Female Forms for Inanimate Nouns

01

Adjective Agreement

When describing a non-human plural noun, the adjective must be in the feminine singular form. This usually means adding the feminine marker ⁧ة⁩ (tāʼ mạrbūṭạẗtāʾ marbūṭahtāˈ marbuwṭaẗtaʼ mrbwṭẗ) to the end of the adjective.

Even though the noun implies "many things," the adjective grammatically says "one female thing."

• ⁧السَّيَّارَاتُ سَرِيعَةٌ⁩

  assạyyārātụ sạrīʕạẗụṇassayyārātu sarīʿatunʾassayyārātu sariyʿaẗúalsyarat sryʕẗ

  The cars are fast.

• ⁧اشْتَرَيْتُ كُتُبًا جَدِيدَةً⁩

  ištạrạytụ kụtụbạṇ jạdīdạẗạṇis͟htaraytu kutuban d͟jadīdataništaraytu kutubá ǧadiydaẗáištryt ktba jdydẗ

  I bought new books.

• ⁧هَذِهِ بُيُوتٌ كَبِيرَةٌ⁩

  hặḏịhị bụyūtụṇ kạbīrạẗụṇhād͟hihi buyūtun kabīratunhāḏihi buyuwtú kabiyraẗúhḏh bywt kbyrẗ

  These are big houses.

02

Demonstrative Pronouns (This/These)

When pointing at non-human plural objects, you cannot use the plural demonstrative ⁧⁧هَؤُلَاءِ⁩⁩ (hạʼụlāʼịhaʾulāʾihaˈulāˌihˈalaˌi) - these. Instead, you must use the feminine singular demonstrative ⁧⁧هَذِهِ⁩⁩ (hặḏịhịhād͟hihihāḏihihḏh) - this.

• ⁧هَذِهِ أَقْلَامٌ⁩

  hặḏịhị ʼạqlāmụṇhād͟hihi ʾaqlāmunhāḏihi ˈaqlāmúhḏh ˈaqlam

  These are pens.

• ⁧هَذِهِ قِطَطٌ جَمِيلَةٌ⁩

  hặḏịhị qịṭạṭụṇ jạmīlạẗụṇhād͟hihi qiṭaṭun d͟jamīlatunhāḏihi qiṭaṭú ǧamiylaẗúhḏh qṭṭ jmylẗ

  These are beautiful cats.

03

Personal Pronouns (It/They)

If you need to refer to non-human plural nouns using a pronoun (like "they" or "them"), you use the feminine singular pronoun ⁧⁧هِيَ⁩⁩ (hịyạhiyahiyahy) - she/it. You do not use the plural pronouns ⁧⁧هُمْ⁩⁩ (hụmhumhumhm) or ⁧⁧هُنَّ⁩⁩ (hụnnạhunnahunnahn).

• ⁧أَيْنَ الْكُتُبُ؟ هِيَ عَلَى الْمَكْتَبِ⁩

  ʼạynạ ᵃlkụtụbụ? hịyạ ʕạlā ᵃlmạktạbịʾayna ᵃlkutubu? hiya ʿalā ᵃlmaktabiˈayna ᵃlkutubu? hiya ʿalā ᵃlmaktabiˈayn ᵃlktb? hy ʕla ᵃlmktb

  Where are the books? They ("she") are on the desk.

• ⁧الْأَزْهَارُ فِي الْحَدِيقَةِ وَهِيَ حَمْرَاءُ⁩

  alʼạzhārụ fī ᵃlḥạdīqạẗị wạhịyạ ḥạmrāʼụalʾazhāru fī ᵃlḥadīqati wahiya ḥamrāʾuʾalˈazhāru fiy ᵃlḥadiyqaẗi wahiya ḥamrāˈualˈazhar fy ᵃlḥdyqẗ why ḥmraˈa

  The flowers are in the garden and they are red.

04

Verb Conjugation

Verbs associated with non-human plural subjects are conjugated in the feminine singular form (3rd person feminine singular).

• In the present tense, the verb typically starts with ⁧⁧تـ⁩⁩ (tạ-ta-ta-t-).
• In the past tense, the verb typically ends with ⁧⁧ـَتْ⁩⁩ (-ạt-at-at-t).

• ⁧تَذْهَبُ الْحَافِلَاتُ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ⁩

  tạḏhạbụ ᵃlḥāfịlātụ ʼịlā ᵃlmạdīnạẗịtad͟hhabu ᵃlḥāfilātu ʾilā ᵃlmadīnatitaḏhabu ᵃlḥāfilātu ˌilā ᵃlmadiynaẗitḏhb ᵃlḥaflat ˌila ᵃlmdynẗ

  The buses go to the city.

• ⁧وَصَلَتِ الرَّسَائِلُ أَمْسِ⁩

  wạṣạlạtị ᵃrrạsāʼịlụ ʼạmsịwaṣalati ᵃrrasāʾilu ʾamsiwaṣalati ᵃrrasāˌilu ˈamsiwṣlt ᵃrsaˌil ˈams

  The letters arrived yesterday.

05

Contrast with Human Plurals

It is vital to distinguish this from human plurals. Plural nouns referring to people (teachers, engineers, children) take normal plural agreement.

Compare the following:

Non-Human (Feminine Singular Agreement)

• ⁧الْمَكَاتِبُ صَغِيرَةٌ⁩

  almạkātịbụ ṣạḡīrạẗụṇalmakātibu ṣag͟hīratunʾalmakātibu ṣaġiyraẗúalmkatb ṣḡyrẗ

  The offices are small.

Human (Plural Agreement)

• ⁧الْمُهَنْدِسُونَ صِغَارٌ⁩

  almụhạndịsūnạ ṣịḡārụṇalmuhandisūna ṣig͟hārunʾalmuhandisuwna ṣiġārúalmhndswn ṣḡar

  The engineers are young (small).