Number বা বচন শব্দটি noun বা pronoun-কে বোঝায় এবং ব্যক্ত করে যে noun/ pronounটি সংখ্যায় এক না একাধিক।
The word number denotes to noun or pronoun and states whether the noun/ pronoun is one or more than one.
Types of Number:
Generally, the number is of two types:
- Singular Number (একবচন)
- Plural Number (বহুবচন)
Singular Number:
Singular Number বা একবচন দ্বারা এমন noun বা pronoun-কে বোঝায় যা সংখ্যায় এক।
Singular Number denotes to such noun/pronoun which is one in number.
Example:
- Pen (কলম)
- Lion (সিংহ)
- Eye, etc.
Plural Number:
Plural Number বা বহুবচন দ্বারা এমন noun বা pronoun-কে বোঝায় যা সংখ্যায় একাধিক।
Plural Number denotes to such noun/pronoun which is more than one in number.
Example:
- Pens (কলমগুলো)
- Lions (সিংহগুলো)
- Eyes, etc.
Singular number কে plural number-এ পরিবর্তিত করার নিয়ম:
(Rules to convert singular number to plural number)
Rule 1:
সাধারণত: Singular number শব্দের শেষে “s” যুক্ত করে Plural Number করা হয়।
Generally, an “s” is added to the end of the singular number word to change it into a plural number.
Example:
| Singular | Plural |
| Tiger | Tigers |
| Book | Books |
| Pen | Pens |
Rule 2:
যদি Singular number শব্দের শেষে s, ss, sh, x বা z থাকে এবং শেষের ch-এর উচ্চারণ চ-এর মত হয় তবে সেসব Singular number-এর শেষে es যোগ করে Plural করা হয়।
If the singular number word has s, ss, sh, x or z at its end and the pronunciation of the “ch” situated at the end is like “ch”, then es is added to the end of the singular number to change it into a plural number.
Example:
| Singular | Plural |
| Glass | Glasses |
| Bus | Buses |
| Bush | Bushes |
| Tax | Taxes |
| Topaz | Topazes |
| Branch | Branches |
Exception (ব্যতিক্রম):
যদি Singular number শব্দের শেষের ch-এর উচ্চারণ চ-এর মত না হয়ে ক-এর মত হয় তবে es-এর পরিবর্তে শুধু s যোগ করে Plural করা হয়।
If the pronunciation of the “ch” situated at the end of the singular number word is like “K”, then only an s is added to the end of the singular number to change it into a plural number.
| Singular | Plural |
| Monarch | Monarchs |
| Stomach | Stomachs |
| Patriarch | Patriarchs |
Rule 3:
যদি Singular noun-এর শেষে “O” থাকে এবং “O”-এর পূর্বের বর্ণটি consonant হয় তবে তার শেষে es যোগ করে Plural করা হয়।
If the singular noun has the letter “O” at its end and a consonant before the letter “O”, then es is added at its end to make it plural.
| Singular | Plural |
| Cargo | Cargoes |
| Hero | Heroes |
| Volcano | Volcanoes |
Exception (ব্যতিক্রম):
তবে এমন কিছু Singular noun আছে যাদের শেষে “O” আছে এবং “O”-এর পূর্বের বর্ণটি consonant হওয়া সত্ত্বেও তাদের শেষে শুধু “s” যুক্ত করে Plural Number করা হয়।
But there are some singular nouns which have “O” at their end and the letter before “O” are consonant still, only an “s” is added at their end to make them plural.
| Singular | Plural |
| Piano | Pianos |
| Solo | Solos |
| Photo | Photos |
Rule 4:
যদি Singular noun-এর শেষে “O” থাকে এবং তার পূর্বের বর্ণটি vowel হয় তবে শুধু “s” যুক্ত করে Plural Number করা হয়।
If the singular noun has an “O” at its end and a vowel before the “O”, only an “s’ is added at its end to make it plural.
| Singular | Plural |
| Stereo | Stereos |
| Studio | Studios |
| Radio | Radios |
Rule 5:
যদি Singular noun -এর শেষে “y” থাকে এবং “y”-এর পূর্বের বর্ণটি consonant হয় তবে “y”-এর পরিবর্তে ies যোগ করে Plural Number করা হয়।
If the singular noun has “y” at its end and the letter before “y” is a consonant, ies is added instead of “y” to change it into the plural.
