I have a question-I need to compare Spanish nouns in the singular versus plural to English. I know to make it plural in Spanish- I add s to a noun ending in a vowel and es if it is a consonant but I don't know how to actually put the comparison between the two languages into words to answer the question
Aren't they very similar?
I'm suppose to tell at least one difference and one similarity-I have the similarity covered-what is the difference
In English there are many, many irregularly formed plurals. In Spanish, there are not.
child - children
man - men
woman - women
ox - oxen
fish - fish
elk - elk
deer - deer
xxx - scissors
alumnus - alumni
alumna - alumnae
cactus - cacti
fungus - fungi
... and many more:
http://www.english-zone.com/spelling/plurals.html
In Spanish there ARE some irregular plurals.
For example, the ending z changes to c in front of e or i
Examples: la cruz = las cruces
el lápiz = los lápices
An accented i or ú adds -es
Examples: el rubi = los rubies
el tabú = los trabúes
2 exceptions with accented last syllable:
el sofá = los sofás & el menú = los menús
An unaccented final syllable ending iin -s has the same plural
Examples: el lunes = los lunes
el viernes = los viernes
Actually the first one (z--->C) is an orthographical change. That means for pronuncation's sake, especially in castellano where "z" is pronounced "th" rather than the Latin American "s"
Sra
To compare Spanish nouns in the singular versus plural to English, you can follow these general rules:
1. Adding "s" or "es" in Spanish:
- For most singular nouns ending in a vowel in Spanish, you simply add "s" to make it plural. For example, "el libro" (the book) becomes "los libros" (the books).
- If a singular noun in Spanish ends in a consonant, you usually add "es" to make it plural. For example, "el papel" (the paper) becomes "los papeles" (the papers).
2. Comparing with English:
- In English, adding "s" is the most common way to make a noun plural. For example, "book" becomes "books."
- However, it's important to note that there are many exceptions and irregularities in English pluralization. Some nouns use entirely different words or have internal changes. For example, "child" becomes "children," "tooth" becomes "teeth," etc.
To explain the comparison between the two languages in words, you could say that in Spanish, adding "s" to a noun ending in a vowel and "es" to a noun ending in a consonant is a general rule for making nouns plural. In English, adding "s" is the most common way to make nouns plural, although there are exceptions and irregularities that need to be learned.
Remember, language rules can have exceptions, and it's always important to consult reliable sources or reference materials for specific plural forms in both Spanish and English nouns.