Words

Plural nouns

O plural dos nomes

Vowel + s. R, z, stressed s + es. M → ns. L → is. -ão: -ões, -ães or -ãos.

Rule and examples

Ends in a vowel: + s

When a word ends in a vowel, we add -s: o gato → os gatos, a casa → as casas, um pacote → uns pacotes. The article also becomes plural (o → os, a → as). In Portuguese the plural article is “os/as”, never “los/las”.

Example o gato → os gatos · a casa → as casas

-r, -z, stressed -s: + es

Words in -r and -z take -es: a flor → as flores, a luz → as luzes. The same goes for -s when the last syllable is stressed: o mês → os meses, o país → os países. If the last syllable is unstressed, the word does not change: o lápis → os lápis, o ônibus → os ônibus, o tênis → os tênis.

Example a flor → as flores · o mês → os meses · o lápis → os lápis

-m → -ns · -l → -is

Words in -m change the -m to -ns: o jardim → os jardins, o homem → os homens, a viagem → as viagens. Words in -l change the -l to -is: o animal → os animais, o jornal → os jornais. In -el and -ol an accent appears when the syllable is stressed: o papel → os papéis, o hotel → os hotéis, o farol → os faróis.

Example o jardim → os jardins · o animal → os animais · o papel → os papéis

-ão: -ões, -ães or -ãos

Most words make -ões: o coração → os corações, o dragão → os dragões, o avião → os aviões. A few make -ães: o pão → os pães, o cão → os cães, o alemão → os alemães. And some make -ãos: a mão → as mãos, o irmão → os irmãos. Learn it with the word.

Example o dragão → os dragões · o pão → os pães · a mão → as mãos

Exercises with answers

Try each exercise before opening the answer.

Put the phrase in the plural.
a mochila → ___
1. as mochilas
2. a mochilas
3. as mochila
4. las mochilas
Show the answer
as mochilas
“mochila” ends in a vowel: add -s and put the article in the plural → “mochilas”.
Put the phrase in the plural.
a mesa → ___
1. as mesa
2. las mesas
3. as mesas
4. a mesas
Show the answer
as mesas
“mesa” ends in a vowel: add -s and put the article in the plural → “mesas”.
Put the phrase in the plural.
a casa → ___
1. las casas
2. a casas
3. as casas
4. as casa
Show the answer
as casas
“casa” ends in a vowel: add -s and put the article in the plural → “casas”.
Put the phrase in the plural.
a tartaruga → ___
1. las tartarugas
2. as tartaruga
3. as tartarugas
4. a tartarugas
Show the answer
as tartarugas
“tartaruga” ends in a vowel: add -s and put the article in the plural → “tartarugas”.
Put the phrase in the plural.
a padaria → ___
1. a padarias
2. las padarias
3. as padarias
4. as padaria
Show the answer
as padarias
“padaria” ends in a vowel: add -s and put the article in the plural → “padarias”.
Put the phrase in the plural.
a ponte → ___
1. las pontes
2. a pontes
3. as pontes
4. as ponte
Show the answer
as pontes
“ponte” ends in a vowel: add -s and put the article in the plural → “pontes”.
Put the phrase in the plural.
o café → ___
1. los cafés
2. o cafés
3. os cafés
4. os café
Show the answer
os cafés
“café” ends in a vowel: add -s and put the article in the plural → “cafés”.
Put the phrase in the plural.
a janela → ___
1. las janelas
2. as janela
3. a janelas
4. as janelas
Show the answer
as janelas
“janela” ends in a vowel: add -s and put the article in the plural → “janelas”.

Practise this topic

45 exercises in the workshop.