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<div class="pg_page_title">Min Nan Chinese Grammar - Plurals</div>
<div class="pg_page_title">Min Nan Chinese Grammar - Plurals</div>
Hi Min Nan Chinese learners!😊<br>Learning [https://polyglotclub.com/language/min-nan-chinese Min Nan Chinese] Grammar can be a daunting task, but with the right approach and dedication, you can master it in no time! In this lesson, we will focus on plurals in Min Nan Chinese. __TOC__


== Pluralizing Nouns ==
Hi [https://polyglotclub.com/language/min-nan-chinese Min Nan Chinese] learners! 😊


In Min Nan Chinese, nouns are usually pluralized by adding the suffix -hō͘ (等). For example, the word for "book" (書) becomes "books" (書等). However, there are some exceptions to this rule.  
In this lesson, we are going to learn about plurals in Min Nan Chinese. Plurals are the form of a word used to refer to more than one person or thing. Understanding plurals is essential in any language as it makes it easier to communicate effectively.  


=== Exceptions ===
__TOC__


Some nouns have irregular plural forms. For example, the word for "person" (人) becomes "people" (人員). Other nouns do not change at all in the plural form, such as the word for "cat" (貓), which remains the same in both singular and plural forms.


It is important to note that some nouns can take either the regular or the irregular plural form. For example, the word for "child" (兒) can be pluralized as either "children" (兒童) or "children" (兒等).  
<span link>Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Vocabulary/How-to-Say-Hello-and-Greetings|Say Hello and Greetings in Min Nan Chinese]], [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Negation|Negation]] & [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Adjectives|Adjectives]].</span>
== Why are plurals important? ==


== Pluralizing Verbs ==
The use of plurals is important because it helps to convey the correct meaning of a sentence. It can indicate the quantity or more specific meanings, such as the types, of the entities. Without plurals, communication would be unnecessarily complicated and even confusing.


Verbs in Min Nan Chinese are usually pluralized by adding the suffix -lâi (來). For example, the verb for "to eat" (食) becomes "to eat" (食來). However, there are some exceptions to this rule.
== Forming plurals in Min Nan Chinese ==


=== Exceptions ===
In Min Nan Chinese, plurals are mostly formed by adding the suffix: -chit (七). For example:


Some verbs have irregular plural forms. For example, the verb for "to go" (行) becomes "to go" (行去). Other verbs do not change at all in the plural form, such as the verb for "to see" (見), which remains the same in both singular and plural forms.
{| class="wikitable"
! Min Nan Chinese !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| 人 || lâng || person
|-
| 人七 || lâng-chit || people


It is important to note that some verbs can take either the regular or the irregular plural form. For example, the verb for "to speak" (講) can be pluralized as either "to speak" (講來) or "to speak" (講去).
|-
| 书 || chú || book
|-
| 书七 || chú-chit || books
|}


== Conclusion ==
As shown in the above examples, adding the suffix '-chit' (七) after the noun changes its meaning from singular to plural. It is important to note that there are some exceptions and irregular plurals in the Min Nan Chinese language.


Plurals in Min Nan Chinese can be tricky, but with practice and patience, you can master them in no time! To improve your [[Language/Min-nan-chinese|Min Nan Chinese]] [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar|Grammar]], you can also use the [https://polyglotclub.com Polyglot Club] website. [https://polyglotclub.com/find-friends.php?search=send&d=0&f=36&offre1=12 Find native speakers] and ask them any [https://polyglotclub.com/language/min-nan-chinese/question questions]!
== Exceptions to the plural rule ==


<hr>If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.<br>Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
There are a few exceptions in Min Nan Chinese where nouns do not take the '-chit' suffix for plurals. These exceptions include the following:


* Counting words: Some nouns that are used as counting words or classifiers do not take the '-chit' suffix. For example:


==Related Lessons==
{| class="wikitable"
* [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Adjectives|Adjectives]]
! Min Nan Chinese !! Pronunciation !! English
* [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Questions|Questions]]
|-
| 一本书 || tsi̍t-pún-chú || one book
|-
| 两本书 || nn̄g-pún-chú || two books
|-
| 三个人 || sann-ê-lâng || three people
|}
 
* Unchangeable nouns: Some nouns are not inflected for number, such as 一家人 (tsi̍t-ke-jîn) meaning a family, 人民 (lâng-bîn) meaning the people.
 
* Irregular plurals: Some nouns have an irregular form when changing from singular to plural, such as 鸡 (koe) meaning chicken. Its plural is 雞儂 (ke-lâng) or 雞仔 (ke-á).
 
