Nouns

Unlike in many languages, Vietnamese nouns do not change forms for number (singular/plural) or gender. This aspect simplifies learning but also places more importance on context and additional words to clarify meaning. Let's explore how nouns are used in Vietnamese, focusing on aspects such as singular and plural forms, gender, and the use of classifiers.

Singular and Plural Forms

Vietnamese nouns do not have different forms for singular and plural. Plurality is often understood from context, or it can be indicated by quantifiers or numbers before the noun.

• Singular: "một con mèo" (a cat)
• Plural: "ba con mèo" (three cats), "nhiều con mèo" (many cats)

When the number of nouns isn't specified, words like "các" or "những" can be used to indicate plurality. Context is often enough.

• "Các con mèo"
• "Những con mèo"

Gender

Nouns in Vietnamese are not gendered, which means the same noun is used regardless of the gender of the person or animal it refers to. Gender can be specified if necessary by adding a gender-specific word before the noun.

• "bạn gái" (girlfriend) - "bạn" (friend) + "gái" (female)
• "bạn trai" (boyfriend) - "bạn" (friend) + "trai" (male)

Classifiers

Vietnamese uses classifiers (also known as measure words) when referring to nouns, especially in the presence of numbers or certain quantifiers. Each noun category has one or more classifiers that are used when counting or specifying nouns.

• "một quyển sách" (a book) - "quyển" is the classifier for book-like items.
• "hai con mèo" (two cats) - "con" is a common classifier for animals.