Language/Vietnamese/Grammar/Plurals

Vietnamese Grammar - Plurals

Hi Vietnamese learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will discuss plural forms in Vietnamese. Plural forms are used when referring to more than one object or person. It's an important aspect of the Vietnamese language, and with some practice, you'll be able to sound like a native speaker in no time.

Basic rules for forming plurals

In Vietnamese, nouns do not change their form to indicate plurals. Unlike in English, where we add -s or -es to make a noun plural, Vietnamese uses classifiers, numerals, or quantifiers to indicate the quantity of objects. For example, if you want to say "cars," you would say "xe hơi," where "xe" means "vehicle" and "hơi" means "gasoline." If there are two cars, you would say "hai chiếc xe hơi."

Here are some basic rules for forming plurals in Vietnamese:

1. Use the numeral "hai" (two) before the noun to indicate two objects. For example, "hai con chó" means "two dogs."

2. Use the classifier "những" before the noun to indicate more than two objects. For example, "những con chó" means "dogs."

3. Use the quantifiers "nhiều" or "các" before the noun to indicate a large quantity of objects. For example, "nhiều cây" means "many trees," and "các máy tính" means "computers."

4. There are some exceptions in which Vietnamese adds the suffix "-s" to the noun to indicate plural. For example, "cái tô" (bowl) becomes "các cái tô" (bowls).

Here's a table that summarizes these basic rules:

Rule	Example
Numeral "hai"	Hai con chó (two dogs)
Classifier "những"	Những con chó (dogs)
Quantifier "nhiều"	Nhiều cây (many trees)
Quantifier "các"	Các máy tính (computers)
Suffix "-s"	Các cái tô (bowls)

More examples

Here are some more examples of plural forms in Vietnamese:

Vietnamese	Pronunciation	English
xe hơi	/sê hây/	cars
con chó	/kun choh/	dogs
con mèo	/kun me-oh/	cats
cây	/kaî/	trees
bàn	/bân/	tables
ghế	/ge/	chairs

Dialogue

Here's a dialogue between two friends discussing their favorite animals:

• Thùy: Con mèo của tôi rất đáng yêu. (My cats are very cute)
• Minh: Tôi thích chó hơn. (I prefer dogs)
• Thùy: Con chó của tôi cũng rất dễ thương. (My dogs are also very adorable)

Cultural information

In Vietnamese culture, the use of classifiers is an important aspect of the language. It demonstrates respect for the object being referred to and is part of the Vietnamese etiquette. Moreover, it's common for Vietnamese people to simplify plurals by just repeating the noun, such as "chó chó" (dogs) and "cây cây" (trees).

Practice exercise

Now that you know the basics of plural forms in Vietnamese, here's a practice exercise for you. Translate the following sentences into Vietnamese:

1. Chairs (Quantifier "các") 2. Three tables (Numeral "ba") 3. Birds (Classifier "những") 4. Five cats (Numeral "năm") 5. Teachers (Suffix "-s")

Conclusion

In conclusion, plural forms in Vietnamese are expressed using classifiers, numerals, or quantifiers, unlike in English where we add -s or -es to indicate plurals. Knowing the basics of plural forms can help you speak like a native Vietnamese speaker. To improve your Vietnamese Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Sources

• Vietnamese language
• Vietnamese grammar
• Classifier in linguistics

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