Language/Kabyle/Grammar/Noun-Gender

The Gender of the Noun in Kabyle

GRAMMAR

TAJEṚṚUMT

THE GENGER OF THE NOUN

TAWSIT N YISEM / LE GENRE DU NOM

In this lesson, you will learn the gender the noun in Berber languages.

Dagi γur-m tamsirt γef tewsit n yisem.

There are two genders in the Kabyle language: masculine and feminine.

Male names usually start with the letters "a", "i" and "u". Examples: akal (earth), itri (star), uccen (jackal).

The exception is made to words borrowed from other languages ​​and which may have the first letter as a consonant, instead of lmizan (scale), plastik (plastic).

The majority of female names begin with the letter "t" and also end with the letter "t", how talwit (peace), tigzirt (island), tamellalt (egg).

Some feminine words may be deprived of the final letter "t", such as tala (fountain), tili (shadow), tiziri (moonlight).

The exception is also made for loanwords from other languages ​​which may begin with letters other than "t", such as lmeḥna (misery).

These rules also apply to adjectives. However, to form the feminine of an adjective, just add a "t" at the beginning and another at the end. Examples:

aberkan (black), taberkant (black); aleqqaq (tender in masculine), taleqqaqt (tender in feminine).

TAWSIT N YISEM/ THE GENGER OF THE NOUN

TAZWART/INTRODUCTION

Isem amaziγ γur-s/The berber noun has :

• Sin waddaden/Two states : addad ilelli/free state, addad amaruz/state of annexation
• Sin yemḍanen/Two numbers : asuf/singular, asget/plural
• Snat tewsatin/Two genders : amalay/masculine, unti/feminine

TIWSATIN N YISEM/THE GENDERS OF THE NOUN

Isem γur-s snat tewsatin, izmer ad yili d amalay neγ d unti.

The noun has two genders, it can be masculine or feminine.

Isem amalay/Masculine noun

S umata, isem amalay ibeddu s teγri ama deg wasuf ama deg wesget.

Generally, the masculine noun begins with a vowel in the singular and in the plural.

Imedyaten/Examples

Amalay n wasuf/Masculine singular

Amalay n wesget/Masculine plural

• Aqcic/boy/garçon
• Amcic/cat/chat
• Argaz/man/homme
• Afus/hand/main

• Isli/engaged man/fiancé
• Izimer/lamb/agneau
• Imi/mouth/bouche
• Iḍ/night/nuit
• Imeṭṭi/tear/larme, pleur

• Uccen/wolf/loup
• Udem/face/visage
• Ul/heart/cœur
• Usu/bed/lit

• Arrac/boys/garçons
• Imcac/cats/chats
• Irgazen/men/hommes
• Ifassen/hands/mains

• Islan/engaged men/fiancés
• Izamaren/lambs/agneaux
• Imawen/mouths/bouches
• Uḍan/nights/nuits
• Imeṭṭawen/tears/larmes, pleurs

• Uccanen/wolfs/loups
• Udmawen/faces/visages
• Ulawen/hearts/cœurs
• Usawen/beds/lits

Timawin/Remarks

Llan kra n yismawen imalayen ur nbeddu yara s teγri

There are some masculine nouns which don’t begin with a vowel.

MD/EX:

• Bururu/owl/hibou
• Fad/thirst/soif
• Laẓ/hunger/faim
• Seksu/couscous/couscous
• Medden/people/gens
• Cilmun/kind of plant/sorte de plante

Llan daγen kra n yismawen i d-yekkan seg Taεrabt ur nbeddu yara s teγri.

There are also some nouns which came from Arabic language that don’t begin with a vowel.