== Practice dialogue ==
 
Person 1: 你有需要多买书吗？(Lí ū khì- beh to bái-chú bô? - Do you need to buy more books?)
Person 2: 有。 我要买很多本书。(Ū. Guá beh to bái ē-thaⁿ-pún-chú. - Yes, I want to buy many books.)
 
== Additional notes ==
 
In Min Nan Chinese, some proper nouns and words borrowed from other languages may not follow the rule for plurals. It is essential to familiarize oneself with these words to get their plurals right when using them in sentences.
 
To improve your [[Language/Min-nan-chinese|Min Nan Chinese]] [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar|Grammar]], you can also use the [https://polyglotclub.com Polyglot Club] website. [https://polyglotclub.com/find-friends.php?search=send&d=0&f=36&offre1=12 Find native speakers] and ask them any [https://polyglotclub.com/language/min-nan-chinese/question questions]!
 
== Sources ==
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Min_Nan_Chinese Min Nan Chinese]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_number Grammatical number]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_counting_words Counting words in Chinese]
 
<hr>➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.<br>➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
 
{{#seo:
|title=Min Nan Chinese Grammar - Plurals
|keywords=Min Nan Chinese, grammar, plurals, Chinese counting words
|description=Learn about forming plurals in Min Nan Chinese and exceptions to the plural rule. Use our examples and practice dialogue to improve your grammar.
}}
 
==Other Lessons==
* [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Conditional-Mood|Conditional Mood]]
* [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/How-to-Use-Be|How to Use Be]]
* [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Pronouns|Pronouns]]
* [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Pronouns|Pronouns]]
* [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Conditional-Mood|Conditional Mood]]
* [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Negation|Negation]]
* [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Negation|Negation]]
* [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Questions|Questions]]
* [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Adjectives|Adjectives]]
* [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Gender|Gender]]
* [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Gender|Gender]]
* [[Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Give-your-Opinion|Give your Opinion]]


{{Min-nan-chinese-Page-Bottom}}
{{Min-nan-chinese-Page-Bottom}}
<span links></span>

Latest revision as of 21:04, 27 March 2023

Min-nan-chinese-flag-PolyglotClub.png
Min Nan Chinese Grammar - Plurals

Hi Min Nan Chinese learners! 😊

In this lesson, we are going to learn about plurals in Min Nan Chinese. Plurals are the form of a word used to refer to more than one person or thing. Understanding plurals is essential in any language as it makes it easier to communicate effectively.


Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Say Hello and Greetings in Min Nan Chinese, Negation & Adjectives.

Why are plurals important?[edit | edit source]

The use of plurals is important because it helps to convey the correct meaning of a sentence. It can indicate the quantity or more specific meanings, such as the types, of the entities. Without plurals, communication would be unnecessarily complicated and even confusing.

Forming plurals in Min Nan Chinese[edit | edit source]

In Min Nan Chinese, plurals are mostly formed by adding the suffix: -chit (七). For example:

Min Nan Chinese Pronunciation English
人 lâng person
人七 lâng-chit people
书 chú book
书七 chú-chit books

As shown in the above examples, adding the suffix '-chit' (七) after the noun changes its meaning from singular to plural. It is important to note that there are some exceptions and irregular plurals in the Min Nan Chinese language.

Exceptions to the plural rule[edit | edit source]

There are a few exceptions in Min Nan Chinese where nouns do not take the '-chit' suffix for plurals. These exceptions include the following:

  • Counting words: Some nouns that are used as counting words or classifiers do not take the '-chit' suffix. For example:
Min Nan Chinese Pronunciation English
一本书 tsi̍t-pún-chú one book
两本书 nn̄g-pún-chú two books
三个人 sann-ê-lâng three people
  • Unchangeable nouns: Some nouns are not inflected for number, such as 一家人 (tsi̍t-ke-jîn) meaning a family, 人民 (lâng-bîn) meaning the people.
  • Irregular plurals: Some nouns have an irregular form when changing from singular to plural, such as 鸡 (koe) meaning chicken. Its plural is 雞儂 (ke-lâng) or 雞仔 (ke-á).

Practice dialogue[edit | edit source]

Person 1: 你有需要多买书吗？(Lí ū khì- beh to bái-chú bô? - Do you need to buy more books?) Person 2: 有。 我要买很多本书。(Ū. Guá beh to bái ē-thaⁿ-pún-chú. - Yes, I want to buy many books.)

Additional notes[edit | edit source]

In Min Nan Chinese, some proper nouns and words borrowed from other languages may not follow the rule for plurals. It is essential to familiarize oneself with these words to get their plurals right when using them in sentences.

To improve your Min Nan Chinese 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. 😎

Other Lessons[edit | edit source]

Template:Min-nan-chinese-Page-Bottom

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