Classifier / Measure Word
What kind of unit are we counting?
ਅਰਥ
A word or marker used with numbers or quantity to classify the noun by shape, type, animacy, function, or measurement unit.
ਇਸ ਨੂੰ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਪਛਾਣਣਾ ਹੈ
Notice whether numbers require an extra word before the noun.
ਉਦਾਹਰਨਾਂ
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?
ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਝਲਕ
ਤੁਹਾਡੀ ਮੂਲ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਵਿੱਚ
Punjabi does not have obligatory numeral classifiers, but measure words are common with quantities.
ਇੱਕ ਕੱਪ ਚਾਹ ਦਿਓ ਜੀ।
One cup tea give please.
ਤੁਹਾਡੀ ਸਿੱਖੀ ਜਾ ਰਹੀ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਵਿੱਚ
English has measure expressions, but classifiers are not generally obligatory for ordinary nouns.
a piece of advice
piece of = measure expression
Learners from classifier languages may overuse measure words, while others may struggle with uncountable nouns.
Good transfer potential
This block behaves relatively similarly, so you can transfer intuition more safely between the two languages.