Language/Lingala/Grammar/Singular-and-Plural-Nouns
Learning a new language can be daunting, especially when it comes to grammar. However, understanding grammar is crucial to becoming proficient in a new language. In this lesson, we will learn about singular and plural nouns in Lingala, including how to form plurals and the different noun classes.
Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Conditional Mood & The Future Tense To Be.
What are Singular and Plural Nouns?
Nouns are words used to describe people, places, things or ideas. In Lingala, there are different ways to indicate whether a noun is singular or plural. A singular noun refers to one person, place, thing or idea, while a plural noun refers to more than one.
In most languages, adding an "s" to the end of a noun makes it plural in English. However, in Lingala, there are several ways to form plurals which differ depending on the noun class.
Noun Classes in Lingala
Lingala, like many other Bantu languages, uses noun classes to classify nouns. Noun classes are groups of nouns that share the same singular and plural prefixes. In Lingala, there are 18 noun classes, each with its own unique prefix.
The following table shows the different noun classes in Lingala:
| Noun Class | Prefix | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | mo- | mosango (tree), mosiletama (teacher) |
| 2 | ba- | bakonzaki (students), baboteli (drivers) |
| 3 | bo- | bolingo (love), bomoyi (life) |
| 4 | li- | likanisi (church), liboso (book) |
| 5 | ma- | makambo (words), madamu (ladies) |
| 6 | mbwa- | mbwa (dog), mbwakela (breeder) |
| 7 | mpa- | mpasi (knife), mpeve (palm wine) |
| 8 | mu- | mukina (bed), munoko (hand) |
| 9 | di- | diafram (diaphragm), didia (cloth) |
| 10 | le- | lekala (voice), lelo (today) |
| 11 | ma- | makiti (knife), matoyi (sticks) |
| 12 | mi- | mikanda (branches), mibali (rivers) |
| 13 | nga- | ngai (I), ngambo (speech) |
| 14 | mi- | misteke (sweet potato), mito (banana) |
| 15 | nde- | ndenge (thing), ndeke (bird) |
| 16 | nkwa- | nkwala (rice), nkwama (mat) |
| 17 | sa- | sango (sky), saiti (site) |
| 18 | to- | tomoni (watch), toladila (discuss) |
Note that noun class 5 and 11 share the same prefix "ma-" but their plurals differ. Class 5 nouns have "na-" or "ba-" as the plural prefix while class 11 nouns have "mi-" as the plural prefix. Similarly, class 14 and 17 share the same prefix "mi-" but their plurals differ. Class 14 nouns have "bi-" as the plural prefix while class 17 nouns have "sa-" as the plural prefix.
Forming Plural Nouns in Lingala
To form plurals in Lingala, one needs to identify the appropriate noun class and add the corresponding prefix to the singular noun. Here are some examples:
| Noun Class | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | mosango (tree) | bango (trees) |
| 2 | boteli (driver) | baboteli (drivers) |
| 3 | bolingo (love) | bilongo (loves) |
| 4 | liboso (book) | mboso (books) |
| 5 | madamu (lady) | badamu/ nadamu (ladies) |
| 6 | mbwa (dog) | bwa (dogs) |
| 7 | mpasi (knife) | bisasi (knives) |
| 8 | munoko (hand) | binoke (hands) |
| 9 | didia (cloth) | dia (cloths) |
| 10 | lekala (voice) | belakala (voices) |
Note that some plural forms can have more than one prefix depending on the noun class. For example, the plural of "madamu" (ladies) can be "badamu" or "nadamu" depending on the noun class.
Irregular Plural Nouns in Lingala
While the plural of most nouns in Lingala can be formed by adding a prefix, some nouns can have irregular plural forms. Here are some examples:
| Noun | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| libumu (egg) | libumu (egg) | mabumu (eggs) |
| mokifu (train) | mokifu (train) | mikifu (trains) |
| kombo (problem) | kombo (problem) | makombo (problems) |
| nzela (road) | nzela (road) | mazela (roads) |
| ndaku (house) | ndaku (house) | makaku (houses) |
These irregular plural forms need to be memorized as they do not follow the regular plural formation rules.
Counting Nouns in Lingala
When counting in Lingala, one needs to use the appropriate noun class prefix to indicate the type of object being counted. Here are some examples of number counting:
| Noun Class | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | mo- | mosi (one tree), mobale (one man) |
| 2 | ba- | bato (two people), bamwisi (two oranges) |
| 3 | bo- | bosomi (three eyes), botatu (three houses) |
| 4 | li- | lisatu (three books), liboso (one book) |
| 5 | ma- | masano (five fingers), matano (five ears) |
| 6 | mbwa- | mbwa moke (one dog), mbwa mibale (two dogs) |
| 7 | mpa- | mpatu (three knives), mpese (one needle) |
| 8 | mu- | mumwe (one person), mundele (one white person) |
| 9 | di- | disatu (three cloths), dinde (one thing) |
| 10 | le- | lemo (one voice), lemitu (three voices) |
Note that using the wrong noun class prefix can lead to confusion, so it's important to learn and use the correct prefix for each noun class.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding singular and plural nouns in Lingala is crucial for building a solid foundation in the language. Remember that plural formation in Lingala depends on the noun class, with each class having its own unique prefix. By mastering singular and plural nouns, you will be one step closer to speaking Lingala like a native.
Impressive work on finishing this lesson! Explore these additional pages to enhance your understanding: Nouns & Plural forms.
Other Lessons
- Comparative and Superlative
- How to Use Be
- Past progressive tense
- The Future Tense To Be
- Regular Verbs
- Adjectives
- Descriptive Adjectives
- Object Pronouns
- The Imperative Mood
- The present tense To be
Sources