# Making plurals: -s, -es, -ces

> id: grammar.nouns.plural-formation · category: grammar · depth: standard · levels: A1 · review: internally_reviewed

**Summary.** Vowel + s (casa → casas); consonant + es (ciudad → ciudades); -z → -ces (luz → luces). Written accents may shift: nación → naciones.

Three rules cover almost all Spanish plurals. A noun ending in an unstressed vowel adds -s: casa → casas, coche → coches. A noun ending in a consonant (or in stressed -í/-ú) adds -es: ciudad → ciudades, papel → papeles, rubí → rubíes.

A final -z changes to -ces: luz → luces, vez → veces, lápiz → lápices. This is a spelling adjustment, not a change in sound.

Adding -es can shift where the written accent falls, so accents appear or disappear to preserve the original stress: examen → exámenes, joven → jóvenes, nación → naciones, inglés → ingleses.

## Examples
- Compré dos relojes. — I bought two watches.
- Hay muchas naciones representadas. — There are many nations represented. *(Accent dropped in the plural.)*
- Compré dos lápices y tres cuadernos. — I bought two pencils and three notebooks.

Related: grammar.nouns.plural-invariable

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