Classifier / Measure Word
What kind of unit are we counting?
Signification
A word or marker used with numbers or quantity to classify the noun by shape, type, animacy, function, or measurement unit.
Comment le repérer
Notice whether numbers require an extra word before the noun.
Exemples
piece|cup|sheet|person|classifier
three cups of water|one piece of paper
I bought three cups of coffee.
Visual guide
counting a noun: number -> unit/class -> noun 3 -> cups -> coffee 1 -> piece -> paper classifier answers: "count as what kind/unit?"
Counting patterns: A) 3 books number + noun B) 3 CL book number + class + noun C) 3 cups of water number + measure + of + noun Ask: required? which class?
Vue par langue
Dans votre langue
French has measure words and quantity phrases, but no obligatory numeral-classifier system.
J’ai acheté trois tasses de café.
I bought three cups of coffee.
Dans la langue d’apprentissage
Classifiers/counters such as জন,টা,খানা are common with numerals and definiteness.
দুইজন ছাত্র এসেছে।
Two students have come.
Learners may omit classifiers or choose a classifier that sounds unnatural.
Good transfer potential
This block behaves relatively similarly, so you can transfer intuition more safely between the two languages.