common noun is a word that gives name to a generic, common, non-specific thing. For example, the word “ice cream” is used to name an ice cream treat in general. Unlike the common noun, the proper noun indicates something specific, such as the term “Luca”, which is the title of an animated film.
You nouns, in the Portuguese language, can be masculine or feminine. However, there are nouns that have two genders, these are called “common nouns of two genders”. An example is the word “fan”, which can be masculine (“the fan”) and also feminine (“the fan”).
Read too: Adjectives — word class that qualifies the noun
Summary about common noun
A common noun is a word that names a generic, non-specific thing.
The words “ball” and “doll” are examples of common nouns.
The proper noun indicates something specific, unique.
The terms “Brazil” and “Pinocchio” are examples of proper nouns.
Common noun of two genders It is a term that can be both feminine and masculine.
An example of a common noun of two genders is the word “colleague”, that is, “a colleague” and “the colleague”.
What is a common noun?
What do you call that object where you sit to rest, talk or study? That's right! I'm talking about the chair. The word “chair” is a noun. This is because a noun is a word we use to name things. So, if you stop to think, you will discover that there are a lot of nouns.
They can be classified in eight different ways:
common;
own;
simple;
compound;
primitive;
derivative;
concrete;
abstract.
Well, we are here to talk about the common noun. He is so called because has to do with common, generic, non-specific things. For example, the noun “car” is common, as this word refers to a vehicle, but does not specify which one, as there are different types of cars.
And the noun “Brazil”? Do you think it is generic, that there are several countries with that name? Of course! Brazil is one. So the noun “Brazil” is NOT common. And what kind of noun is this word? You'll find out soon, just keep reading this text.
Common Noun Examples
ball;
doll;
bed;
pen;
House;
cell phone;
circus;
sweet;
pain;
hope;
party;
film;
game;
justice;
book;
stone;
sadness;
trip.
Example sentences with common noun
Cocoa kicked the ball out of field.
A doll was thrown over the bed.
I had one pen with four colors!
I dreamed that my House was made of candy.
O cell phone she fell into vase of bathroom.
Belinha denounced the circus for mistreating the animals.
He discovered the pain in your first love.
Who said that the hope Is it the last one to die?
My friends and I laughed a lot party.
We like to see film it's in movie theater!
I want to buy one game new, but I don't have money.
O teacher said that the justice is blind.
I'm in love with books.
Drummond said he “had a stone in the middle of path”.
What sadness see Brazil lose game.
At trip, I made new ones friends.
Read too: Overcommon nouns — those that do not vary in gender
Differences between common noun and proper noun
Remember our last question: what kind of noun is the word “Brazil”? Let’s get to the answer: proper noun! As mentioned, Brazil is one, so the word “Brazil” cannot be considered a common, generic noun.
Unlike the common noun, the proper noun indicates something specific. It is therefore related to proper names, such as:
Disney;
France;
Pinocchio;
Recife;
Snoopy;
Wandinha.
→ Video lesson on proper and common nouns
Common noun of two genders
According to grammar, the Portuguese language has two genders: feminine and masculine. For example, “ball” and “house” are two feminine nouns. “Cellphone” and “sweet” are two masculine nouns. It is the article “a” that indicates the feminine form, while the article “o” indicates the masculine form.
However, there are common nouns of two genders. Like this? Is that the same word can have two different genders. That's right! The same word can be masculine and feminine. Want to see how I'm telling the truth? Tell me what the gender of these words is:
artist;
co-worker;
dentist;
student;
young.
As you are a smart girl or a smart boy, you know that these words have two genders:
the artist and the artist;
the colleague and the colleague;
the dentist and the dentist;
the student and the student;
the young man and the young woman.
Solved exercises on common nouns
Question 01
Mark the alternative that presents a common noun.
a) Nile
b) Sweden
c) boy
d) Iracema
e) Ceará
Resolution:
Alternative “c”
Of the alternatives above, “boy” is the only common noun. The others are proper nouns.
Question 02
Read, below, an excerpt from the lyrics of the song “História de uma gata”, by composer Chico Buarque:
They fed me
They caressed me
I was enticed
I got used to it
[...]
They told me all the time
Stay at home, don't get windy
But it's hard to keep to yourself
When in the moonlight
So many cats on the street
They sing like this all night long
We cats are born poor
However, we were born free
Sir, madam or landlord
Feline, you won't recognize
[...]
In the morning I came home
I was stopped at the reception
No fillet and no pillow
Because of the singing
But now my day to day
It's in the middle of the street
On the street turning into a can
I'm more me, more cute
In a crazy serenade
That at night comes out singing like that
We cats are born poor
However, we were born free
Sir, madam or landlord
Feline, you won't recognize
[...]
Now, select the option where all words removed from the text are common nouns:
a) fed, house, wind.
b) Moon, street, night.
c) cats, poor, free.
d) morning, I came back, concierge.
e) singing, cant, serenade.
Resolution:
Alternative “e”
The only option in which all words are common nouns is the letter “e”: “singing”, “can” and “serenade”. They are also common nouns: “house” and “wind” (alternative “a”), “street” and “night” (alternative “b”), “cats” (alternative “c”), “concierge” (alternative “d ”).
