Collective Nouns
Collective nouns name groups of people, animals, or things as a single unit. They shape how we think about a group and affect grammar like agreement and article choice.
Common Collective Nouns
Common collective nouns often come from nature, professions, or everyday activities. They apply consistently to similar groups.
| French Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| une famille | a family |
| un troupeau | a herd |
| une meute | a pack |
| un battalion | a battalion |
| une foule | a crowd |
| une armée | an army |
| une nuée | a swarm |
| un groupe | a group |
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🐝 Une ruche d'abeilles butine les fleurs. | A hive of bees is gathering nectar from the flowers. |
| 🌸 Un vol d’abeilles colorait le jardin. | A flight of bees brightened the garden. |
| 🧺 Une essaim d’abeilles a couvert le panier de pique-nique. | A swarm of bees covered the picnic basket. |
| 🌼 Une nuée d’abeilles voletait autour des cerisiers en fleur. | A cloud of bees flitted around the blossoming cherry trees. |
| 🍯 Une poignée d’abeilles s’est posée sur la tartine de miel. | A handful of bees settled on the honeyed toast. |
Sign In
Add an email to access exercises.
Usage
A collective noun normally takes a singular verb when the group acts as one. You can use plural expressions or highlight individuals to shift agreement to plural.
Sign In
Add an email to access exercises.
Articles and Agreement
The article reflects whether you see the group as a unit (use the singular article) or as members (use des or plural). Adjectives agree in number with the noun they modify.
Sign In
Add an email to access exercises.
Expressions and Variations
Some collective nouns have set expressions or take plurals in certain contexts. Familiar idiomatic uses help you sound natural when describing groups.
Sign In
Add an email to access exercises.
Summary
Collective nouns encapsulate groups as single units or collections of individuals. Pay attention to whether the noun is treated as singular or plural to choose the right verb, article, and adjective forms.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025