Gender in Arabic Language: Masculine and Feminine Nouns
The Arabic language is known for its unique grammar rules and complexities. One aspect that stands out is the use of gendered objects.
Unlike in English, where objects are usually neutral, objects in Arabic are either masculine or feminine.
In this blog post, we will explore the rules surrounding gendered objects in Arabic and how they are used in various contexts.
How do I know if a word is masculine or feminine?
1. In Arabic language, objects are either masculine (m) or feminine (f).
In Arabic, objects are gendered, meaning they are either classified as masculine or feminine. This is a fundamental aspect of the language that affects how words are used and formed.
| English | Arabic | Pronunciation |
| Masculine(M) | ذكر | thakar |
| Feminine(F) | مؤنث | mu’annath |
2. As a rule, the feminine words end with the taa’ marbouta (ة), a special form of the letter (ت).
Examples:
Feminine (F):
| English | Arabic | Pronunciation |
| Car | سيارة | Sayyara(t) |
| Building | بناية | Binaaya(t) |
| Table | طاولة | Taawila(t) |
Masculine (M):
| English | Arabic | Pronunciation |
| Restaurant | مطعم | MaT3am |
| Pencil | قلم | Qalam |
| House | بيت | Bait |
3. The taa’ marbouta at the end of the feminine words is pronounced similar to the letter (T = ت) if it’s followed by other letters or words.
Examples:
| English | Arabic | Pronunciation |
| Ahmad’s car | سيارة أحمد | Sayyarat Ahmad |
| Food table | طاولة الطعام | Tawilat Al-ta3am |
| The city of Amman | مدينة عمان | Madeenat Amman |
4. The taa’ marbouta at the end of the feminine words is pronounced as (a) if it’s not followed by any letter or word.
Examples:
| English | Arabic | Pronunciation |
| Table | طاولة | tawila |
| Writing | كتابة | kitaba |
| Tree | شجرة | shajara |
| City | مدينة | madina |
| Car | سيارة | sayyara |
In all of these examples, the taa’ marbouta is pronounced as “a” because it is not followed by any letter or word.
5. Gender Classification of Nouns in Arabic Language.
In Arabic, every object, living or non-living, has a gender classification of either masculine or feminine. This means that the noun associated with an object will be either masculine or feminine.
In the example , “sayyara” (a car) and “tawila” (a table) are both feminine words because they end with the taa’ marbouta (ة), while “qalam” (a pen) and “kursiyy” (a chair) are both masculine words.
It is important to know the gender of a noun in Arabic language as it affects the agreement of other words in the sentence, such as verbs and adjectives.
The gender classification of a noun is usually based on the object’s natural gender, such as animals, or the object’s shape and form. It is a fundamental aspect of the Arabic language and a crucial component of effective communication in Arabic-speaking communities.
6. Professions, nationalities, and adjectives can be masculine or feminine.
Masculine words can be easily changed to feminine by simply adding the feminine taa marboota ة at the end of the word. Muhandis (male engineer), muhandisa (female engineer).
Examples:
| Word (English) | Word (Arabic) | Pronunciation | M or F |
| Teacher (M) | معلم | Muealim | M |
| Teacher (F) | معلمة | Muealima | F |
| Doctor (M) | طبيب | Tabib | M |
| Doctor (F) | طبيبة | Tabiba | F |
| Student (M) | طالب | Talib | M |
| Student (F) | طالبة | Taliba | F |
| Manger(M) | مدير | Mudeer | M |
| Manger(F) | مديرة | Mudeera | F |
| Engineer (M) | مهندس | Muhandis | M |
| Engineer (F) | مهندسة | Muhandasa | F |
| Jordanian (F) | أردني | Urdoniyy | M |
| Jordanian (M) | أردنية | Urdoniyya | F |
| Emirati (M) | أماراتي | Emarati | M |
| Emirati (F) | أماراتية | Emaratiah | F |
| Syrian (M) | سوري | Soori | M |
| Syrian (F) | سورية | Sooriah | F |
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Conclusion:
Gender is an essential aspect of the Arabic language, and it affects how words are used and formed.
Objects are classified as either masculine or feminine, and the gender of a noun can affect the agreement of other words in a sentence.
It is important to understand the gender classification of nouns, professions, and adjectives to communicate effectively in Arabic.
In addition to this blog post on Gender In Arabic Language, you may find it useful to read other articles on https://www.mezan-institute.com/ to further enhance your Arabic language learning journey.
Like Benefits of Learning the Arabic Language, 10 Basic Arabic Words for Beginners and How to Count To 10 in Arabic.
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