Singular Nouns

Singular French nouns
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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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Singular French nouns

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