Unicode CLDR Pluralization Rules

Common errors

• TypeError: make_plural__WEBPACK_IMPORTED_MODULE_0__.en is not a function

  cause Attempting to use `make-plural` with CommonJS `require()` syntax or an outdated bundler configuration after v8.0.0.
  fix Update your code to use ES module `import { en } from 'make-plural'` syntax and ensure your build system supports ES modules.

• SyntaxError: Unexpected token 'const' or SyntaxError: Unexpected token '=>'

  cause Running code generated by `make-plural@7.0.0` or later in an environment that does not support ES6 syntax without proper transpilation.
  fix Configure your build process (e.g., Babel) to transpile ES6+ syntax to a compatible target for your deployment environment.

• TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'cardinal')

  cause Attempting to access the `pt-PT` locale directly using the hyphenated string as a JavaScript object key from exports like `pluralCategories`.
  fix Use the transformed identifier `pt_PT` (with an underscore) when accessing the Portuguese (Portugal) locale, e.g., `Categories.pt_PT`.

• My bundle size is unexpectedly large despite only using a few locales.

  cause Using wildcard imports (e.g., `import * as Plurals from 'make-plural/plurals'`) instead of named imports, which prevents effective tree-shaking by bundlers.
  fix Refactor your imports to use named imports for specific locales, e.g., `import { en, fr } from 'make-plural/cardinals'`.

Warnings

• breaking The `make-plural` package dropped CommonJS exports, becoming an ES module-only package. Projects using `require()` will fail.
  Fix: Migrate all imports from `require('make-plural')` to `import { ... } from 'make-plural'` syntax and ensure your build environment supports ES modules.
• breaking The `make-plural` package license changed to the OSI-approved Unicode Data Files and Software License. Additionally, generated functions now use ES6 `const` and `=>` syntax.
  Fix: Review the new license for compliance. For environments not supporting ES6 (e.g., IE 11), ensure your build process includes transpilation (e.g., Babel) for ES6+ syntax.
• gotcha For optimal bundle size and effective tree-shaking, always use named imports when importing specific locales (e.g., `import { en } from 'make-plural/cardinals'`) instead of wildcard imports (e.g., `import * as Cardinals from 'make-plural/cardinals'`) from sub-paths.
  Fix: Refactor your imports to target specific locale functions using named imports to allow bundlers to remove unused code.
• gotcha The locale code `pt-PT` (Portuguese as spoken in Portugal) is transformed to `pt_PT` for JavaScript identifier compatibility when accessed as an object key (e.g., from `make-plural/pluralCategories`).
  Fix: When accessing the `pt-PT` locale as a property from exported objects, use the underscore-separated `pt_PT` identifier.
• gotcha The `make-plural/ordinals` module provides ordinal pluralization functions but covers a slightly smaller subset of locales compared to the main `make-plural` or `make-plural/cardinals` modules due to limitations in CLDR data availability for ordinal rules.
  Fix: Be aware that not all locales supported for cardinal plurals will have corresponding ordinal pluralization rules via `make-plural/ordinals`.

Install

• npm install make-plural npm
• yarn add make-plural yarn
• pnpm add make-plural pnpm

Imports

• en
  wrong:

  const { en } = require('make-plural')

  correct:

  import { en } from 'make-plural'

  Since v8.0.0, make-plural is ESM-only. The main export (`make-plural`) provides a combined function for cardinal and ordinal plurals.
• en
  wrong:

  import * as Cardinals from 'make-plural/cardinals'

  correct:

  import { en } from 'make-plural/cardinals'

  Use named imports from sub-paths like `make-plural/cardinals` for optimal tree-shaking, otherwise bundlers might include all locales.
• LocalePluralFunc

  import type { LocalePluralFunc } from 'make-plural'

  TypeScript type for pluralization functions, useful for explicit typing in consumers.
• pt_PT
  wrong:

  import * as Categories from 'make-plural/pluralCategories'; Categories['pt-PT']

  correct:

  import * as Categories from 'make-plural/pluralCategories'; Categories.pt_PT

  The locale code `pt-PT` is transformed to `pt_PT` (with an underscore) for JavaScript identifier compatibility when accessed as an object key from the exports.

Quickstart

Demonstrates cardinal and ordinal pluralization for English and French, including specific locale imports for tree-shaking and accessing plural categories for different languages, highlighting locale key transformations.

import { en, fr } from 'make-plural';
import { en as ordinalEn } from 'make-plural/ordinals';
import * as Categories from 'make-plural/pluralCategories';

// Cardinal pluralization
console.log('English cardinal for 1:', en(1)); // 'one'
console.log('English cardinal for 2:', en(2)); // 'other'
console.log('French cardinal for 1:', fr(1)); // 'one'
console.log('French cardinal for 2:', fr(2)); // 'one'
console.log('French cardinal for 3:', fr(3)); // 'other'

// Ordinal pluralization using the combined function (second argument `true`)
console.log('English ordinal for 1:', en(1, true)); // 'one'
console.log('English ordinal for 2:', en(2, true)); // 'two'
console.log('English ordinal for 3:', en(3, true)); // 'few'

// Ordinal pluralization using the dedicated ordinals module
console.log('English ordinal (dedicated module) for 3:', ordinalEn(3)); // 'few'

// Accessing plural categories for a locale
const enCategories = Categories.en.cardinal;
console.log('English cardinal categories:', enCategories); // ['one', 'other']

const ptPtCategories = Categories.pt_PT.cardinal; // Note: pt-PT becomes pt_PT
console.log('Portuguese (Portugal) cardinal categories:', ptPtCategories); // ['one', 'other']

// Example with string representation of a number
console.log('English cardinal for "1.0":', en('1.0')); // 'other'