The foreigners learning Russian not for nothing consider it one of difficult. Even it is not always easy for carriers of our difficult language to understand its features. One of such features is the category of number of nouns.
Instruction
1. For a start acquire the following: if the subject can be counted and it is combined with the words "one", "two", "three", etc. (cardinal numbers), then such nouns have the forms of the only thing and plural. Respectively, singular – for designation of one subject, multiple – for designation of several (a window – windows, the river – the rivers).
2. If the subject which is not considered is also not used with a cardinal number, then the noun by which it is expressed has only singular form. Such nouns call abstract concepts (dirt, valor), substance or material (gold, water), have collective value (foliage, youth). Here also proper names (Dnieper, Ural) belong.
3. Abstract nouns sometimes have plural form – it attaches them more concrete significance (thought depth – sea depths, throne – city authorities). Material nouns can be used too in plural when designate certain brands (butter – essential oils) or at change of an initial word meaning (street dirt – therapeutic muds). Plural is formed also by proper names: when have nominal value (Casanova, a hlestakova) or call group of people who carry an identical surname (Vaynera's brothers).
4. Remember that there are nouns which are used only in the form of plural. These are the nouns calling abstract objects or games (name-day, a hide-and-seek), pair objects (glasses, trousers), time spans (vacation, day), substance (cream, spirits), collective nouns (finance, a jungle) and also proper names which originally have collective value (the Andes, Gorky). Such nouns sometimes designate the considered objects, but it is not expressed by a number form (Put on new trousers. – In shop, trousers of the different sizes are on sale.)