Describing Masculine and Feminine Nouns

Level 2

Gender pairs include fari/fara, dogo/doguwa, and sabo/sabuwa.

How It Works

A preceding adjective agrees with its noun and carries -n for masculine or plural reference, or -r for feminine singular. A following adjective retains agreement without the connecting linker. Adjectival predicates use the corresponding ne/ce frame.

Compare sabon gida ‘a new house’ with sabuwar jaka ‘a new bag’: both adjective form and linker change. Other adjectives, including ja ‘red’ and babba ‘big’, share their masculine and feminine singular shape.

Many English descriptive meanings instead use quality nouns with mai, which serves either singular gender. Do not generate a feminine adjective mechanically or infer noun gender from its ending alone. Plural adjective forms also require their own attested paradigms.

Examples (4)

  1. farin gida

    a white house

    Noun phrase: masculine fari plus -n.

  2. farar hula

    a white cap

    Noun phrase: feminine fara plus -r.

  3. Ita doguwa ce.

    She is tall.

    The predicate has feminine doguwa and ce.

  4. Wannan kofi ja ne.

    This cup is red.

    Ja has the shared singular shape.

How It Connects

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

Describing Masculine and Feminine NounsLevel 2

Learn This First

Recognize adjective agreement, linked descriptions and demonstrative identifying predicates before contrasting particular adjective forms, including farin/farar before a noun.

Words in This Pattern

faridogosabosabojajajababba