MD/EX:

• Lḥub/love/amour/aşk (in Turkish)
• Lbaz/falcon,hawk/faucon (the noun “Lbaz” is from Persian origin)
• Lemleḥ/salt/sel
• Lqut/food/nourriture
• Lweqt/time/temps/vakit (in Turkish)
• Zzman/time/époque/zaman (in Turkish), …atg (etc)

(All these words are from Arabic origin and we use them in our daily life but we have also a corresponding real Berber nouns of these words :

• Lḥub = Tayri, Lemleḥ = Tisent, Lqut = Učči, Lweqt = Akud, Zzman = Tallit,
• Lbaz = Afalku, (some linguists said that the latin noun “Falco” came from Berber “Afalku” that why in English is “Falcon” and in French is “Faucon”).

Llan kra n yismawen imalayen ur γur-sen ara unti anmaγru

There are some masculine nouns which don’t have a corresponding feminine nouns.

MD/EX:

• aẓref/right/droit, adrar/mountain/montagne,
• ageffur/rain/pluie, akal/land/terre, aman/water/eau,
• aggur/moon,month/lune,mois (also in Berber aggur = moon/ay= month/ay, like in Turkish),
• fad/thirst/soif, itri/star/étoile, igenni/sky/ciel, imensi/dinner/dîner
• iṭij/sun/soleil, laẓ/hunger/faim, ul/heart/cœur, ungal/novel/roman…atg (etc)

Llan kra n yismawen imalayen γur-sen talγa temgarad γef

talγa n yismawen untiyen-nnsen (deg wasuf neγ deg wesget).

There are some masculine nouns that have a form which is different from the form of theirs corresponding feminine nouns (in singular or in plural).

MD/EX:

• Amalay/Masculine
• Unti/Feminine

• Izem/lion/lion

• Afalku/falcon,hawk/faucon

• Argaz/man/homme

• Iḥiqel/male partridje/mâle de la perdrix

• Azrem/snake,serpent/serpent

• Azger/bullock,steer,beef/bœuf

• Ayyes/horse/cheval

• Aqelwac/billy goat/bouc

• Ikerri/ram, sheep/bélier, mouton

• Akraren/rams, sheeps/béliers, moutons

• Arrac/boys/graçons

• Irgazen/men/hommes

• Jeddi/grandfather/grand-père

• Baba, Ababat/father/père

• Gma/brother/frère

• Ayetmaten/brothers/frères

• Mmi/son/fils

• Arraw, Arrac/sons/fils

• Dadda/older brother/frère aîné

• Tasedda/lioness/lionne

• Taninna/female falcon/fem. du faucon

• Tameṭṭut/woman/femme

• Tasekkurt/partridge/perdrix

• Tanefsa/female snake/fem. du serpent

• Tafunast/cow/vache

• Tagmart/mare (female horse)/jument

• Taγaṭ/goat/chèvre

• Tixsi/ewe/brebis

• Ulli/the flock of (plur. of ewe)/les brebis

• Tiqcicin/girls/filles

• Tulawin/women/femmes

• Seţţi/grandmother/grand-mère

• Yemma, Tayemmaţ/mother/mère

• Weltma/sister/soeur

• Tiyessetmatin/sisters/soeurs

• Yelli/daughter/fille

• Yessi/daughters/filles

• Nanna/older sister/soeur aînée

Asekkil aneggaru n yisem amalay yezmer ad yili

The last letter of the masculine noun can be :

• d targalt/a consonant : afus/hand/main, amrar/rope/corde, axxam/home, house/maison
• d tiγri/a vowel : ameksa/shepherd/berger, imi/mouth/bouche, aẓru/stone/pierre

Isem unti/Feminine noun

Isem unti dayem ibeddu s wesekkil “t” ama deg wasuf ama deg wesget.

The feminine noun always begins with a letter “t” in the singular and in the plural.

