Noun Gender
Standard Hausa distinguishes masculine and feminine singular nouns, including inanimate nouns.
How It Works
Many feminine nouns end in -a, and many masculine nouns have other endings. This tendency cannot determine every noun's gender. Suna “name” is masculine despite final a; mace “woman” is feminine despite final e.
Agreement is a stronger diagnostic. Feminine reference uses forms such as ita, ta, tana; masculine reference uses shi, ya, yana. Either can translate as English “it”. Thus feminine hula “cap” takes tana, while masculine zobe “ring” takes yana.
The genitive linker also shows gender: masculine suna takes -n in sunan yaro. Masculine–feminine agreement is a singular distinction. Plurals use plural agreement, and basic plural identification takes ne. Store a noun's gender and attested plural rather than deriving both from its ending.
Examples (4)
- Hula tana cikin jaka.
The cap is in the bag.
Tana agrees with feminine hula.
- Zobe yana kan tebur.
The ring is on the table.
Yana agrees with masculine zobe.
- sunan yaro
a boy's name
Phrase fragment; masculine suna takes -n.
- Waccan mace ce.
That is a woman.
Mace is feminine despite final e.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- ne / ceIdentifying Someone or Something
Shows gender in identification.
Level 1 - Describing Masculine and Feminine Nouns
Develops modifier agreement.
Level 2 - -n / -rLinking a Noun to Its Possessor
Explains head-controlled linked forms and the separately attributed source descriptions.
Level 2 - Learning Singular and Plural Together
Develops lexical plural patterns.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
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