| Singular | Plural |
| Hobby | Hobbies |
| Army | Armies |
| City | Cities |
Exception (ব্যতিক্রম):
তবে “y”-এর পূর্বের বর্ণটি vowel হলে শুধু s যোগ করে Plural করা হয়।
But if the letter before “y” is a vowel, only an s is added to make it plural.
| Singular | Plural |
| Toy | Toys |
| Day | Days |
| Key | Keys |
Rule 6:
Singular number শব্দের শেষে ef, fe এবং f থাকলে ef, fe এবং f এর জায়গায় ves যোগ করে Plural করতে হয়।
If the singular number word has ef, fe, and f, at its end, ves is added in the place of ef, fe and f to change it into the plural number.
| Singular | Plural |
| Thief | Thieves |
| Life | Lives |
| Leaf | Leaves |
Exception (ব্যতিক্রম):
বেশ কয়েকটি শব্দ আছে যেগুলোর শেষে eef, fe, ff, ief, ife, if, oof এবং rf আছে এবং এগুলোর শেষে শুধু s যোগ করে Plural করা হয়।
There are some words which have eef, fe, ff, ief, ife, if, oof and rf at their end and only “s” is added at their end to make them plural.
| Singular | Plural |
| Reef | Reefs |
| Safe | Safes |
| Cliff | Cliffs |
| Belief | Beliefs |
| Singular | Plural |
| Roof | Roofs |
| Proof | Proofs |
| Dwarf | Dwarfs |
Rule 7:
কিছু Singular noun-এর মাঝের এক বা একাধিক vowel এবং consonant পরিবর্তন করে Plural করা হয়।
Some singular noun’s one or more than one vowel and consonant situated in their middle are changed to make them plural.
| Singular | Plural |
| Foot | Feet |
| Tooth | Teeth |
| Man | Men |
| Woman | Women |
| Mouse | Mice |
Rule 8:
কিছু singular noun-এর শেষে en বা ren যোগ করে Plural করা হয়।
There are some singular nouns which are made plural by adding en or ren at their end.
| Singular | Plural |
| Brother | Brethren |
| Ox | Oxen |
| Child | Children |
Rule 9:
Compound noun-এর প্রধান nounটির শেষে s যোগ করে কিংবা মাঝের vowel পরিবর্তন করে Plural করা হয়।
Either an s is added to the end of the compound noun’s main noun or vowels situated in the middle are changed to make it plural.
| Singular | Plural |
| Sister-in-law | Sisters-in-law |
| Father-in-law | Fathers-in-law |
| Passer-by | Passers-by |
| Washer-man | Washer-men |
| Maid-servant | Maid-servants |
| Singular | Plural |
| Step-daughter | Step-daughters |
Rule 10:
যেসব Compound noun-এ হাইফেন(-) নেই তাদের শেষে s যোগ করে Plural করা হয়।
The compound nouns which don’t have hyphens (-) are made plural by adding an s at their end.
| Singular | Plural |
| Spoonful | Spoonfuls |
| Armchair | Armchairs |
| Bookcase | Bookcases |
| Handful | Handfuls |
Rule 11:
কিছু compound noun-এর ক্ষেত্রে হাইফেন(-)-এর উভয় পাশের noun-কেই শেষে s যোগ করে অথবা মাঝের vowel পরিবর্তন করে Plural করা হয়।
In case of some compound nouns “s” is added to nouns situated both sides of the hyphen (-) or vowels situated in the middle are changed to make it plural.
| Singular | Plural |
| Knight-templar | Knights-templars |
| Woman-servant | Women-servants |
| Man-servant | Men-servants |
| Lord-justice | Lords-justices |
Rule 12:
কিছু singular noun-এর plural form-ও একই হয়।
Some singular nouns are same in their plural form.
| Singular | Plural |
| Dozen | Dozen |
| Deer | Deer |
| Sheep | Sheep |
| Gross | Gross |
| Pair | Pair |
Rule 13:
কিছু collective noun দেখতে singular হলেও plural হিসেবে ব্যবহার করা হয়।
Some collective nouns look like singular noun but are used as a plural. Such as mankind, public, people, cattle, poultry, vermin, gentry, majority.