Imedyaten/Examples

Unti n wasuf/Feminine singular

Unti n wesget/Feminine plural

• Tamγart/old woman/vieille
• Tuccent/she-wolf/louve
• Taqcict/girl/fille
• Tamcict/female cat/chatte
• Tileft/wild sow/laie
• Tawtult/doe (female rabbit)/lapine
• Tamurt/country/pays
• Tala/fountain/fontaine
• Taseṭṭa/branch (of tree)/branche
• Talγa/form, shape/forme
• Targa/stream/ruisseau
• Taxxamt/room/chambre
• Tazla/running/course
• Timγarin/old women/vieilles
• Tuccanin/she-wolfs/louves
• Tiqcicin/girls/filles
• Timcac/female cats/chattes
• Tilfatin/wild sows/laies
• Tiwtal/does (female rabbits) /lapines
• Timura/countries/pays
• Tiliwa/fountains/fontaines
• Tiseṭwa/branchs/branches
• Talγiwin/forms, shapes/formes
• Tiregwa/streams/ruisseaux
• Tixxamin/rooms/chambres
• Tazliwin/runnings/course

S umata, isem unti asuf yeţmaga-d s tmerniwt n usekkil “t” γer tazwara d tagara n umalya asuf anmaγru. Generally, the singular feminine noun is formed by adding the letter “t” at the beginning and the end of the singular corresponding masculine noun.

Unti = t + amalay + t

Feminine = t + masculine + t

Imedyaten/Examples

Isem amalay/Masculine noun

• aqcic/boy/garçon
• amcic/cat/chat
• amγar/old man/vieux
• amedyaz/poet/poète
• awtul/rabbit/lapin
• alγem/camel/chameau
• aqjun/dog/chien
• afrux/bird/oiseau
• amaziγ/Berber/Berbère
• aṭurki/Turk/Turc
• isli/engaged man/fiancé
• ilemẓi/teenager/adolescent
• izimer/lamb/agneau
• ilef/wild boar/sanglier
• itbir/pigeon/pigeon
• isegni/awl, bradawl/alêne, poinçon
• iγil/mount, hill/mont
• imenγi/fighting/bagarre
• uccen/wolf/loup
• udem/face/visage
• učči/food/nourriture
• ungif/idiot/idiot

Isem unti/Feminine noun

• taqcict/girl/fille
• tamcict/female cat/chatte
• tamγart/old woman/vieille
• tamedyazt/poetess/poétesse
• tawtult/doe (female rabbit)/lapine
• talγemt/female camel/chamelle
• taqjunt/bitch (female dog)/chienne
• tafruxt/hen-bird (f.bird)/oiseau femelle
• tamaziγt/Berber(fem. Berber)/Berbère
• taṭurkit/Turkish woman/Turque
• tislit/engaged woman/fiancée
• tilemẓit/female teenager/adolescente
• tizimert/female lamb/agnelle
• tileft/wild sow/laie
• titbirt/pigeonne/hen-pigeon
• tisegnit/needle/aiguille
• tiγilt/hill/colline
• timenγit/killing/meurtre, tuerie
• tuccent/she-wolf/louve
• tudemt/little face/petit visage
• tuččit/food/nourriture
• tungift/female idiot/idiote

Maca llan kra n yismawen untiyen ibeddun s “t” ţfakan s teγri “a” neγ “i”.

But there are some feminine nouns that begin with “t” and end with the vowel “a” or “i”.

Imedyaten/Examples

• tasekla = literature/literature (t-a)
• tameγra = feast, party/fête (t-a)
• tala = fountain/fontaine (t-a)
• tasa = liver/foie (t-a)
• targa = stream/ruisseau (t-a)
• tamda = lake/lac (t-a)
• tira = writing/écriture (t-a)
• tudma = take, taking/prise (t-a)
• tulsa = shearing/tondaison, tonte (t-a)

• tiziri = moonlight/clair de lune (t-i)
• tikci = offer/offre, don (t-i)
• tili = shadow/ombre (t-i)
• tilelli = freedom/liberté (t-i)
• tiniri = desert/désert (t-i)
• tiyiti = beating/frappement (t-i)
• tanumi = habit/habitude (t-i)

G.M/N.B: Isem unti urğin yeţfaka s teγri “u”.

The feminine noun is never ended with a vowel “u”.

Llan ismawen untiyen nniḍen ibeddun s usekkil “t” ţfakan s usekkil “ţ”.

