Feminine Nouns in -а/-я
Feminine Nouns Ending in А or Я
If a noun ends in -а or -я, it is usually feminine: жена (woman), книга (book), земя (earth, land).
How It Works
Spotting feminine nouns
Look at the last letter. -а and -я almost always mean feminine:
- жена (woman), книга (book), маса (table), вода (water)
- земя (earth), стая (room), кухня (kitchen), история (history, story)
What changes with a feminine noun
- "One" is една: една стая (see The Number One).
- Adjectives end in -а: нова книга, голяма стая (see Adjective Agreement).
- The definite article is -та: жената, стаята, земята (see The Feminine Article -та).
- The plural usually replaces -а/-я with -и: жени, книги, стаи, земи (see Plural Ending -и).
Exceptions
A few nouns in -а/-я name men and are masculine: баща (father), съдия (judge) and men's names such as Никола. They take masculine adjectives: добър баща. See Masculine Nouns Ending in А, Я or О.
The opposite also happens: some feminine nouns end in a consonant, like нощ (night) and любов (love). See Feminine Nouns Ending in a Consonant.
Examples (6)
- Жената чете книга.
The woman is reading a book.
Word by Word: Woman-the reads book.
Жена + the article -та gives жената.
- Тази книга е нова.
This book is new.
Word by Word: This book is new.
The feminine noun takes тази and the adjective ending -а.
- Стаята е голяма.
The room is big.
Word by Word: Room-the is big.
Стая ends in -я and is feminine: стаята, голяма.
- Имам две сестри.
I have two sisters.
Word by Word: I-have two sisters.
The plural of сестра is сестри, with -и.
- Земята е кръгла.
The Earth is round.
Word by Word: Earth-the is round.
- Имам добър баща.
I have a good father.
Word by Word: I-have good father.
Баща ends in -а but is masculine, so the adjective is добър.
Common Mistakes
Using the masculine adjective with a feminine noun.
Книгата е нов.Книгата е нова.Книга is feminine, so the adjective must end in -а: нова.
Adding the masculine article to a feminine noun.
Къде е книгът?Къде е книгата?Nouns ending in -а or -я take the feminine article -та: книгата, стаята.
Treating баща as feminine because it ends in -а.
Баща ми е добра.Баща ми е добър.Баща means "father" and is masculine, so the adjective is masculine: добър.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Recognizing feminine endings requires the idea of noun gender.
Related Patterns
- Masculine Nouns Ending in a Consonant
Masculine nouns usually end in a consonant, which helps you tell the genders apart.
Level 1 - Neuter Nouns in -о/-еNeuter Nouns Ending in О or Е
Neuter nouns end in -о or -е, the third ending group.
Level 1 - -таThe Feminine Article -та
Feminine nouns take the article -та: жената, земята.
Level 1 - Plural in -иPlural Ending -и
Feminine nouns in -а/-я form their plural with -и.
Level 1 - Masculine Nouns in -а/-я/-оMasculine Nouns Ending in А, Я or О
Баща and съдия are the masculine exceptions to this ending rule.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice Feminine Nouns in -а/-я in Bubblegum
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