I can put any word from the lesson in the plural with the article os or as, and get the words in -ão, -l, and -m right.
Singular and plural: os and as
Singular and plural: os and as
To talk about more than one thing, both the noun and the article change: o becomes os, a becomes as. So you get os livros, as chaves.
The table shows five rules. Two stand out in writing, where English would just add -s: a final -l goes and -is takes its place; a final -m becomes -ns. After a vowel, -s is enough; after -r, -z, or a stressed -s, add -es.
Words in -ção are feminine: a lição, a refeição, a estação. That's a third gender clue, after -agem and -dade from the last lesson.
In the plural, words in -ão take -ões by default: a lição becomes as lições. But six words fall into two other groups, learned as a list: pão, cão, and alemão take -ães; mão, irmão, and cidadão take -ãos.
Words ending in an unstressed -s don't change: o lápis becomes os lápis. Only the article shows the number.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “os animales” — os animais.
• NOT “os papeles” — os papéis.
• NOT “os homems” — os homens.
• NOT “dois pãos” — dois pães.
• NOT “as lição” — as lições.
The plural: five rules
The article always changes, even when the word itself doesn't.
| Word ending | What happens | Example |
|---|---|---|
| vowel | add -s | o livro → os livros |
| -r, -z, stressed -s | add -es | o rapaz → os rapazes, a mulher → as mulheres |
| -l | drop -l, add -is | o animal → os animais |
| -m | -m becomes -ns | o homem → os homens |
| unstressed -s | the word doesn't change | o lápis → os lápis |
Words in -ão: the rule and six exceptions
By default -ões; six words form two other groups — learn them as a list.
| Word group | Plural | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| by default | -ões | a lição → as lições, a estação → as estações |
| six words, group 1 | -ães | o pão → os pães, o cão → os cães, o alemão → os alemães |
| six words, group 2 | -ãos | a mão → as mãos, o irmão → os irmãos, o cidadão → os cidadãos |
Lesson notes
Singular and plural: os and as
To talk about more than one thing, both the noun and the article change: o becomes os, a becomes as. So you get os livros, as chaves.
The table shows five rules. Two stand out in writing, where English would just add -s: a final -l goes and -is takes its place; a final -m becomes -ns. After a vowel, -s is enough; after -r, -z, or a stressed -s, add -es.
Words in -ção are feminine: a lição, a refeição, a estação. That's a third gender clue, after -agem and -dade from the last lesson.
In the plural, words in -ão take -ões by default: a lição becomes as lições. But six words fall into two other groups, learned as a list: pão, cão, and alemão take -ães; mão, irmão, and cidadão take -ãos.
Words ending in an unstressed -s don't change: o lápis becomes os lápis. Only the article shows the number.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “os animales” — os animais.
• NOT “os papeles” — os papéis.
• NOT “os homems” — os homens.
• NOT “dois pãos” — dois pães.
• NOT “as lição” — as lições.