Language/French/Grammar/Plural-of-words-in-Al

In this lesson, we will focus on French words that end in "AL" and their plural forms. By the end of this lesson, you will have a good understanding of this group of French words and be able to use them in your conversations with confidence.

Understanding the rule

Words that end in "AL" in French generally form their plural by replacing "AL" with "AUX."

In French, the pronunciation of "AL" can vary depending on the word.

For example, in "le cheval," the "AL" sounds like "ahl," while in "le général," it sounds like "al."

Therefore, it is essential to listen to native speakers and practice your pronunciation.

Common exceptions:

While the majority of French words that end in "AL" follow the rule of changing "AL" to "AUX" to form their plural, there are a few exceptions. Here are some examples:

• Le bal (ball) - Les bals (balls)
• Le carnaval (carnival) - Les carnavals (carnivals)
• Le festival (festival) - Les festivals (festivals)
• Le chacal (jackal) - Les chacals (jackals)

Note that in these exceptions, the "AL" is not changed to "AUX" but rather becomes "ALS" or "ALS" depending on the word.

Examples

Let's take a closer look at some of the words in our vocabulary list and their plural forms.

• Le cheval (horse) - Les chevaux (horses) When we add "aux" to the end of "cheval," we get "chevaux." Notice how the "al" changes to "aux."
• Le journal (newspaper) - Les journaux (newspapers) When we add "aux" to the end of "journal," we get "journaux." Again, the "al" changes to "aux."
• Le festival (festival) - Les festivals (festivals) Adding "aux" to "festival" gives us "festivals."
• Le général (general) - Les généraux (generals) "General" becomes "généraux" in its plural form.
• Le récital (recital) - Les récitals (recitals) "Récital" becomes "récitals" in its plural form.

Practice

Here are some sentences to practice using the words we have learned:

• Les chevaux sont rapides. (The horses are fast.)
• Les journaux sont pleins d'informations. (The newspapers are full of information.)
• Les signaux sont importants pour la sécurité routière. (Signals are important for road safety.)
• Les canaux sont beaux à voir. (The canals are beautiful to see.)
• Les festivals sont toujours amusants. (Festivals are always fun.)
• Les tribunaux rendent la justice. (The courts administer justice.)
• Les journaliers travaillent dur tous les jours. (Daily workers work hard every day.)
• Les généraux dirigent l'armée. (Generals lead the army.)
• Les chevaliers protègent le royaume. (The knights protect the kingdom.)
• Les récitals sont un plaisir pour les oreilles. (Recitals are a pleasure for the ears.)

Conclusion:

In conclusion, learning French words that end in "AL" and their plural forms is an important aspect of developing your French language skills. Remember that the key to mastering these words is to practice their pronunciation and use them in context. By following the rule of changing "AL" to "AUX" to form their plural, you can expand your vocabulary and communicate more effectively in French.

Other Lessons

• Present Tense
• Impersonal Verbs
• Common quantifiers
• Plurals of nouns ending in eu, au, eau
• Mass versus count nouns
• Form and uses of tout
• Combinations of adjectives
• Colour adjective compounds
• Place adverbs
• An adjective agreeing with nouns linked by de

Other Lessons

• Past Participle
• Pronominal verbs without a reflexive interpretation
• Agreement of the past participle of pronominal verbs in compound tenses
• Nouns which change form when they refer to males or to females
• How to use Be
• How to Use Be
• « d'autres » VS « des autres »
• Stressed pronouns standing alone
• Use of the definite article with names of languages
• Articles

• Adjectives