Arabic: A Gendered Language366

Arabic is a gendered language, which means that its nouns, adjectives, and verbs change form depending on the gender of the subject or object. This can be a bit tricky for learners of the language, but it's important to master if you want to speak and write Arabic correctly.

There are two genders in Arabic: masculine and feminine. Masculine nouns are typically those that refer to males, while feminine nouns refer to females. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, the word "sun" is masculine, even though it refers to a female celestial body.

Adjectives and verbs also change form depending on the gender of the noun they modify. For example, the adjective "big" is "كبير" (kabīr) when modifying a masculine noun, but "كبيرة" (kabīrah) when modifying a feminine noun. Similarly, the verb "to eat" is "يأكل" (ya'kul) when the subject is masculine, but "تأكل" (ta'kul) when the subject is feminine.

The gender of a noun can usually be determined by its ending. Masculine nouns typically end in a consonant, while feminine nouns typically end in a vowel. However, there are some exceptions to this rule as well. For example, the word "book" is masculine, even though it ends in a vowel.

If you're not sure about the gender of a noun, you can always check a dictionary or online resource. Once you've mastered the gender system, you'll be well on your way to speaking and writing Arabic correctly.## Masculine and Feminine Forms of Common Words
| Word | Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|---|
| sun | شمس (shams) | - |
| moon | قمر (qamar) | - |
| boy | ولد (walad) | بنت (bint) |
| girl | - | فتاة (fatah) |
| father | أب (ab) | أم (umm) |
| mother | - | أخت (ukht) |
| sister | - | أخ (akh) |
| brother | - | زوجة (zawjah) |
| wife | - | زوج (zawj) |
| husband | - | مدرسة (madrasah) |
| school | - | جامعة (jāmi‘ah) |
| university | - | مكتبة (maktabah) |
| library | - | سيارة (sayyārah) |
| car | - | دراجة (darajah) |
| bike | - | حديقة (hadīqah) |
| park | - | مدينة (madīnah) |
| city | - | دولة (dawlah) |
| country | - | قارة (qārah) |
| continent | - |
## Tips for Learning Arabic Gender
* Pay attention to the endings of nouns. Masculine nouns typically end in a consonant, while feminine nouns typically end in a vowel.
* Use a dictionary or online resource. If you're not sure about the gender of a noun, you can always check a dictionary or online resource.
* Practice, practice, practice. The best way to learn the gender of Arabic nouns is to practice using them in sentences.