles maths = mathmeublesmA2furnitureles meubles = the furnitureactualitésfB1newsles actualités = the newsbrimadesfB1bullyingsubir des brimades = to suffer bullyingespècesfB1cashen espèces = in cashexcusesfB1apologyprésenter ses excuses = to apologizefessesfB1bottomavoir mal aux fesses = to have a sore bottomfiançaillesfB1engagementleurs fiançailles = their engagementfraismB1costles frais de port = the shipping costfruits de mermB1seafooddes fruits de mer = seafoodfunéraillesfB1funeraldes funérailles nationales = a state funeralinformationsfB1newsles informations = the newsinfosfB1newsregarder les infos = to watch the newsmots croisésmB1crosswordfaire des mots croisés = to do a crosswordnouvellesfB1newsles nouvelles = the newsobsèquesfB1funeralles obsèques ont eu lieu hier = the funeral was yesterdayorduresfB1garbagesortir les ordures = to take out the trashtâches ménagèresfB1houseworkfaire les tâches ménagères = to do the houseworkurgencesfB1emergency roomaller aux urgences = go to the ERbagages à mainmB2carry-onmes bagages à main = my hand luggagebijouxmB2jewellerymes bijoux = my jewelrycouvertsmB2silverwareles couverts = the silverwaredernières nouvellesfB2breaking newsles dernières nouvelles = the breaking newsdonnéesfB2datales données sont stockées = the data is storedfrais annuelsmB2annual feedes frais annuels de 30 € = an annual fee of €30informations de dernière minutefB2breaking newsdes informations de dernière minute = breaking newspremiers secoursmB2first aidles premiers secours = first aidpremiers soinsmB2first aidles premiers soins = first aidrecettesfB2revenueles recettes de l'entreprise = the company's revenuetâches domestiquesfB2houseworkles tâches domestiques = houseworkténèbresfB2darknessles ténèbres = the darknesstravaux ménagersmB2houseworkles travaux ménagers = houseworkapplaudissementsmC1applauseles applaudissements = the applauseeaux d'égoutfC1sewageles eaux d'égout = sewageeaux uséesfC1sewageles eaux usées = the sewagefrais de scolaritémC1tuitionles frais de scolarité = tuitionpelliculesfC2dandruffavoir des pellicules = to have dandruff
Daily life and routines
Some of the most common plural-only words in French describe basic daily things. For example, hair on a person's head is les cheveux. Homework is les devoirs. Even a single restroom or bathroom is referred to as les toilettes.
Elle a les cheveux très longs.
(She has very long hair.)
Est-ce que tu as fini tes devoirs ?
(Did you finish your homework?)
Où sont les toilettes, s'il vous plaît ?
(Where is the bathroom, please?)
Notice how the verbs and adjectives must agree. It is not just the noun that becomes plural, but the entire grammatical structure around it.
Food and dining
Food vocabulary is another area where English speakers often stumble. In English, pasta, cereal, and seafood are all words that we do not count. In French, you can count them and they are used in the plural.
J'adore manger des pâtes le soir.
(I love eating pasta in the evening.)
Il prend des céréales pour le petit-déjeuner.
(He is having cereal for breakfast.)
Nous allons partager un plateau de fruits de mer.
(We are going to share a seafood platter.)
Similarly, when you set the table, you lay out les couverts (silverware or cutlery), which is always plural in this context.
News, money, and events
Many abstract concepts or collections of things are also plural. When you watch the news, you watch les informations. If you pay in cash, you pay in espèces. A vacation is almost always les vacances.
Je regarde les informations tous les jours.
(I watch the news every day.)
Désolé, je n'ai pas d'espèces sur moi.
(Sorry, I do not have cash on me.)
Les vacances commencent demain.
(The vacation starts tomorrow.)
When you encounter a new noun for an idea in French, pay close attention to its article. Words like applaudissements (applause), urgences (emergency room), and mathématiques (mathematics) will all force you to practice your plural agreements.
Summary
Many words that we do not count or are singular concepts in English are plural in French. When talking about concepts like hair, homework, pasta, or vacation, you must use plural articles and conjugate your verbs in the plural to match.
Nouns that are usually plural in French