Uncountable Noun Definition and Examples

An uncountable noun  is exactly what it sounds like:  a noun that refers to things that normally are not or cannot be  counted. An uncountable noun is called a  Nombre incontable  or  sustantivo incontable  in Spanish, and sometimes known as a mass noun, non-count noun or partitive noun in English. How Do Uncountable Nouns Work? One example of an uncountable noun is courage, or  coraje in Spanish—you cant say one courage, two courages, three courages, and so forth in English, and you cant do it in Spanish either. Normally, this word exists in the singular form only. It is possible to quantify such a noun by using a lot of or much (mucho in Spanish), as in He has a lot of courage (Tiene mucho valor). It is also possible to quantify some uncountable nouns by using a measurement followed by of (de in Spanish), such as in a liter of milk (un litro de leche).   What Kinds of Nouns Are Usually Uncountable? Common types of uncountable nouns include personal qualities (such as thoughtfulness or  consideracià ³n), liquids (such as coffee or  cafà ©), and abstractions (justice or  justicia). Uncountable Nouns that Are Countable Sometimes Some nouns are countable or uncountable  depending on how they are used. For example, in normal usage, salt (sal) is uncountable. But a chemist might talk about different types of metallic salts (sales metà ¡licas), in which case the word is being used as a countable noun. Uncountable Nouns Dont Usually Need an Article In Spanish, the grammatical significance of uncountable nouns is that they generally are not preceded by an article when talking about a portion. Example: Necesito sal. (I need salt.) The speaker doesnt need all the salt, just a portion. Other examples: Bebà ­an leche (They drank milk.) and Compraramos gasolina (We will buy gasoline.) Examples of Uncountable Nouns in Sentences Here are some more examples of how uncountable nouns may be used in Spanish: La  luz  se propaga in todas direcciones.  (The  light  propagates in all directions.)Comprà © dos libras de  azà ºcar.  (I bought two pounds of  sugar.)La  fidelidad  matrimonial no tiene que ser un sueà ±o.  (Marital  faithfulness  doesnt have to be a dream.)