FORMATION OF PLURAL OF SPANISH NOUNS: Change "z" to "ces"

In the previous post, you learned that if a Spanish noun ends in a consonant you just add -es to it to make it plural. The most common consonants in which words may end in Spanish (d, j, l, n, r, s, y) all follow this rule! However, for the letter "z" you have to make some changes before adding -es.

First, you have to change "z" to "c". Then, after having done so, add -es directly to where the change is, that is, to the letter "c".

To make this clearer, let's take an example. The Spanish words "luz" (meaning ¨light¨) and "pez" (meaning ¨fish¨)  both are singular and both end in the consonant letter z. Therefore, the plural forms for them are "luces" and "peces".

Son luces. (These are lights)

Hay muchos peces. (There are many fish)

So again! To form the plural of Spanish words ending in letter z, you have to change "z" to "ces":

     pez -> pec + es = peces
     luz -> luc + es = luces

Other examples for this rule:

     andaluz (Andalusian) -> andaluc + es = andaluces
     capuz (a type of cape) -> capuc + es = capuces
     voz (voice) -> voc + es = voces
     paz (peace) -> pac+ es = paces    (as in "hacer paces", to make peace)
     nuez (nut) -> nuec + es = nueces
     avestruz (ostrich) -> avestruc + es = avestruces

Hay siete avestruces. (There are seven ostriches)

E X E R C I S E
        Give the plural form of the following Spanish words. Remember the rule for formation of plural when the word ends in -z!

1.   alcazuz     ______________
2.   vez           ______________
3.   lápiz         ______________
4.   actriz       ______________
5.   variz        ______________
6.   cruz         ______________
7.   juez         ______________
8.   raíz          ______________
9.   aprendiz   ______________
10. lombriz    ______________

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Way to go! Only 1 rule for the formation plural is left. But no worries! We'll discuss it on the next blog post. So, relax and brace yourselves for that! :)