>The French language is latin-based. However, as opposed to Spanish or Italian, a lot of termination sounds have been dropped over time. We call these "muet" letters. You must write them properly but they are not in anyway to heard when talking except when they liase with the next word (an other curious feature of French). That includes of course plural "s" and a quite a number of other terminations including the one you mentioned...
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>On top of it as there was no massive spelling reform as in Spanish, French word terminations may indeed sometime be difficult to catch. But I can guarantee that we certainly do not really care when we hear a non-native talking about these terminations. Just so glad you pay attention to our language and culture:)
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>Daniel

First, thank you for your input. The silent letters of French language are easy for me to learn; they are silent :). The difficult part - for me, at least - is various combinations of vowels the sound of which I have to produce and understand in rapid speech. I am working on it and will eventually get it; not as native but close enough that natives will understand me.

And I am glad that you (collective) will not judge me too harshly when I speak :).

One more thing. Now, after 4 months of studying French (fairly intensive) I can appreciate a possible cringing on the faces of French people when they hear Americans reading French words as if they are written in English. And I am sure I was guilty of such "butchering" of French myself.