Language/Catalan/Grammar/Plurals
Hi Catalan learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about plurals in Catalan. As you know, plurals are used to refer to more than one person, animal or thing. In Catalan, as well as in other languages, there are different rules for forming plurals depending on the gender and the type of noun.
Let's get started!
Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: How to say "there is" in Catalan, Indefinite Articles in Catalan, Instrumental Case in Catalan & Subjunctive mood.
Basic Rules[edit | edit source]
In general, to form the plural of a noun in Catalan, you add -s to the singular form. For example:
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| noun singular: amor | amors | loves |
| noun singular: gat | gats | cats |
| noun singular: llibre | llibres | books |
| noun singular: ocell | ocells | birds |
However, there are some exceptions to this rule:
-os and -es endings[edit | edit source]
Some words that end in -o, -ó or -e in the singular form change to -os or -es in the plural form. For example:
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| noun singular: cotó | cotons | cottons |
| noun singular: cavall | cavalls | horses |
| noun singular: ampolleta | ampolletes | little bottles |
| noun singular: marroc | marrocs | Morocco leather |
-ells, -ens, -os endings[edit | edit source]
Some words that end in -ell, -en, -ó, -eu or -o in the singular form have irregular plurals. For example:
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| noun singular: fill | fills | sons |
| noun singular: u | ulls | eyes |
| noun singular: boc | bocs | goats |
Plurals with no singular form[edit | edit source]
There are also a few words in Catalan that only exist in the plural form. For example:
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| el brics | /ˈbriks/ | backpacks |
| els calces | /ˈkalkəs/ | pants |
| les ulleres | /uˈleɾəs/ | glasses |
| els calçotets | /kəɫsuˈtets/ | underwear |
Note that these words are usually used with the definite article.
Exceptions for Gender[edit | edit source]
In Catalan, like in many other languages, there are masculine and feminine nouns. The general rule to form the plural of a noun (adding -s) also applies to nouns with a feminine form. For example:
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| masc. noun singular: gat | gats | cats |
| masc. noun singular: ocell | ocells | birds |
| fem. noun singular: font | fonts | fountains |
| fem. noun singular: rosa | roses | roses |
So, the rule for forming plurals is the same for both masculine and feminine nouns. However, there are some exceptions in which the ending -a changes to -es:
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| fem. noun singular: raó | raons | reasons |
| fem. noun singular: pell | pells | skins |
Plurals of Compound Words[edit | edit source]
Compound words are formed by two or more words that have a combined meaning. In Catalan, the plural of a compound word is formed by adding -s to the last word of the compound. For example:
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| el cel blau | els cels blaus | blue skies |
| la taula rodona | les taules rodones | round tables |
| el nen soldat | els nens soldats | child soldiers |
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
- Person 1: Hola! Quants gats tens? (Hi! How many cats do you have?)
- Person 2: Tinc tres gats. (I have three cats.)
- Person 1: Ah, i quantes roses tens al jardí? (Ah, and how many roses do you have in your garden?)
- Person 2: Tinc deu roses. (I have ten roses.)
Practice[edit | edit source]
Try to form the plural of the following words:
| Catalan | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| casa | ||
| ossada | ||
| senzill | ||
| paper | ||
| filla |
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
In conclusion, forming plurals in Catalan is usually a matter of adding -s to the singular form. However, there are some exceptions that you need to know in order to use the language accurately. Remember to always practice, and to use Polyglot Club to find native speakers and ask them any questions you may have about learning Catalan. For more information on Catalan Grammar, please visit the corresponding page.
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