Essential Spanish Grammar
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Singular and Plural Forms
Adding "-s" and "-es" are the two ways to form plural nouns and adjectives in Spanish. In some cases the word doesn't change when it becomes plural. Knowing the correct form for a particular word requires knowing the rules for plural nouns and adjectives, and there are exceptions to the rules. For words with a foreign origin – and there are many of these words in oral and written communication lately because of the ICT's accelerated development – these exceptions have become new rules.
Here are the main rules to form the plural in Spanish
Nouns and adjectives that end in unstressed vowels or in tonic "-e": add "-s"
| English | Singular endings | Plural endings (-s) |
|---|---|---|
| Table | Mesa | Mesas |
| Book | Libro | Libros |
| Bag | Bolsa | Bolsas |
| Clear | Claro | Claros |
| Brilliant | Brillante | Brillantes |
| Coffee | Café | Cafés |
| Cute | Lindo | Lindos |
| Carpenter | Carpintero | Carpinteros |
Nouns and adjectives that end in tonic "–a" or "–o": add "-s"
| English | Singular endings | Plural endings (-s) |
|---|---|---|
| Mom | Mamá | Mamas |
| Couch | Sofá | Sofas |
| Bureau | Buró | Burós |
Nouns and adjectives that end in tonic "–i" or "–u": both of the plural forms are valid
| English | Singular endings | Plural endings (-es) | Plural endings (-s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chili | Ají | Ajíes | Ajís |
| Scalpel | Bisturí | Bisturíes | Bisturí |
| Taboo | Tabú | Tabúes | Tabús |
| Ski | Esquí | Esquíes | Esquís |
Nouns and adjectives that end in "–y" and are preceded by a vowel: add "-es"
| English | Singular endings | Plural endings (-es) |
|---|---|---|
| Law | Ley | Leyes |
| King | Rey | Reyes |
| Ox | Buey | Bueyes |
Nouns and adjectives that end in "-l", "-r," "-n", "-d", "-z", "-j" and are preceded by a vowel: add "-es".
If the last letter is "- z," then it is changed for "-c"in the plural form.
| English | Singular endings | Plural endings (-es) |
|---|---|---|
| Laurel | Laurel | Laureles |
| Tree | Árbol | Árboles |
| Flower | Flor | Flores |
| Player | Jugador | Jugadores |
| Clock | Reloj | Relojes |
| Wall | Pared | Paredes |
| Pencil | Lápiz | Lápices |
| Fish | Pez | Peces |
| German | Alemán | Alemanes |
| City | Ciudad | Ciudades |
| National | Nacional | Nacionales |
| Actress | Actriz | Actrices |
| Pleasure | Placer | Placeres |
Nouns and adjectives that end in "-s" or "-x" and are monosyllabic and oxytone words: add "-es"
| English | Singular endings | Plural endings (-es) |
|---|---|---|
| French | Francés | Franceses |
| Ace | As | Ases |
| Fax | Fax | Faxes |
| Country | País | Países |
| Compass | Compás | Compases |
In all other cases, words that end in "–s" or " –x" do not change the plural form
| English | Singular endings | Plural endings |
|---|---|---|
| Thesis | Tesis | Tesis |
| Crisis | Crisis | Crisis |
| Analysis | Análisis | Análisis |
| Cactus | Cactus | Cactus |
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