Number Agreement in Noun Phrases

Level 2

Articles, nouns and adjectives agree in plural noun phrases.

How It Works

Many nouns and adjectives add s directly: llibre/llibres, gran/grans and noi/nois. Change accompanying articles and adjectives too: el llibre nou becomes els llibres nous. The plural noun alone does not complete the agreement.

Track the noun that heads the phrase. Els llibres nous requires plural agreement on article and adjective; una capsa de llibres nous has a singular head capsa and a plural complement llibres. An adjective describing the box would be singular: una capsa nova.

The adjective remains plural after ser or estar: les cases són grans. A single adjective describing coordinated nouns normally takes plural agreement. With mixed grammatical genders, masculine plural is the ordinary agreement pattern. Keep irregular spelling patterns such as amiga/amigues and feliç/feliços/felices distinct from the general instruction to make the phrase plural.

Examples (3)

  1. Les cases noves són grans.

    The new houses are large.

  2. Tinc uns dies lliures.

    I have a few free days.

  3. Els llibres i les revistes són nous.

    The books and magazines are new.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Number Agreement in Noun PhrasesLevel 2

Learn This First

Form plural nouns. Carry number and gender to the adjective.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.