Every noun in Arabic is either masculine or feminine. The gender matters because adjectives, verbs and words like "this" have to match it.
Spotting a feminine noun
Most feminine nouns end in ة, said -a:
- مدينةmdinacity (f)
- طابلةtablatable (f)
- خدمةkhedmawork, job (f)
Feminine nouns without ة
Some very common words are feminine with no ending:
- dar (house), tomobil (car), triq (road)
- female people: umm / mmi (mother), bent (girl)
- paired body parts: 3in (eye), yedd (hand), rijl (leg)
- shems (sun), ard (ground)
Making a feminine form
People and adjectives add -a:
- أستاذ / أستاذةostad / ostadateacher (m / f)
- مغربي / مغربيةmeghribi / meghribiyaMoroccan (m / f)
- عيان / عيانة3eyyan / 3eyyanatired (m / f)
The -a becomes -t
Before a possessive ending, the feminine -a becomes -t:
- خدمتيkhdemtimy work
- مدينتناmdinetnaour city
Why it matters
- هاد الولد طويلhad l-weld twilThis boy is tall.
- هاد البنت طويلةhad l-bent twilaThis girl is tall.