Hello NaiveApple! :)
Once again, it's a really good question! :)
Nouns are countable when they can be quantified. They are then used with a numeral determiner.
Ex. : «chat» (cat), «livre» (book), «voiture» (car), «amis» (friends).
Uncountable nouns possess the uncountable trait when they are not quantifiable.
Ex. : «eau» (water), «temps» (time/weather), «argent» (money), «musique» (music).
Some nouns can have either the countable or uncountable trait depending on the context in which they are used. To check if a noun is countable or uncountable, one must verify if it can be accompanied by a numeral determiner or a
partitive determiner.Ex. :
Countable : Il faut
deux farines différentes pour faire ce pain. (Two different flours are needed to make this bread).
Uncountable : J’ajoute de la
farine pour épaissir cette sauce (I add flour to thicken this sauce).
**Our factsheet on the partitive determiner is currently only available in French. However, we are working very hard to make it available in English very soon!
I hope this information helps clarify things for you. Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions! :)
Marilee