Loendatav

Loendatav is a term used in Estonian to describe something that can be counted or enumerated. In linguistics, loendatav refers to nouns or expressions that denote discrete, individual units that can be quantified with numerals such as one, two, three, and so on. The concept helps distinguish between items that can be counted directly and those that are treated as mass or indivisible in quantity.

In grammar, loendatavus (the property of being countable) means that the noun typically has a plural form and can be used with cardinal numerals without requiring special measurement words. For example, common countable nouns have clear countable units (one apple, two apples). By contrast, uncountable or mass nouns describe substances or abstract concepts that are not easily counted as separate units (for instance, water or sand) and usually require measures or partitive constructions to indicate quantity.

The distinction between loendatav and mittloendatav (not countable) is important for syntax, numeral agreement, and case usage in Estonian. Some nouns behave differently depending on context: they may be countable in one sense and uncountable in another, especially when the quantity is framed as a unit of measure rather than discrete items. Additionally, the term loendatav is used outside linguistics in mathematics and computer science to describe sets or sequences that can be listed or enumerated, typically finite or countably infinite.

Etymology-wise, loendatav is formed from loenda (to count) plus the adjective-forming suffix -atav, signaling a property that can be counted. The concept is a common cross-linguistic category, reflecting how languages encode quantification and plurality.