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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

2 water or 2 waters

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.
  

Top answer

It's always "waters" in that context. Same goes for coffee, tea, shrimp, you name it. You mean "two orders of" whatever.

— Enoon

  • It's always "waters" in that context.
  • Same goes for coffee, tea, shrimp, you name it.
  • You mean "two orders of" whatever.
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8 Answers
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It's always "waters" in that context. Same goes for coffee, tea, shrimp, you name it. You mean "two orders of" whatever.
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Thank you, enoon, for your helpful response.

What if it involves a proper noun?
Should I say 2 Cokes?
2 Hamburgers?
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Yes. Like I said, you name it, but I guess you would have to put it another way if the plural would cause confusion, now that I think about it. "Two crabs" could mean just that.

"Hamburger" is not a proper noun.
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Anonymous 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?
Yes. Water appears on the menu, and you want two. It might come in a bottle or a glass.

Suppose you have two couples at lunch. The waiter asks for the drink order. You answer for t
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Enoon,
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". Kindl
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Anonymous"Two crabs" - is it because it might be interpreted as the small insects rather than the crustacean one?
No, and thanks a lot for that image.

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
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AnonymousWith regard to the verb "water", I wonder how it's a singular case in your example "to water". Kindly explain.
It was a little joke. "To water" is the infinitive - the words two and to are pronounced the same, though.
The third person singular is "waters" - He waters his plants once a week.

Water is also plural in the contex
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Sorry for the late reply since I have just read your responses, but thank you very much, enoon & AlpheccaStars, for your clarifications.

You were really helpful. Now I understand the topic.
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