A. Can I have 2 waters, please?
B. Can I have 2 water, please?
1. Which of the above is correct in an informal conversation?
2. I ask because I heard someone said this, but I'm not sure whether he said "waters" or "water". I know that water is uncountable, but the person actually meant "2 bottles of water". So, casually, is it "2 waters" because it actually means 2 bottles of water?
3. Or is it "2 water" because the singular form of a mass noun has to be maintained, although one still means 2 bottles of water?
Please advise. Thank you.
B. Can I have 2 water, please?
1. Which of the above is correct in an informal conversation?
2. I ask because I heard someone said this, but I'm not sure whether he said "waters" or "water". I know that water is uncountable, but the person actually meant "2 bottles of water". So, casually, is it "2 waters" because it actually means 2 bottles of water?
3. Or is it "2 water" because the singular form of a mass noun has to be maintained, although one still means 2 bottles of water?
Please advise. Thank you.
1 2
Comments
What if it involves a proper noun?
Should I say 2 Cokes?
2 Hamburgers?
"Hamburger" is not a proper noun.
Suppose you have two couples at lunch. The waiter asks for the drink order. You answer for the group - two waters for the women and two coffees for the men.
There is a case of the singular, when the verb water is used. I have to water that plant.
Thank for your answer and clarification about "hamburger" as not a proper noun.
"Two crabs" - is it because it might be interpreted as the small insects rather than the crustacean one?
AlpheccaStars,
Thank you for your example. That makes it even clearer to me now.
With regard to the verb "water", I wonder how it's a singular case in your example "to water". Kindly explain.
If you said to the waiter, "Bring us two crabs, please" in a Maryland crab shack, instead of bringing you two orders of crab, whatever that might be, he might actually bring you two crabs. Count 'em—one crab, two crabs. You'd have to say "two of the crab" or "two orders of crab".
The third person singular is "waters" - He waters his plants once a week.
Water is also plural in the context of "seas."
The waters off the coast of Belize are crystal blue and warm. Many tourists go there to swim and dive.
You were really helpful. Now I understand the topic.