Language/French/Grammar/The-plural-of-compound-nouns
A compound noun ("un nom composé" in French) is a name made up of several words usually separated by dashes (-) but representing only one word.
In today's lesson, we will study how to form their plural.
- Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Possessive determiners, Omission of the article, Polite Form & Dates.
It can be a bit complicated, but there are 2 rules that generally apply:
GENERAL RULE
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Below, we will study the plural of compound nouns, each element of which being either:
- a noun
- an adjective
- an adverb
- a preposition
- a verb
- verb phrase compounds
- past participle
- prepositional phrase
Adjective + noun
both are plural
General Examples
French Singular | French Plural | Translation |
---|---|---|
un arc-boutant | des arcs-boutants | flying buttresses |
un bas-côté | des bas-côtés | aisles |
une basse-cour | des basses-cours | backyards |
une belle-fille | des belles-filles | daughters-in-law |
un cerf-volant | des cerfs-volants | kites |
un coffre-fort | des coffres-forts | safes |
un grand-parent | des grands-parents | grandparents |
un rond-point | des ronds-points | roundabouts |
Family Members
French Singular | French Plural | Translation |
---|---|---|
un grand-père | des grands-pères | grandfathers |
une grand-mère | des grands-mères or des grand-mères | grandmothers or grandmothers |
un grand-oncle | des grands-oncles | great-uncles |
une grand-tante | des grands-tantes or des grand-tantes | great aunts or great aunts |
Exception
French Singular | French Plural | Translation |
---|---|---|
un bonhomme | des bonshommes |
Noun + adjective
Both are plural
French Singular | French Plural | Translation |
---|---|---|
un coffre-fort | des coffres-forts | safe(s) |
un pied-plat | des pieds-plats | boor(s) |
un grand-père | des grands-pères | grandfather(s) |
une belle-fille | des belles-filles | daughter(s)-in-law, step-daughter(s) |
Noun + noun
both are plural
General Examples
French Singular | French Plural | Translation |
---|---|---|
un bateau-citerne | des bateaux-citernes | tankers |
un bateau-mouche | des bateaux-mouches | river boats |
un camion-citerne | des camions-citernes | tank trucks |
un chou-fleur | des choux-fleurs | cauliflower |
un homme-grenouille | des hommes-grenouilles | frogmen |
une idée-force | des idées-forces | key ideas |
un mot-clé | des mots-clés | keywords |
un oiseau-mouche | des oiseaux-mouches | hummingbirds |
une pause-café | des pauses-cafés | coffee breaks |
une porte-fenêtre | des portes-fenêtres | French windows |
une voiture-restaurant | des voitures-restaurants | dining cars |
un wagon-lit | des wagons-lits | sleeping cars |
Exceptions
French Singular | French Plural | Translation |
---|---|---|
une auto-école | des auto-écoles | driving schools |
un bain-marie | des bains-marie | water baths |
un hôtel-Dieu | des hôtels-Dieu | hotels-dieu |
un timbre-poste | des timbres-poste | postage stamps |
Adverb + noun
only noun is plural (although some remain invariable):
French Singular | French Plural | Translation |
---|---|---|
une arrière-boutique | des arrière-boutiques | back rooms |
une arrière-pensée | des arrière-pensées | ulterior motives |
un arrière-plan | des arrière-plans | backgrounds |
une contre-offensive | des contre-offensives | counter-offensives |
une contre-offre | des contre-offres | counter-offers |
une demi-bouteille | des demi-bouteilles | half bottles |
un demi-tarif | des demi-tarifs | half-fares |
un haut-parleur | des haut-parleurs | speakers |
un hors-bord | des hors-bords | speedboats |
une mini-jupe | des mini-jupes | mini skirts |
un non-lieu | des non-lieus | dismissals |
un non-paiement | des non-paiements | non-payments |
- Exception: un sans-travail, des sans-travail
Adjective + adjective
Both are plural.
French Singular | French Plural | Translation |
---|---|---|
une douce-amère | des douces-amères | woody nightshade |
un sourd-muet | des sourds-muets | deaf-mute(s) |
Adverb / adjective + past participle
Only participle is plural.
