Thread: "пальто" has no plural??

Is there really no plural of this word? (according to Wiktionary)

If that's true, how do you then say:

"Anna has three different winter coats" or
"He gave his old rain coats to the charity shop/clothes collection"?
"She couldn't decide which one of the coats to buy."

Originally Posted by Johanna

Is there really no plural of this word? (according to Wiktionary)

That's correct!

Originally Posted by Johanna

"Anna has three different winter coats"

У Анны три разных зимних пальто.

Originally Posted by Johanna

"He gave his old rain coats to the charity shop/clothes collection"?

Он отдал свои старые плащи в благотворительный магазин (sorry, no пальто here )

Originally Posted by Johanna

"She couldn't decide which one of the coats to buy."

depending on the situation, it can be translated, for example, like this: "Она не могла решить, какое именно пальто ей купить."

Oh! Ok thank you very much!
I really thought there was a plural form, only I hadn't found it...

Thanks for explaining and helping me with the sentences!



Is плащ a common word, like the English word "rain coat" which actually refers to a spring/autumn coat....?
(This could be different in US English, I am not sure... )

Or is it a "real" waterproof jacket/coat, like something a fisherman would wear, or someone working on wet conditions... ?

Is плащ a common word, like the English word "rain coat" which actually refers to a spring/autumn coat....?

Rather, it's true
You can see images: http://images.yandex.ru/yandsearch?text ... 0%B0%D1%89

Originally Posted by zzc

Is плащ a common word, like the English word "rain coat" which actually refers to a spring/autumn coat....?

Rather, it's true
You can see images: http://images.yandex.ru/yandsearch?text ... 0%B0%D1%89

Thanks "zzc"
ok! I am adding this word to my "clothes" word list then


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Correction for you:

"Rather, it's true"

is not right. You can say:

"That's quite true" or "Yes that's right!", "Correct", "Absolutely right!", "Spot on" or "Quite right!`for example.

(This is a more British way of speaking but I think that's the kind of expression you meant to use..? )

Quite is a word that means almost the same as "rather"....
It is used quite a lot in the UK.

You can say that something is "quite [any adjective]"
It's a word that is an "understatement" and actually means that it "IS [adjective]". But using "quite" just makes the sentence sound a bit nicer and more soft, somehow....

Hope this explanation was useful for someone!

The word "quite" is used in a different way in American English.. It is not as commonly used. Americans think that Brits use "quite" too much...
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ty
I'm beginner in English. I can understand common English sentences, but have many problems with create own sentences, as you can see
This situation because I'm interested in programming for long time & need to understanding technical documentation and self-learned for reading skills, but in school we learned french language. Now, in University, I completed basic english course in university and plan to improve my wrting skills.

Подозреваю, что мой английский ужасен и беспощаден)

— Что же вы делаете с этими… С убитыми котами?

— На пОльты пойдут, — ответил Шариков, — из них белок будут делать на рабочий кредит.

Originally Posted by alexB

— Что же вы делаете с этими… С убитыми котами?

— На пОльты пойдут, — ответил Шариков, — из них белок будут делать на рабочий кредит.

This sample is usually given as a classic example of 'uneducated' person's speech in Russian schools.

First of all, it’s a classic example of amazing humor, don’t you think?
That was when I really laughed something out, the day I saw the movie for the first time.

Originally Posted by Johanna

Is there really no plural of this word? (according to Wiktionary)

If that's true, how do you then say:

"Anna has three different winter coats" or
"He gave his old rain coats to the charity shop/clothes collection"?
"She couldn't decide which one of the coats to buy."

This is one of the indeclinable nouns (or zero declension); mostly loan words and foreign proper nouns

Originally Posted by Basil77

This [s:2k2vut11]sample[/s:2k2vut11] dialogue; quote; these lines is usually given as a classic example of 'uneducated' person's speech in Russian schools.

Originally Posted by quartz

Originally Posted by Basil77

This [s:u6rgh31d]sample[/s:u6rgh31d] dialogue; quote; these lines is usually given as a classic example of 'uneducated' person's speech in Russian schools.

It's not the exact quote that I meant as a classic example, but inventing plural forms for the word "пальто" in general, that's why I wrote 'sample'.

Originally Posted by Basil77

Originally Posted by quartz

Originally Posted by Basil77

This [s:1tji6pjd]sample[/s:1tji6pjd] dialogue; quote; these lines is usually given as a classic example of 'uneducated' person's speech in Russian schools.

It's not the exact quote that I meant as a classic example, but inventing plural forms for the word "пальто" in general, that's why I wrote 'sample'.

Then "This _is usually given as a classic example of 'uneducated' person's speech in Russian schools."

From Oxford dictionary:
sample • noun 1 a small part or quantity intended to show what the whole is like.

It is translated into Russian as пример or образец but it's not the same as example.