singulars

Singulars refers to the grammatical category that marks reference to a single entity in languages that distinguish number. The opposite category is plural, used for more than one. In many languages, number manifests on nouns, pronouns, adjectives, determiners, and verbs, influencing agreement and, in some cases, article or determiner choice.

Forming singular forms and plurals varies by language. Nouns often have a singular base form, with plurals created by suffixes, vowel changes, irregular patterns, or suppletion. Examples include English pairs like cat/cats, man/men, and child/children. Pronouns, verbs, and adjectives also reflect number, as in subject-verb agreement: The cat runs vs The cats run.

Countable and uncountable (mass) nouns interact with singulars differently. Mass nouns such as water or information are typically singular or treated as a single unit, though some languages and contexts allow quantification. Count nouns may appear in singular or plural depending on the reference (one item vs several items). Some nouns are singularia tantum, existing only in a singular form (e.g., mathematics, information), while others are pluralia tantum, appearing only in plural form yet denoting a single object (e.g., scissors, trousers).

Cross-linguistic variation is common. Some languages expand the number system with dual or paucal numbers, and some lack a robust plural system altogether. In addition, languages differ in how collective nouns interact with number and whether variety of dialects use singular or plural agreement with aggregates (for example, The committee is vs The committee are).

Overall, singulars encompass the morphological and syntactic means by which languages encode one-entity reference, and they interact with semantics, counting, and cross-linguistic typology.