Language/Javanese/Grammar/Plurals

Javanese Grammar - Plurals

Hi Javanese learners! 😊

In this lesson, we will explore the plural form in Javanese. Understanding plural forms is crucial when communicating with other people in Javanese.

Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Gender, Present Tense & Personal Pronouns.

Plural Marker

In Javanese, the plural marker is "wong" which means "people." Adding "wong" after a word indicates that it is in plural form. For example:

Javanese	Pronunciation	English
sepeda	[sə.ˈpe.ðɔ]	bicycle
sepeda wong	[sə.ˈpe.ðɔ ˈwɔŋ]	bicycles
ayam	[a.ˈjam]	chicken
ayam wong	[a.ˈjam ˈwɔŋ]	chickens

As you can see from the examples, the plural marker "wong" is added after the noun to indicate plurality.

Plurals and Adjectives

When a noun is modified by an adjective, the adjective always comes after the noun in Javanese. This is also true for plural nouns. For example:

Javanese	Pronunciation	English
sepeda wong sing gedhe	[sə.ˈpe.ðɔ ˈwɔŋ siŋ ˈɡə.ðɛ]	big bicycles (lit. bicycles people big)
ayam wong cilik	[a.ˈjam ˈwɔŋ ˈtʃi.lik]	small chickens (lit. chickens people small)

In the examples above, we can see that the adjective comes after the noun and the plural marker "wong."

Plurals and Pronouns

In Javanese, pronouns also have a plural form. We use the same plural marker "wong" to indicate plural pronouns. For example:

Javanese	Pronunciation	English
aku	[a.ˈku]	I
kita	[ˈki.tɔ]	we (inclusive)
kita-wong	[ˈki.tɔ ˈwɔŋ]	we (inclusive, more than two people)
kowe	[ˈkɔ.wɛ]	you (singular)
kowe-wong	[ˈkɔ.wɛ ˈwɔŋ]	you (plural)

As you can see from the examples, adding the plural marker "wong" to pronouns indicates that it is in plural form.

Dialogue

Here's a dialogue to help you see plurals in context:

• Person 1: Kulo duwe ayam wong. ([I have chickens.])
• Person 2: Pira? ([How many?])
• Person 1: Lima ayam wong. ([Five chickens.])

Cultural Insights

The Javanese take great pride in their culture and traditions. They have a rich artistic tradition including gamelan music, wayang kulit puppetry and batik textiles. Additionally, they are known for their philosophy of "gotong royong," which emphasizes mutual cooperation and helping each other. Understanding these cultural insights can help you better understand the Javanese language and people.

To improve your Javanese Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Sources

• How is the plural formed in Javanese? - Quora
• Javanese Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

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Other Lessons

• Gender
• Pronouns
• Give your Opinion
• How to Use Be
• Future Tense
• Negation
• Adjectives
• Conditional Mood
• Nouns