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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > Coffees or cup of coffee?    

Coffees or cup of coffee?



Anitinha
Brazil

Coffees or cup of coffee?
 
Can I use coffees instead of cups of coffee? I�m in doubt about it.
Tks Smile

16 Mar 2011      





Purunchi
Argentina

I don �t think so, I �ve never heard that.

16 Mar 2011     



om aziz
Tunisia

Me too I have the same opinion!coffee is uncountable so it has only singular form.

16 Mar 2011     



Hanni9
Vietnam

Coffee is uncountable noun. So you can �t add "s"
You can say a cup of coffee or coffee beanS.

16 Mar 2011     



swissprof
Switzerland

I think I have heard my English mother-in-law say two coffees . According to me you can say two coffees.
 
 

16 Mar 2011     



nixx63
Italy

As pointed out, the word coffee is uncountable, which means that it can �t be used in the plural.

Therefore, if we want to use it in general we have to say

I like coffe not  I like a coffee

If we want to refer to a quantity, we can use quantifiers like some, any, a lot of, much, a little ecc...

I �d like some coffee
or Would you like some coffee?.

It �s possible to rend it countable through the use of the phrase �a cup of... �, as it follows

I usually have a cup of coffee

However, as it usually happens, in everyday conversation people tend to save �energy � and use �shorter � forms. It �s quite common to here people say

I �d like a coffee,

which clearly stands for �I �d like a (cup of) coffee.


Nic

<<<i �

16 Mar 2011     



swissprof
Switzerland

Two coffees a day doubles risk of miscarriage, says US study

American advice: cut out caffeine in early months
Warning extended to include tea and chocolate

extracts from newspapers
 

Two Coffees with Heart Design in Foam in Car Cup Holders


Two Coffees with Heart Design in Foam in Car Cup Holders Stock Photo - Lizenzfrei (RF), Artist: Andrew Kolb              , Code: 600-03003918

16 Mar 2011     



edrodmedina
United States

I don �t drink coffee myself but I �ve heard people ordering coffee this way: "I �ll  have two regular coffees and one decaf, please"

16 Mar 2011     



teachertonyinchina
China

As a native speaker I �m not sure, I will think about it while I drink a coffee.

16 Mar 2011     



kaz76
United Kingdom

Yes you can say coffees. When you are in a cafe or restaurant you would say �can I have 2 coffees please? � rather than 2 cups of coffee. We use coffees as the short form of cups of coffee.

16 Mar 2011     



Jayho
Australia

agree with Kaz - coffees is common usage
 
When you order two coffees they are for two people in your group - when you order 2 cups of coffee then it might be assumed that they are for you.  Most NS will say coffees when ordering more than one.  Same goes for other drimks e.g. two cokes, three lemonades, three beers, etc

17 Mar 2011     

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