Nouns With the Same Singular and Plural

Level 3

If a word ends in -s or -x and the stress is not on the last syllable, add nothing in the plural: o lapis, os lapis; o martes, os martes. The article or another word shows the number.

How It Works

Same form in both numbers. Words stressed before the last syllable that end in -s or -x:

  • o lapis, os lapis (pencil)
  • o paraugas, os paraugas (umbrella)
  • o virus, os virus; o oasis, os oasis
  • o tórax, os tórax; o clímax, os clímax
  • the weekdays martes, mércores, xoves and venres: os martes, todos os xoves

Stressed on the last syllable → -es. These follow plural in -es: o mes, os meses; o país, os países; o compás, os compases. The written accent goes when the stress moves: autobús, autobuses.

Consonant clusters stay the same too. Words ending in a consonant group, such as o luns, os luns and o fax, os fax, do not change either. So of the seven weekdays, only sábado and domingo add -s; see dates and days.

How to show the number. Let the article, a demonstrative or a number do it: este lapis, estes lapis; un virus, dous virus. Verbs and adjectives agree as usual: Os paraugas están mollados.

Examples (6)

  1. Perdín dous lapis na escola.

    I lost two pencils at school.

    Word by Word: Lost-I two pencils at-the school.

  2. Os martes teño clase de piano.

    I have piano lessons on Tuesdays.

    Word by Word: The Tuesdays have-I class of piano.

  3. Deixade os paraugas á entrada.

    Leave your umbrellas at the entrance.

    Word by Word: Leave-you-all the umbrellas at-the entrance.

  4. Estes virus son moi contaxiosos.

    These viruses are very contagious.

    Word by Word: These viruses are very contagious.

  5. Vémonos todos os xoves.

    We see each other every Thursday.

    Word by Word: See-we-each-other all the Thursdays.

  6. Este mes ten cinco martes.

    This month has five Tuesdays.

    Word by Word: This month has five Tuesdays.

    Mes is stressed on its only syllable, so its plural is meses; martes stays martes.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding -es to a word stressed before the last syllable.

    Comprei dous lapises.
    Comprei dous lapis.

    Lapis is stressed on la-, so it has the same form in the plural.

  • Leaving a word stressed on its last syllable unchanged.

    Estiven tres mes en Lugo.
    Estiven tres meses en Lugo.

    Mes is stressed on its last (and only) syllable, so it adds -es.

  • Adding an ending to a weekday.

    Vémonos todos os xoveses.
    Vémonos todos os xoves.

    Xoves is stressed on xo- and ends in -s, so the plural is also xoves.

How It Connects

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

Nouns With the Same Singular and PluralLevel 3

Learn This First

Some nouns keep the same form in singular and plural, with stress determining the pattern.