Language/Portuguese/Grammar/Plurals
Learning Portuguese grammar can be a daunting task, but understanding the basics of plurals is an essential part of mastering the language. Plurals are used to indicate more than one of something, and they are formed differently in Portuguese than in English. In this lesson, we will explore the rules for forming plurals in Portuguese and provide some examples to help you understand how they work.
Regular Plurals
The most common way to form plurals in Portuguese is by adding an -s to the end of the word. This is the same as in English, but there are some exceptions. For example, words that end in -ão or -l have their plurals formed by changing the -ão to -ões and the -l to -is.
Examples
- livro (book) → livros (books)
- casa (house) → casas (houses)
- cão (dog) → cães (dogs)
- animal (animal) → animais (animals)
- papel (paper) → papéis (papers)
Irregular Plurals
There are also some irregular plurals in Portuguese. These are words that do not follow the regular pattern of adding -s to the end of the word.
Examples
- pai (father) → pais (fathers)
- mão (hand) → mãos (hands)
- dia (day) → dias (days)
- lápis (pencil) → lápis (pencils)
- árvore (tree) → árvores (trees)
Plural Agreement
In Portuguese, the plural form of a noun must agree with the verb that it is used with. This means that if the noun is singular, the verb must be conjugated in the singular form, and if the noun is plural, the verb must be conjugated in the plural form.
Examples
- O livro está na mesa. (The book is on the table.)
- Os livros estão na mesa. (The books are on the table.)
- A casa é grande. (The house is big.)
- As casas são grandes. (The houses are big.)
Conclusion
Forming plurals in Portuguese is not as difficult as it may seem at first. With a little practice, you will soon be able to form plurals correctly and use them in your conversations. If you want to learn more about Portuguese grammar, why not join the Polyglot Club community? You can find other Portuguese learners and practice your language skills with them.
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