NOMBRES CONTABLES E INCONTABLES
Es importante distinguir los nombres contables e incontables en inglés, ya que implican el uso
de diferentes determinantes y verbos.
NOMBRES CONTABLES
Los nombres contables se refieren a cosas que podemos contar utilizando números. Tienen
una forma para el singular y otra para el plural. El singular puede emplear el determinante "a"
o "an".
Singular Plural
one dog two dogs
one horse two horses
one man two men
one idea two ideas
one shop two shops
NORMAS BÁSICAS DE LOS SUSTANTIVOS CONTABLES:
Cuentan tanto con forma singular (para referirnos a una sola unidad) como plural (varias
unidades).
Cuando el nombre va en singular, podemos usar el artículo indeterminado: a / an. Si está en
plural, usamos some: an orange, some bananas.
En oraciones negativas o interrogativas y cuando el nombre va en plural, usamos any o many.
Ejemplos:
There aren’t any cherries in the fridge.
Are there any eggs left?
There aren’t many pork chops.
Are there many apples?
Para determinar cuántas unidades hay, usaremos un cuantificador como six o a dozen of.
Expresiones comunes que podemos usar con nombres contables: many, so many, too many,
few, a few, fewer, a large number of, a great many.
Ejemplos
She has three dogs.
I own a house.
I would like two books please.
How many friends do you have?
NOMBRES INCONTABLES
Los nombres incontables se refieren a cosas que no podemos contar. Pueden identificar ideas
o cualidades abstractas y objetos físicos que son demasiado pequeños o amorfos como para
contarlos (líquidos, sustancias en polvo, gases, etc.). Los nombres incontables llevan el verbo
en singular. De manera general, no tienen forma plural.
Ejemplos
Tea sugar wáter air rice
Knowledge beauty anger fear love
Money research safety evidence war
No podemos usar a/an con estos nombres. Para expresar una cantidad de un nombre
incontable, usamos palabras o expresiones como some, a lot of, much, a bit of, a great deal of ,
o unidades de medida como a cup of, a bag of, 1kg of, 1L of, a handful of, a pinch of, an hour
of, a day of.
NORMAS BÁSICAS DE LOS SUSTANTIVOS INCONTABLES
Siempre son singulares, incluso aunque terminen en ese. Esto quiere decir que con los
nombres incontables debemos usar siempre un verbo en la tercera persona de singular. Por
ejemplo, the news is serious.
Nunca pueden llevar un artículo indeterminado ni un número delante. Esto es, que no
podemos decir a sugar ni three salts.
Sí que pueden ir acompañados del artículo determinado (the), de some o no llevar nada: there
is sugar in the kitchen. The sugar is finished. Do you want some sugar in your tea?
En formas negativas e interrogativas, también pueden usar any. Ejemplos: there isn’t any rice
left. Is there any rice left over?
Para referirnos a mucho o mucha, no usaremos many, sino much: there isn’t much bread left.
How much salt do you like in your salad?
Expresiones comunes que podemos usar con nombres incontables: much, so much, too much,
little, a little, less, a large amount of, a great deal of.
Ejemplos
There has been a lot of research into the causes of this disease.
He gave me a great deal of advice before my interview.
Can you give me some information about uncountable nouns?
He did not have much sugar left.
Measure 1 cup of water, 300g of flour, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
How much rice do you want?
Algunos nombres son contables en otros idiomas e incontables en inglés. En estos casos, es
preciso seguir las reglas que se refieren a los nombres incontables. Los más corrientes son:
Accommodation, advice, baggage, behavior, bread, furniture, information, luggage, news,
progress, traffic, travel, trouble, weather, work
Ejemplos
I would like to give you some advice.
How much bread should I bring?
I didn't make much progress today.
This looks like a lot of trouble to me.
We did an hour of work yesterday.
Tenga cuidado con el nombre hair: en principio, es incontable en inglés y no se usa en plural.
Únicamente se considera contable cuando se refiere a cabellos o pelos individuales.
Ejemplos
She has long blond hair.
The child's hair was curly.
I washed my hair yesterday.
My father is getting a few grey hairs now. (refers to individual hairs)
I found a hair in my soup! (refers to a single strand of hair)
EXCERSICES
1 Complete the dialogue with a, an, some or any.
- Let’s make lunch ! - OK. Is there (1) ……………… rice in the cupboard? - There isn’t (2)
………………rice, but there is (3) ………………pasta. - We can cook (4) ………………pasta with (5)
………………vegetables. - OK, we have (6) ………………tomatoes, (7) ………………carrots and (8)
……………… pepper.
2 Write C for contable or U for uncontable next to the sentences.
1. I’ve already had three beers. _____ 2. This recipe needs cinnamon and
flour. _____
3. Rain is a natural phenomenon._____ 4. Vintage furniture is very
expensive._____
5. You should eat more fruit._____ 6. I have read twenty books this
year._____
7. This will taste better with a spoonful of sugar.____ 8. I drink more than three mugs of tea
every day.___
3 Complete this restaurant conversation with a/an or some/any.
WAITER: Would you like to order now?
PETER: Yes, we are ready to order.
MOLLY: Have you got ……………… (1) fish soup?
WAITER: No, we haven't got ……………… (2). I'm sorry. But we have got………………(3) tomato
soup. Would you like ……………… (4)?
MOLLY: Oh, OK. So, the tomato soup for me.
PETER: And... Can I have ……………… (5) Spanish omelette? What about you, Molly?
MOLLY: Oh, no! Not for me. I don't eat ……………… (6) eggs. I have cholesterol!
WAITER: What about the main course? We have ……………… (7) chicken and……………… (8) peas.
PETER: Well, I don't eat ………… (9) meat so I want ………… (10) grilled [Link] I have ………… (11)
boiled potatoes with it?
WAITER: Of course, sir. And for you, madam?
MOLLY: I would like ……………… (12) tuna in green sauce, please.
WAITER: Would you like ……………… (13) wine with your meal?
PETER: We’d like to have ……………… (14) white wine, please. What do you think, Molly?
MOLLY: Yes, ……………… (15) bottle of white wine.
WAITER: OK. Thank you very much.