French Singular | French Plural | Translation |
---|---|---|
un nouveau-né | des nouveau-nés | newborn(s) |
un bien-aimé | des bien-aimés | beloved(s) |
Noun + prepositional phrase
only first noun is plural
French Singular | French Plural | Translation |
---|---|---|
un aide-de-camp | des aides-de-camp | |
un arc-en-ciel | des arcs-en-ciel | |
un chef d'oeuvre | des chefs d'œuvre | |
un coup d'oeil | des coups d'oeil | |
un coup de pied | des coups de pied | |
un croc-en-jambe | des crocs-en-jambe | |
une langue-de-chat | des langues-de-chat | |
la main d'oeuvre | des mains d'œuvre | |
un mont-de-piété | des monts-de-piété | |
une pomme de terre | des pommes de terre | |
un pot-de-vin | des pots-de-vin |
- But not all change:
French Singular | French Plural | Translation |
---|---|---|
un pot-au-feu | des pot-au-feu | |
un tête-à-queue | des tête-à-queue | |
un tête-à-tête | des tête-à-tête |
Verb + noun
3 possibilities:
The form is invariable
The form remains invariable whether its singular form contains a noun in the singular or plural. This is the usual pattern:
- des abat-jour
- des essuie-mains
- des gratte-ciel
- des ouvre-boîtes
- des porte-monnaie
The second word is plural
The second word becomes plural, normally -s or -x. This is the case with:
- des accroche-cœurs
- des tire-bouchons
- des couvre-lits
These would appear to have been assimilated to the one-word versions, such as:
- le(s) portemanteau(s) coat peg(s)
- le(s) portefeuille(s) wallet(s)
The first word is plural
The first word becomes plural (which is an indication that it is no longer related to any verbal form). This is the case with:
- des appuis-tête
- des soutiens-gorge
It has to be said that in the area of compound nouns not all 'authorities' agree on the rules and attempts to introduce 'logical' rules appear to have added further confusion to an already confused situation!
Verb + verb
Invariable.
un laissez-passer | des laissez-passer | pass(es) | |
un va-et-vient | des va-et-vient | comings and goings |
Verbal phrase compounds
These do not generally have a different plural form:
- des manque-à-gagner
- des on-dit
- des ouï-dire
- des m'as-tu-vu
- des qu'en dira-t-on
- des laisser-passer
- des savoir-faire
Quiz: The Plural of Compound Nouns in French
Multiple Choice Questions
- 1. How is the plural of a compound noun with an adjective and a noun generally formed?
- A. Only the noun is pluralized
- B. Only the adjective is pluralized
- C. Both the adjective and the noun are pluralized
- D. The compound noun remains invariable
- 2. What is the plural form of "un grand-père" (grandfather)?
- A. des grands-pères
- B. des grand-pères
- C. des grand-pere
- D. des grand-pères
- 3. In the case of a noun followed by a prepositional phrase, how is the plural formed?
- A. Only the first noun is pluralized
- B. Both elements are pluralized
- C. The entire phrase remains invariable
- D. Only the prepositional phrase is pluralized
- 4. For compound nouns with an adverb and a noun, how is the plural formed?
- A. Both parts are pluralized
- B. Only the noun is pluralized
- C. Only the adverb is pluralized
- D. The compound noun remains invariable
Fill in the Blank
- 5. The plural of "un arc-boutant" (flying buttress) is "_____".
- ___
- 6. "un bateau-mouche" (river boat) becomes "_____" in the plural.
- ___
- 7. For the compound noun "un cerf-volant" (kite), the correct plural form is "_____".
- ___
- 8. The plural of "une arrière-pensée" (ulterior motive) is "_____".
- ___
- 9. "un non-lieu" (dismissal) in plural is "_____".
- ___
True/False
- 10. The plural of "un bonhomme" (good man) is "des bonshommes".
- True / False
- 11. "un pot-au-feu" (stew) changes to "des pots-au-feu" in the plural.
- True / False
- 12. In compound nouns with two verbs, both verbs are pluralized in the plural form.
- True / False
- 13. The plural form of "un laissez-passer" (pass) is "des laissez-passés".
- True / False
- 14. "un couvre-lit" (bed cover) in plural becomes "des couvres-lits".
- True / False
Answers
- 1. C
- 2. A
- 3. A
- 4. B
- 5. des arcs-boutants
- 6. des bateaux-mouches
- 7. des cerfs-volants
- 8. des arrière-pensées
- 9. des non-lieux
- 10. True
- 11. False
- 12. False
- 13. False
- 14. False
Plural of Nouns (all lessons)