-kuéra / -nguéra

Plural with -kuéra

Level 1

-kuéra makes a noun plural, and -nguéra does the same after a nasal word.

How It Works

Add -kuéra to the end of a noun to say there is more than one. Write it joined to the noun.

OneMore than one
jagua “dog”jaguakuéra “dogs”
karai “gentleman”karaikuéra “gentlemen”
mitã “child”mitãnguéra “children”
ñeʼẽ “word, language”ñeʼẽnguéra “words, languages”

The ending is stressed, so the noun loses any accent mark it had: tahýi “ant”, tahyikuéra “ants”.

Some words with mb, nd or ng take the plain ending, because the nasal sound stops before the ending: memby “child of a woman”, imembykuéra “her children”.

Plural marking is often left out. A number or a word like koʼã already shows more than one, and many nouns stay as they are. The ending is most useful for people and animals, or when you want to be clear that there are several.

You already know it from the pronoun haʼekuéra “they”, which is haʼe plus -kuéra.

Examples (5)

  1. Jaguakuéra oñarõ.

    The dogs bark.

    Jagua is an oral word, so it takes -kuéra.

  2. Mitãnguéra oho mboʼehaópe.

    The children go to school.

    Mitã is a nasal word, so it takes -nguéra.

  3. Haʼekuéra ogueru chipa Paraguarígui.

    They bring chipa from Paraguarí.

    Haʼekuéra is haʼe “he or she” plus -kuéra.

  4. Ohaʼarõ tapiaite imembykuérape.

    She always waited for her children.

    Memby has mb, so it still takes -kuéra. The ending -pe marks the people she waited for.

  5. Araikuéra ha mbyjakuéra.

    The clouds and the stars.

    Each noun takes its own -kuéra.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing the ending as a separate word.

    Jagua kuéra oñarõ.
    Jaguakuéra oñarõ.

    The plural ending is part of the noun, so it is written joined.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

-kuéra / -nguéraLevel 1Plural with -kuéra

Learn This First

The plural ending goes on a noun and turns nasal after a nasal word.

Words in This Pattern

-kuéra-nguéra