Language/Assamese/Grammar/Plurals
Hi Assamese learners! đ
In this lesson, you will learn about plurals in Assamese grammar. Plurals are used to denote more than one person, object, or thing. In Assamese, the concept of plurals is relatively simple, as compared to other languages.
Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: Negation, Future Tense, How to Use Be & Adverbs.
Basic rule[edit | edit source]
The basic rule for plurals in Assamese is to add the suffix "-āĻŦāĻž" ("-ba") to the singular form of the noun. For example,
Assamese | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
āĻāĻĨāĻž ('kotha') | Template:IPA | Word |
āĻāĻĨāĻžāĻŦāĻž ('kothaba') | Template:IPA | Words |
In the above example, the singular form of the noun is "āĻāĻĨāĻž" ("kotha"), which means "word". To make it plural, we add the suffix "-āĻŦāĻž" ("-ba") to get "āĻāĻĨāĻžāĻŦāĻž" ("kothaba"), which means "words".
Exceptions[edit | edit source]
Although the basic rule works for most nouns in Assamese, there are some exceptions. Some nouns don't follow the "-āĻŦāĻž" ("-ba") pattern, and have their own unique plural forms. Some common examples are:
Assamese | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
āĻŽāĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻš ('manuh') | Template:IPA | Human |
āĻ˛āĻāĻž ('loga') | Template:IPA | Deer |
āĻĻāĻŋāĻ¨ ('din') | Template:IPA | Day |
In the above examples, the plurals are formed by changing the stem of the noun itself, instead of adding a suffix.
Compound Nouns[edit | edit source]
When a noun is a compound of two or more words, only the last word takes the plural form. For example:
Assamese | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
āĻŦāĻžā§°ā§āĻ§ ('baru-dh') | Template:IPA | Rainy season |
āĻŦāĻā§°āĻŦāĻž ('bosor-ba') | Template:IPA | Rainy seasons |
In the above example, the plural of "āĻŦāĻžā§°ā§āĻ§" ("baru-dh"), which means "rainy season", is "āĻŦāĻā§°āĻŦāĻž" ("bosor-ba"), which means "rainy seasons".
Vocabulary[edit | edit source]
Some common nouns with their singular and plural forms are:
Assamese | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
āĻāĻžāĻ ('kath') | Template:IPA | Wood |
āĻāĻžāĻ āĻžāĻŦāĻž ('kathaba') | Template:IPA | Woods |
āĻā§°ā§ ('goru') | Template:IPA | Cow |
āĻā§°ā§āĻŦāĻž ('goruba') | Template:IPA | Cows |
āĻŽāĻ ('moi') | Template:IPA | I/me |
āĻŽāĻāĻŦāĻž ('moiba') | Template:IPA | We/us |
āĻ¨āĻĻā§ ('nodi') | Template:IPA | River |
āĻ¨āĻĻā§āĻŦāĻž ('nodiba') | Template:IPA | Rivers |
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
To see plurals in context, here's a dialogue:
- Person 1: āĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻĨāĻž āĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻžā§°ā§āĨ¤ ('Tumi kotha bicharÊ.')
* (You are thinking about words.)
- Person 2: āĻ¨āĻžāĻšāĻā§, āĻŽāĻ āĻāĻĨāĻžāĻŦāĻžāĻŦā§ā§° āĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻžā§°ā§āĻā§āĨ¤ ('NahokÊ, moi kothababor bicharucho.')
* (No, I am thinking about words.)
In the above dialogue, "āĻāĻĨāĻž" ("kotha"), the singular form of "words", changes to "āĻāĻĨāĻžāĻŦāĻž" ("kothaba"), the plural form, to indicate that more than one word is being referred to.
Cultural Insight[edit | edit source]
Assam, known as the Gateway of North East India, is a land of diverse cultures and traditions. The Assamese language is deeply rooted in the state's history and identity.
The Assamese language has been greatly influenced by Sanskrit, which has resulted in the use of a number of Sanskrit words in Assamese literature, especially in religious texts.
Assamese cuisine is known for its unique flavors and ranges from simple, rustic dishes to more elaborate ones. Some famous Assamese dishes include "masor tenga" (sour fish curry), "bamboo shoot pickle", "pitha" (rice cakes), and "khaar" (a preparation made with vegetables and pulses).
Assamese folk music and dance are an integral part of the state's culture. The "Bihu" dance, performed during the Bihu festival, is a popular folk dance that is enjoyed by people of all ages.
Improve your Assamese[edit | edit source]
To improve your Assamese Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Sources[edit | edit source]
⥠If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
⥠Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. đ
Videos[edit | edit source]
Person/ Singular number/Plural number in Assamese - YouTube[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Future Tense
- Prepositions
- How to Use Be
- Possession
- Adjectives
- How to Use Have
- Questions
- Conditional Mood
- Negation