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Les dommages sont très graves.

Les dommages sont très graves.
The damage is very serious.
From Lesson 213:Expressing regrets and reproaches·French

Questions & Answers about Les dommages sont très graves.

Why is Les dommages sont plural when the English translation says 'The damage is' in the singular?
In English, 'damage' is an uncountable noun and takes a singular verb. In French, un dommage is countable, and it is almost always used in the plural (les dommages) when talking about physical or material destruction. That is why the verb sont is plural.
Does graves mean the same thing as the English word 'grave'?
They are related, but in French, grave is the everyday adjective for 'serious' or 'severe'. You will hear it used all the time for injuries, mistakes, or damage. Notice that it takes an -s at the end here to agree with the plural noun les dommages.
How would I change this sentence to express a regret using the past conditional?
To express a regret like 'The damage would not have been very serious', you need the past conditional of the verb être. The sentence would become: Les dommages n'auraient pas été très graves.
Is there another common way to say 'damage' in this context?
Yes, another extremely common word for physical damage is les dégâts. You will often hear les dégâts sont très graves after a car accident or a storm. Just like les dommages, it is used in the plural.

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