Countable vs Uncountable Nouns
Some English nouns can't be counted — a concept foreign to Japanese
Category: Nouns
The Rule
Countable nouns can be counted (one apple, two apples). Uncountable nouns cannot take 'a/an' or be made plural: information, advice, furniture, news, luggage, homework.
Why This Matters
Japanese doesn't grammatically distinguish countable from uncountable — it uses counters (個、本、匹) instead. English's countable/uncountable distinction determines article usage, plural forms, and quantifiers (many vs much, few vs little).
Examples
• I need some advice. — "アドバイスが必要です。" [Uncountable: 'advice' never takes 'an' or 's'] • I have a lot of homework. — "宿題がたくさんあります。" [Uncountable: 'much homework' not 'many homeworks'] • Could I have a glass of water? — "水を一杯いただけますか？" [Uncountable 'water' quantified with 'a glass of']
Common Mistakes
❌ She gave me an advice. ✅ She gave me some advice / a piece of advice. → 'Advice' is uncountable. Use 'a piece of advice' to singularize. ❌ I have many furnitures. ✅ I have a lot of furniture. → 'Furniture' is uncountable. Use 'many pieces of furniture' if needed.
Quick Tip
Common trap words for Japanese speakers: news (uncountable!), furniture, luggage, equipment, research, knowledge. None of these take 's' or 'a/an'.
Common trap words for Japanese speakers: news (uncountable!), furniture, luggage, equipment, research, knowledge. None of these take 's' or 'a/an'.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: She gave me an advice. → Correct: She gave me some advice / a piece of advice.. 'Advice' is uncountable. Use 'a piece of advice' to singularize.
Incorrect: I have many furnitures. → Correct: I have a lot of furniture.. 'Furniture' is uncountable. Use 'many pieces of furniture' if needed.
Quiz
Which noun is uncountable?