Gender and Number

FoundationsSounds Like liṅga ā vacana

Nouns are masculine or feminine, but you mostly see it in the verb.

How It Works

Gender and number show up mainly on the verb. Most adjectives stay the same: छोट घर (small house), छोट गाड़ी (small vehicle), बड़ आदमी, बड़ औरत.

WhoVerb
one boy or manजाला, गइल, बा
one girl or womanजाली, गइली, बाड़ी
respected man, or more than one personजालें, गइलें, बाड़ें

A noun does not change for plural after a number or in context: दू गो लइका (two boys). To say the children add लोग or सब: लइका लोग, लइका सब.

Things take the masculine forms: गाड़ी आवेला. Usually only people and a few living beings take the feminine ending, so the verb rarely shows a thing's gender. Some writers use -ेले for a feminine thing: जिनिगी बनेले. For a person, match the verb to the person.

Examples (5)

  1. लइका स्कूल जाला।

    The boy goes to school.

    जाला matches a boy.

  2. लइकी स्कूल जाली।

    The girl goes to school.

    जाली matches a girl.

  3. छोट घर आ छोट गाड़ी।

    A small house and a small vehicle.

    The adjective छोट does not change.

  4. लइका लोग खेलत बाड़ें।

    The children are playing.

    लोग and बाड़ें show more than one.

  5. माई खाना बनावत बाड़ी।

    Mother is cooking.

    बाड़ी matches a woman.

Common Mistakes

  • Making the adjective agree like Hindi.

    छोटी गाड़ी बा।
    छोट गाड़ी बा।

    Most adjectives do not change for gender.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Gender and NumberFoundations

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Patterns that build on this one.