Language/Central-pashto/Grammar/Gender

Central Pashto Grammar - Gender

Hi Central Pashto learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about gender in Central Pashto language.

Introduction

Like many other languages, Central Pashto uses gender to classify nouns. It is important to understand the gender of a noun to correctly use determiners, adjectives, and verbs in a sentence. In Central Pashto, there are two genders: masculine and feminine. It is important to note that gender in Central Pashto is not determined by natural gender (male or female) but instead determined by the ending of a noun.

Gender endings

In Central Pashto, masculine nouns usually end with consonants, while feminine nouns end with the vowel "-a". However, it's not always the case, here are some guidelines to help you determine the gender of a noun:

• Feminine endings:

 * -a (ex. کور-, house)
 * -ma (ex. نیکمهْرما, teacher(feminine))
 * -na (ex. شُپينَ, shepherdess)

• Masculine endings:

 * -ه (-h), (ex. کتاپ, book)
 * -ونه (-wana), (ex. کورونه, houses)
 * -غ (-gh), (ex. جِرغَ, wolf)

There are also nouns that have the same form in both genders. In these cases, the use of a gendered adjective or a determiner can clarify which gender the noun is referring to.

Here are some examples in table form:

Central Pashto	Pronunciation	Gender	English
کور-	koor	Feminine	house (Feminine)
نیکمهْرما	neekmehrama	Feminine	teacher(feminine)
شُپينَ	shupina	Feminine	shepherdess
کتاپ	kitab	Masculine	book
کورونه	korwana	Masculine	houses
جِرغَ	jergha	Masculine	wolf

Gender agreement

Understanding gender is important for the correct use of adjectives and verbs. In Central Pashto, adjectives and verbs agree with the gender of the noun they describe or refer to. This means that if the noun is feminine, the adjective or verb used to describe it should also be in the feminine form, and vice versa. Let's take a look at some examples in table form:

Central Pashto	Pronunciation	English
زه د نیکمهْرمه پاتې دي	zah da neekmehrama paate de	I am a female teacher.
زه په مدرسه کتابونې خوړم	zah pa madarase kitabwani khawram	I study in the school.

Gender and culture

Gender plays an important role in Central Pashtun culture, especially when it comes to naming conventions. Pashtuns often choose names that reflect the gender of their child, and sometimes even use gender-neutral names that can be used for both boys and girls. For example, the name "Aziz" (عزيز) is a common name for boys and girls, while the name "Zarghuna" (زرغونه) is a feminine name that means "golden color".

Practice

To practice what you have learned in this lesson, try to classify the following nouns as masculine or feminine:

• ستر
• باته
• ماڼه
• قوتله
• شاعر

You can also try to make simple sentences using feminine and masculine nouns, adjectives and verbs.

Conclusion

In this lesson, we have learned about gender in Central Pashto. Understanding the gender of a noun is important to use determiners, adjectives, and verbs correctly. Remember to practice what you have learned by making simple sentences and classifying nouns as masculine or feminine.

➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

• Pashto Grammar
• Gender in the Pashto language
• Pashtun naming conventions