Gender Matters Less
Nouns have a gender, but describing words and verbs mostly do not change for it.
How It Works
Maithili has masculine and feminine nouns, but gender causes far fewer changes than in Hindi.
| Maithili | Meaning |
|---|---|
| नीक बेटा | a good son |
| नीक बेटी | a good daughter |
| पैघ घर | a big house |
| पैघ बहिन | an older sister |
These describing words do not change, and neither does the present of to be: हमर भाइ नीक अछि, हमर बहिन नीक अछि.
Gender does show up in the respectful past of moving verbs. Use गेलाह for a respected man and गेलीह for a respected woman. Plain forms such as गेल do not show gender at all.
Possessives never change either: हमर भाइ and हमर बहिन use the same हमर.
You rarely need to learn a noun's gender. Choose गेलाह or गेलीह by whether the person is a man or a woman.
Examples (5)
- हमर बेटा नीक अछि।
My son is good.
नीक does not change for a masculine noun.
- हमर बेटी नीक अछि।
My daughter is good.
The same नीक is used for a feminine noun.
- राम गाम गेलाह।
Ram went to the village.
-आह marks a respected man.
- सीता गाम गेलीह।
Sita went to the village.
-ईह marks a respected woman.
- बच्चा सभ खेलैत अछि।
The children are playing.
The plain verb shows no gender.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Gender shows mainly in respectful past endings, so the idea that verb endings show respect comes first.
Related Patterns
- हमर / अहाँक / ओकरMy, Your and His or Her
Possessive words never change for the thing owned.
Level 1 - नीक / पैघ / छोटDescribing Words
Describing words come before the noun and stay the same.
Level 1 - गेलाह / गेलीह / गेलRespect in the Past: गेलाह and गेल
Gender shows in the respectful past of moving verbs.
Level 2
Practice Gender Matters Less in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Maithili lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
