No singular turbulence?

Question

Why is turbulence always plural? Do some words not have a single form? If so, is there a place I can find a list of them? Thanks.

Silvia Piriz · Accepted Answer

Hola Samantha S.
This is a great question, and it ties in well with your previous query about singular vs. plural translations!
In Spanish, "turbulencia" is singular, just like 'turbulence' in English, but it is often used in the plural ("turbulencias") when referring to multiple instances or areas of turbulence. Some words naturally tend to appear more in one form than the other depending on the language.
Similarly, there are other words in Spanish that tend to be plural even though they refer to a single item, such as "las gafas" (glasses) or "las tijeras" (scissors). This variation is just a difference in how Spanish and English categorize certain concepts.
Hope this helps, and let us know if you have more questions!
Best,
Silvia