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Noms singuliers
While most nouns, in both French and English, can be singular or plural, some can only be one or the other – and dozens of these don’t "match up" in the two languages. The nouns on this page are singular in French but plural in English.
Grammar note
These French nouns are singular in every respect: they require the third-person singular (il / elle) form of the verb, no plural adjective agreement (though feminine may be required), etc.
Par exemple …
| Le feu d’artifice est magnifique ! | The fireworks are wonderful! | |
| Il porte une cotte noire. | He’s wearing black overalls. |
Singular French nouns
| l’actualité | news | |||
| avoine | (f) | oats | ||
| une balance | scales | |||
| la batterie | drums | |||
| un boxer-short | boxer shorts | |||
| un caleçon de bain | swimming trunks | |||
| un collant | tights | * | ||
| la contenance | contents | |||
| le contenu | contents | |||
| une cotte | overalls, dungarees | |||
| un dentier | dentures | |||
| epsomite | (f) | Epsom salts | ||
| un escalier | stairs | |||
| un feu d’artifice | fireworks | |||
| la gencive | gums | |||
| un jean | jeans | |||
| un jogging | sweat pants | |||
| un pantalon | pants, trousers | |||
| une pince | pliers | * | ||
| une pince coupante | wire cutters | |||
| une pince à dénuder | wire strippers | |||
| une pince à épiler | tweezers | |||
| une pince à glace | ice tongs | |||
| une pince à ongles | nail clippers | |||
| un pyjama | pyjamas | |||
| un short | shorts | |||
| un slip | underpants | |||
| un slip de bain | swimming trunks | |||
| un soufflet | bellows | |||
| la vaisselle (faire la vaisselle) |
dishes, crockery (to do the dishes) |
* Note
These nouns are usually singular in French, but are occasionally used in the plural (lesson coming soon).
Related lessons
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