Rule 14:
কিছু common noun দেখতে singular হলেও plural হিসেবে ব্যবহার করা হয়।
Some common nouns look like singular noun but are used as a plural. Such as the pious, the poor, the virtuous, the rich, etc.
Example:
- The pious know how to be patient.
- The rich are generally money minded.
Rule 15:
কিছু noun দেখতে plural হলেও singular হিসেবে ব্যবহার করা হয়।
Some nouns look like plural noun but are used as a singular. Such as politics, mathematics, statistics, physics, news, economics, wages, etc.
Example:
- Physics is an interesting subject.
- This news is really good.
Rule 16:
কিছু noun সবসময় singular হিসেবে ব্যবহার করা হয়।
Some nouns are always used as singular numbers. Such as money, business, alphabet, information, hair, etc.
Example:
- Your business is really profitable.
- Her hair is curly.
Rule 17:
কিছু noun সবসময় plural হিসেবে ব্যবহার করা হয়।
Some nouns are always used as plural numbers. Such as Billiards (খেলা), Draughts (খেলা), Measles (হাম যা একটি রোগ), Mumps (গাল গলা ফোলা রোগ), trousers (পাজামা), scissors (কাঁচি), spectacles (চশমা), etc.
Example:
- His spectacles are broken.
- Karim’s trousers are black.
Rule 18:
বর্ণ, সংখ্যা এবং কোনকিছুর সংক্ষিপ্ত রূপকে Plural করতে (apostrophe)‘s ব্যবহার করা হয়।
Apostrophe (‘) and s are used to make the plural of letters, numbers, and abbreviations.
Example:
- MBA’s will definitely attend this program.
- There are five 2’s in this picture.
Rule 19:
কিছু noun singular এবং plural হিসেবে ভিন্ন অর্থ প্রকাশ করে।
Some nouns express different meanings as singular and plural.
| Singular | Plural |
| Force (শক্তি) | Forces (সৈন্যবাহিনী) |
| Good (ভালো) | Goods (মালপত্র) |
| Wood (কাঠ) | Woods (বন) |
| Sand (বালু) | Sands (মরুভূমি) |
| Advice (উপদেশ) | Advices (সংবাদ) |
| Physic (চিকিৎসা বিজ্ঞান) | Physics (পদার্থবিদ্যা) |
Rule 20:
বিভিন্ন রকম singular pronoun-এর plural রূপ বিভিন্ন।
Different singular pronouns have different pronoun forms. They are stated below:
- Subjective pronoun forms:
| Singular | Plural |
| I | We |
| You | You |
| S/he | They |
| It | It |
| This | These |
| Singular | Plural |
| That | Those |
- Possessive pronoun forms:
| Singular | Plural |
| My | Our |
| Your | Your |
| Mine | Mine |
| His/her | Their |
| Its | Their |
- Objective pronoun forms:
| Singular | Plural |
| Me | Us |
| You | You |
| Her/him | Them |
Rule 21:
সাধারণত: material noun-এর plural হয় না।
Generally, material nouns don’t have a plural form. Such as gold, silver, copper, salt, water, sugar, etc.
Rule 22:
Abstract noun-এর plural হয় না।
Abstract nouns don’t have a plural form. Such as honesty, charity, hope, kindness, love, etc.
Rule 23:
বিদেশী ভাষা থেকে এসেছে এমন কিছু উল্লেখযোগ্য শব্দের plural রূপ:
Some mentionable words’ (which are derived from foreign language) plural form:
| Singular | Plural |
| Radius | Radii |
| Oasis | Oases |
| Genus | Genera |
| Forum | Forums |
| Focus | Focuses |
| Crisis | Crises |
| Singular | Plural |
| Medium | Media |
| Agendum | Agenda |
| Singular | Plural |
| Analysis | Analyses |
| Axis | Axes |
| Basis | Bases |
| Curriculum | Curricula |
| Formula | Formulas |
