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 (tāʾ marbūṭahtāʾ marbūṭahtāʾ marbuwṭahtaʾ marbwṭah) to the end of the adjective.

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

• ⁧السَّيَّارَاتُ سَرِيعَةٌ⁩

  as-sayyārātu sarīʿatunas-sayyārātu sarīʿatunʾas-sayyārātu sariyʿatunas-sayaratu saryʿatun

  The cars are fast.

• ⁧اشْتَرَيْتُ كُتُبًا جَدِيدَةً⁩

  ishtaraytu kutuban jadīdatanishtaraytu kutuban d͟jadīdatanishtaraytu kutuban ǧadiydatanishtaraytu kutuban jadydatan

  I bought new books.

• ⁧هَذِهِ بُيُوتٌ كَبِيرَةٌ⁩

  hādhihi buyūtun kabīratunhādhihi buyūtun kabīratunhādhihi buyuwtun kabiyratunhadhihi buywtun kabyratun

  These are big houses.

02

Demonstrative Pronouns (This/These)

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

• ⁧هَذِهِ أَقْلَامٌ⁩

  hādhihi aqlāmunhādhihi aqlāmunhādhihi ʾaqlāmunhadhihi aqlamun

  These are pens.

• ⁧هَذِهِ قِطَطٌ جَمِيلَةٌ⁩

  hādhihi qiṭaṭun jamīlatunhādhihi qiṭaṭun d͟jamīlatunhādhihi qiṭaṭun ǧamiylatunhadhihi qiṭaṭun jamylatun

  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 (hiya) - she/it. You do not use the plural pronouns ⁧⁧هُمْ⁩⁩ (hum) or ⁧⁧هُنَّ⁩⁩ (hunnahunnahunnahuna).

• ⁧أَيْنَ الْكُتُبُ؟ هِيَ عَلَى الْمَكْتَبِ⁩

  ayna al-kutubu? hiya ʿalā al-maktabiayna al-kutubu? hiya ʿalā al-maktabiʾayna ʾal-kutubu? hiya ʿalā ʾal-maktabiayna al-kutubu? hiya ʿala al-maktabi

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

• ⁧الْأَزْهَارُ فِي الْحَدِيقَةِ وَهِيَ حَمْرَاءُ⁩

  al-azhāru fī al-ḥadīqati wa-hiya ḥamrāʾual-azhāru fī al-ḥadīqati wa-hiya ḥamrāʾuʾal-azhāru fiy ʾal-ḥadiyqati wa-hiya ḥamrāʾual-azharu fy al-ḥadyqati wa-hiya ḥamraʾu

  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 (ta-).
• In the past tense, the verb typically ends with ⁧⁧ـَتْ⁩⁩ (-at).

• ⁧تَذْهَبُ الْحَافِلَاتُ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ⁩

  tadhhabu al-ḥāfilātu ilā al-madīnatitadhhabu al-ḥāfilātu ilā al-madīnatitadhhabu ʾal-ḥāfilātu ilā ʾal-madiynatitadhabu al-ḥafilatu ila al-madynati

  The buses go to the city.

• ⁧وَصَلَتِ الرَّسَائِلُ أَمْسِ⁩

  waṣalat al-rasāʾilu amsiwaṣalat al-rasāʾilu amsiwaṣalat ʾal-rasāʾilu ʾamsiwaṣalat al-rasaʾilu amsi

  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

  al-makātibu ṣaghīratunal-makātibu ṣaghīratunʾal-makātibu ṣaghiyratunal-makatibu ṣaghyratun

  The offices are small.

Human (Plural Agreement)

• ⁧الْمُهَنْدِسُونَ صِغَارٌ⁩

  al-muhandisūna ṣighārunal-muhandisūna ṣighārunʾal-muhandisuwna ṣighārunal-muhandiswna ṣigharun

  The engineers are young (small).