Editing Chavacano (section)

====Plural nouns====

In Chavacano, plural nouns (whether masculine or feminine in Spanish context) are preceded by the retained singular masculine Spanish article 'el'. The Spanish articles 'los' and 'las' have almost disappeared. They have been replaced by the modifier (a plural marker) 'maga/mana' which precedes the singular form of the noun. Maga comes from the native Hiligaynon 'maga' or the Tagalog 'mga'. The formation of the Chavacano plural form of the noun (el + maga/mana + singular noun form) applies whether in common, familiar or formal mode. It may be thought of as roughly equivalent to saying in English, "the many (noun)" instead of "the (noun)s", and in fact "the many (noun)s" is used more in [[Philippine English]] than elsewhere.

There are some Chavacano speakers (especially older Caviteño or Zamboangueño speakers) who would tend to say 'mana' for 'maga'. 'Mana' is accepted and quite common, especially among older speakers, but when in doubt, the modifier 'maga' to pluralize nouns is safer to use.

{| class="wikitable"
!English plural noun
!Chavacano plural noun (masculine)
!Chavacano plural noun (feminine)
|-
|the teachers
|el maga/mana maestro(s)
|el maga/mana maestra(s)
|-
|the witches
|el maga/mana burujo(s)
|el maga/mana buruja(s)
|-
|the engineers
|el maga/mana engeniero(s)
|el maga/mana engeniera(s)
|-
|the tailors/seamstresses
|el maga/mana sastrero(s)
|el maga/mana sastrera(s)
|-
|the babies
|el maga/mana niño(s)
|el maga/mana niña(s)
|-
|the priests/nuns
|el maga/mana padre(s)
|el maga/mana madre(s)
|-
|the grandsons/granddaughters
|el maga/mana nieto(s)
|el maga/mana nieta(s)
|-
|the professors
|el maga/mana professor(es)
|el maga/mana profesora(s)
|-
|the councilors
|el maga/mana consejal(es)
|el maga/mana consejala(s)
|}

Again, this rule is not rigid (especially in the Zamboangueño formal mode). The articles 'los' or 'las' do exist sometimes before nouns that are pluralized in the Spanish manner, and their use is quite accepted:

:'''los caballeros''', '''los dias''', '''las noches''', '''los chavacanos''', '''los santos''', '''las mañanas''', '''las almujadas''', '''las mesas''', '''las plumas''', '''las cosas'''

When in doubt, it is always safe to use 'el' and 'maga or mana' to pluralize singular nouns:

:'''el maga/mana caballero(s)''', '''el maga/mana día(s)''', '''el maga/mana noche(s)''', '''el maga/mana chavacano(s)''', '''el maga/mana santo(s)''', '''el maga/mana día(s) que viene''' (this is a phrase; 'el maga/mana mañana' is uncommon), '''el maga/mana almujada(s)''', '''el maga/mana mesa(s)''', '''el maga/mana pluma(s)'''

In Chavacano, it is common for some nouns to become doubled when pluralized (called ''[[Reduplication]]'', a characteristic of the Malayo-Polynesian family of languages):

:'''el maga cosa-cosa''' (el maga cosa/s is common), '''el maga casa casa''' (el maga casa is common), '''el maga gente gente''' (el maga gente is common), '''el maga juego juego''' (el maga juego is common)

But note that in some cases, this "reduplication" signifies a difference in meaning.  For example,  'el maga bata' means 'the children' but 'el maga bata-bata' means one's followers or subordinates, as is a gang or mob.

In general, the suffixes -s, -as, -os to pluralize nouns in Spanish have also almost disappeared in Chavacano. However, the formation of plural nouns with suffixes ending in -s, -as, and -os are accepted. Basically, the singular form of the noun is retained, and it becomes plural because of the preceding modifier/plural marker 'maga' or 'mana':

:'''el maga/mana caballeros''' (accepted)
:'''el maga/mana caballero''' (correct)
:'''el maga/mana días''' (accepted)
:'''el maga/mana día''' (correct)

Adding the suffix -es to some nouns is quite common and accepted. Nouns ending in -cion can also be pluralized by adding the suffix -es:

:'''el maga meses''', '''el maga mujeres''', '''el maga mayores''', '''el maga tentaciones''', '''el maga contestaciones''', '''el maga naciones''', '''el maga organizaciones'''

However, it is safer to use the general rule (when in doubt) of retaining the singular form of the noun preceded by the modifier/plural marker 'maga' or 'mana':

:'''el maga mes''', '''el maga mujer''', '''el maga mayor''', '''el maga tentación''', '''el maga contestación''', '''el maga nación''', '''el maga organización'''