FR: besoins matériels / matériaux

[Gemsh]

Hello All,

My question is, since besoin is a masculine noun, why is it « les besoins matériels » and not « les besoins matériaux »? Is it just a fixed or expression? Thanks in advance.

 

[Maître Capello]

Only words ending in -au become -aux in the plural. Here the word is not matériau, but matériel. And matériel is not a feminine word; it is masculine. The feminine version is matérielle.

See also:
matériel vs. matériau
matériel, matériels / matériau, matériaux

 

[Gemsh]

Ah, okay. Many thanks indeed!