-m/-ns

Plural of -m Nouns

Level 1

In Portuguese, words ending in -m (like homem or bom) change to -ns in the plural (homens, bons). This rule applies to both nouns and adjectives.

How It Works

This is a core morphological rule for Level 1 learners. It is universal across all dialects and registers of Portuguese.

1. The Rule:
Simply drop the -m and add -ns.

  • Jardim (garden) → Jardins (gardens)
  • Comum (common) → Comuns (common plural)

2. Pronunciation:
The vowel sound does not change. The -m and the -n both serve the same purpose: they tell you to breathe some of the sound through your nose. The only audible difference in the plural is the addition of the 's' sound at the end.

3. Accentuation:
Most words ending in -m are stressed on the last syllable. If a word is stressed on the second-to-last syllable (paroxytone) and ends in -m, like item, it does not take a graphic accent in either the singular or the plural (item / itens). This is a common point of confusion even for native speakers.

Examples (5)

  1. O homem é bom.

    The man is good.

    Word by Word: The man is good.

    Both the noun 'homem' and the adjective 'bom' end in -m in the singular.

  2. Os homens são bons.

    The men are good.

    Word by Word: The men are good.

    In the plural, 'homem' becomes 'homens' and 'bom' becomes 'bons'.

  3. Eu fiz duas viagens este ano.

    I took two trips this year.

    Word by Word: I made two trips this year.

    The singular 'viagem' (trip) changes to 'viagens' in the plural.

  4. Estes jardins são muito bonitos.

    These gardens are very beautiful.

    Word by Word: These gardens are very beautiful.

    The singular 'jardim' (garden) changes to 'jardins'.

  5. Temos alguns itens para vender.

    We have some items to sell.

    Word by Word: We have some items to sell.

    The word 'item' becomes 'itens'. Note that there is no accent on 'itens'.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding -es to the end of the word (Spanish influence).

    Os homemes são bons.
    Os homens são bons.

    Unlike Spanish, Portuguese never adds -es to words ending in -m. You must replace the -m with -ns.

  • Adding an unnecessary accent to the word 'itens'.

    Eu comprei os ítens.
    Eu comprei os itens.

    Words ending in -ens that are stressed on the second-to-last syllable do not receive a graphic accent.

How It Connects

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

-m/-nsLevel 1Plural of -m Nouns

Learn This First

To understand how nouns ending in -m change to -ns, learners first need to be familiar with the standard pluralization rule (adding -s) and how Portuguese nouns are generally structured.