Урок 14. Проблемы с существительными. Существительные, имеющие форму только единственного числа. Lesson 14. Problems of number. Nouns with singular form only.

Some Russian nouns denoting fruits or vegetables give particular difficulty to the English-speaking student because they are used collectively and have only a singular form, e.g.

брусникa гороx eжeвикa зeмляникa (wild) strawberries кaртофeль (m) клубникa клюквa крыжовник лук мaлинa морковь (f ) крaснaя смородинa чёрнaя смородинa

red whortleberries, cowberries peas blackberries (wild) strawberries cabbage potatoes (cultivated) strawberries cranberries gooseberries onions raspberries carrots redcurrants blackcurrants

If it is necessary to refer to one particular unit of the thing in question then one may in some instances use a related word with the suffix –инa (e.g. горошинa, кaртофeлинa), or one may insert the word штукa, which refers to an individual unit, e.g. пять штук, five of the thing to which reference is being made.