In French, most nouns ending in -ou take an -s in the plural form, but for 7 exceptions that take an -x.
7 French nouns ending in -ou that take -x in the plural form
| le bijou | les bijoux | jewel(s) |
| le chou | les choux | cabbage(s) |
| le caillou | les cailloux | stone(s) |
| le joujou | les joujoux | toy(s) |
| le genou | les genoux | knee(s) |
| le pou | les poux | louse/lice |
| le hibou | les hiboux | owl(s) |
Listen to these examples:
Fun mnemotechnics to remember the 7 exceptions in -oux
1- The first two stanzas from Robert Desnos's poem "Les Hiboux":
|
Ce sont les mères des hiboux Leurs yeux d'or valent des bijoux |
Those are the owls' mothers Their golden eyes are worthy of jewels |
2- To the tune of "Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes":
| Bijoux, Cailloux Genoux, Joujoux (répétez) Chou-ou-ou-oux Poux et Hiboux Bijoux, Cailloux Genoux, Joujoux |
Jewels, Pebbles Knees and Toys (repeat) Ca-a-bba-age Lice and Owls Jewels, Pebbles Knees and Toys! |
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Examples and resources
Qui désiraient chercher les poux
De leurs enfants, leurs petits choux,
En les tenant sur les genoux. Leurs yeux d'or valent des bijoux
Leur bec est dur comme cailloux,
Ils sont doux comme des joujoux,
Mais aux hiboux point de genoux !Those are the owls' mothers
Who wanted to look for the lice
Of their little children, their little cabbages,
While holding them on their knees Their golden eyes are worthy of jewels
Their beaks are hard like rocks
They are soft like toys,
But owls have no knees!
