Pluriels des noms composés
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French compound nouns are made up of two or more words, often connected by hyphens. Making them plural can be a little tricky, but there are two rules that generally apply:
- Nouns, adjectives, and past participles follow the normal pluralization rules.
- Verbs, prepositions, adverbs, and pronouns are invariable.
Here are the most common combinations of words in French compound nouns and the general rules for their pluralization. Please note that these are just guidelines and that there are, of course, exceptions. (Le Bon Usage has an excellent in-depth discussion of compound noun plurals.)
1) Noun + noun
When the nouns are equally important, they both become plural.
| un oiseau-mouche | des oiseaux-mouches | hummingbird(s) | |
| un chou-fleur | des choux-fleurs | cauliflower |
When one noun is modifying the other (usually with the help of a preposition), only the first noun becomes plural.
| un soutien-gorge | des soutiens-gorge | bra(s) | |
| un arc-en-ciel | des arcs-en-ciel | rainbow(s) | |
| un chef-d’œuvre | des chefs-d’oeuvre | masterpiece(s) |
2) Noun + adjective
Both are plural.
| un coffre-fort | des coffres-forts | safe(s) | |
| un pied-plat | des pieds-plats | boor(s) | |
| un grand-père | des grands-pères | grandfather(s) | |
| une belle-fille | des belles-filles | daughter(s)-in-law, step-daughter(s) |
Exceptions
- Adjectives ending in -o are invariable
des Anglo-Saxons – Anglo-Saxons
des électro-analyses – electroanalyses - Demi is invariable
des demi-bouteilles – half bottles
des demi-tasses – half cups
3) Adjective + adjective
Both are plural.
| une douce-amère | des douces-amères | woody nightshade | |
| un sourd-muet | des sourds-muets | deaf-mute(s) |
4) Adverb + noun
Only noun is plural.
| une arrière-cour | des arrière-cours | backyard(s) | |
| un haut-parleur | des haut-parleurs | loudspeaker(s) |
5) Adverb / adjective + past participle
Only participle is plural.
| un nouveau-né | des nouveau-nés | newborn(s) | |
| un bien-aimé | des bien-aimés | beloved(s) |
6) Preposition + noun
Only noun is plural.
| une contre-offensive | des contre-offensives | counter-offensive(s) | |
| un en-tête | des en-têtes | heading(s) | |
| un après-midi | des après-midis | afternoon(s) |
7) Verb + noun
If the noun is concrete and countable, the noun is plural.
| un brise-glace | des brise-glaces | icebreaker(s) | |
| un couvre-lit | des couvre-lits | bedspread(s) |
If the noun is abstract or collective, traditionally the compound noun is invariable. But the 1990 spelling reform allows the noun to be plural.
| un porte-monnaie | des porte-monnaie des porte-monnaies |
change purse(s) | |
| un gratte-ciel | des gratte-ciel des gratte-ciels |
skyscraper(s) |
8) Verb + verb
Invariable.
| un laissez-passer | des laissez-passer | pass(es) | |
| un va-et-vient | des va-et-vient | comings and goings |
Related lessons
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