Singular / Plural Meaning Changes

Some French nouns can only be singular, some can only be plural, and some have different meanings depending on whether they are singular or plural.

abattis (m)   brushwood
les abattis (m)   giblets, (informal) arms and legs, limbs

assise (f)   wall support, foundation
assises (f)   assembly, conference

autorité (f)   authority
les autorités (f)   the authorities

le barbe   barb
la barbe   beard
les barbes (f)   ragged edge

le bois   wood (in general), woodwind instrument
les bois (m)   woodwind section

le ciseau   chisel
les ciseaux (m)   scissors

le comble   height, peak; last straw (figurative)
les combles (m)   attic

le cuivre   copper
les cuivres (m)   copper instruments, tools

la douceur   softness, gentleness
les douceurs (f)   sweets, desserts; sweet talk

eau (f)   water (in general)
les eaux (f)   river/lake/sea water, wake

économie (f)   economics
les économies (f)   savings

écriture (f)   writing, (finance) entry
les écritures (f)   accounts, books

la façon   way, manner, means
les façons (f)   manners, behavior

le fer   iron
les fers (m)   chains, fetters

le guide   guide (book, tour)
la guide   girl scout/guide
les guides (f)   reins

humanité (f)   humanity, mankind
les humanités (f)   humanities, classics

le lendemain   the next day, the period right after
les lendemains (m)   future, prospects, consequences

la lunette   telescope
les lunettes (f)   glasses, spectacles

la mémoire   memory
le mémoire   memorandum, report
les mémoires (m)   memoirs

la menotte   (babytalk) hand
les menottes (f)   handcuffs

ouïe (f)   (sense of) hearing
les ouïes (f)   gills

le papier   paper
les papiers (m)   documentation

la pâte   pastry, dough
les pâtes (f)   pasta, noodles

le ravage (literary)   pillaging
les ravages (m)   havoc, ravages

le status   status
les status (m)   statutes

la toilette   toilette, hygiene, act of getting ready
les toilettes (f)   lavatory, restroom

la vacance   vacancy
les vacances (f)   vacation, holiday


When talking about arts and crafts, a singular noun indicates the activity itself, while both the singular and plural refer to the product.

le cinéma   cinema, movie industry
le(s) cinéma(s)   cinema(s), movie theater(s)

la couture   sewing
la (les) couture(s)   seam(s)

la danse   dancing
la (les) danse(s)   dance(s)

le dessin   the act of drawing
le(s) dessin(s)   drawing(s)

la peinture   the act of painting
la (les) peinture(s)   painting(s)

la sculpture   the act of sculpting
la (les) sculpture(s)   sculpture(s)

le théâtre   theater arts
le(s) théâtre(s)   theaters(s)

le tricot   the act of knitting
le(s) tricot(s)   sweater(s), jumper(s)


Languages are always singular (and always, au fait, masculine). When the name of a language is capitalized, both the singular and plural indicate people of that nationality.

anglais (m)   English language
un Anglais, des Anglais   an Englishman, English people

arabe (m)   Arabic language
un Arabe, des Arabes   an Arab, Arabs

le français   French language
un Français, des Français   a Frenchman, French people


Only singular French nouns | Only plural French nouns | Singular/plural meaning changes

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