Language/Sundanese/Grammar/Plurals
Hi Sundanese learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will be discussing plurals in Sundanese. In Sundanese, there are several ways to form the plural. But before we dive into it, let us quickly review some basics of Sundanese grammar. If you want to improve your Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Basics[edit | edit source]
Sundanese is an agglutinative language, meaning that words are formed by adding affixes to a base word. Some examples of affixes in Sundanese include:
| Affix | Meaning |
|---|---|
| -an | nominalizing suffix |
| -keun | causative suffix |
| geus | past tense marker |
Plural Forms[edit | edit source]
In Sundanese, we use several ways to form the plural.
Repetition of the base word[edit | edit source]
One way to form the plural is by repeating the base word. For example:
| Sundanese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| bapa-bapa | ['bapaː bapaː] | fathers |
| bumi-bumi | ['bumiː 'bumiː] | lands |
Note that in some cases, Sundanese speakers may use the singular form to refer to multiple objects, especially in informal settings.
Reduplication of the base word[edit | edit source]
Another way to form the plural is by reduplicating the base word. For example:
| Sundanese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| bapa-bapa | ['bapa bapa] | fathers |
| bumi-bumi | ['bumi bumi] | lands |
Plural affix -an[edit | edit source]
The suffix -an can be added to the base word to form the plural. For example:
| Sundanese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| bapak-an | ['bapakan] | fathers |
| bumi-an | ['bumian] | lands |
Plural pronouns[edit | edit source]
Sundanese also has plural pronouns. For example:
| Sundanese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| kami | ['kami] | we |
| urang | ['urang] | they |
Examples in Context[edit | edit source]
To help you understand plurals in context, here is a conversation in Sundanese:
- Person 1: Rara geus teang ku leres. (Rara has eaten two candies.)
- Person 2: Oh, deui ari ngan sakedap didieu. (Oh, let's go buy some more here.)
Summary[edit | edit source]
In short, there are several ways to form the plural in Sundanese. You can use the repetition of the base word, reduplication of the base word, the suffix -an, or plural pronouns. Understanding how to form plurals is essential in speaking and understanding Sundanese.
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Sundanese language - Wikipedia
- Sundanese Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
- Sundanese Plural | LEARN101.ORG