There are other feminine nouns that begin with the letter “t” and end with the letter “ţ”.

Imedyaten/Examples

• tabraţ = letter, missive/lettre, missive/risala (in Arabic) (t-ţ)

• tiziţ = mosquito/moustique (izi/fly/mouche ---> tiziţ/mosquito/moustique)

• tulmuţ = young elm (plant)/ormeau (ulmu/elm/orme ---> tulmuţ/young elm)

some linguists said that the latin noun “Ulmus” came from Berber. “Ulmu” that why in English is “Elm” and in French is “Orme”.

• tazzuţ = broom (plant)/genêt (plante) (azzu/broom ---> tazzuţ/broom)

• tibkiţ = a female monkey/une guenon (ibki/monkey/singe ---> tibkiţ/a female monkey/une guenon)

• taẓruţ = a stone/ une pierre (aẓru/stone/pierre ---> taẓruţ/a stone/une pierre)

• tiferreţ = a wing (bird)/une aile (oiseau)

• taxuxeţ = peach tree (fruit)/pêcher (arbre de pêche)

• tačineţ = orange tree/oranger (arbre d’orange)

• tawizeţ = goose (bird)/une oie

• tifeγweţ = artichoke/artichaut

• tayeţ = shoulder/épaule

• tureţ = lung/poumon

Llan daγen ismawen untiyen ibeddun s usekkil “t” ţfakan s isekkillen “wt” neγ “yt”.

There are also feminine nouns that begin with the letter “t” and end with the letters “wt” or “yt”.

Imedyaten/Examples

• ameksa/shepherd/berger ---> tameksawt/shepherdess/bergère (t-wt)

• aγenğa/ladle/louche ---> taγenğawt/spoon/cuillère (t-wt)

• inebgi/guest/invité ---> tinebgiwt/female guest/invitée (t-wt)

• aγerda/mouse/souris ---> taγerdayt/mouse (fem.)/souris (fem.) (t-yt)

• aγenğa/ladle/louche ---> taγenğayt/spoon/cuillère (t-yt)

(there are some Berber people who say “taγenğayt” and some others who say taγenğawt, so there are two options for that.)

Timawin/Remarks

Llan kra n yismawen untiyen i d-yekkan seg Taεrabt ur nbeddu yaras usekkil “t”

There are some feminine nouns which came from Arabic that don’t begin with the letter “t”.

MD/EX:

• Leḥmala = love/amour/aşk (in Turkish)
• Lemḥiba = love/amour/aşk (in Turkish)
• Ṣṣifa = beauty/beauté
• Ṣṣura = face/visage
• Ssebba = pretext, excuse, reason,motive, cause/prétexte, excuse, raison,motif, cause
• Lmeεna = kindness, upbringing, good manners/gentillesse, politesse, gallantry galanterie, éducation
• Lefhama = understanding, comprehension/compréhension
• Lehna = peace/paix

All these words are from Arabic origin and we use them in our daily life but we have also a corresponding real Berber nouns of these words : Leḥmala = Lemḥiba = Tayri, Ṣṣifa = tafulkit, tahuski, taγuda, Ṣṣura = udem, Ssebba = asnuruf, amentil, Lmeεna = asenber, Lefhama = tigzi, Lehna = talwit.

Llan kra n yismawen untiyen ur γur-sen ara amalay anmaγru

There are some feminine nouns which don’t have a corresponding masculine nouns.

MD/EX:

• Tafat/light/lumière, Tasa/liver/foie, Tala/fountain/fontaine,
• Tamurt/country/pays, Tira/writing/écriture, Tilelli/freedom/liberté,
• Tideţ/truth/vérité, Tignewt/weather, atmosphere/tepms, atmosphere,
• Tiṭ/eye/oeil, Tussna/wasp’s nest/guêpier (nid de guêpes),
• Tazla/running/course, Tisist/spider/araignée, Tamart/beard/barbe,
• Tazmart/health/santé, Taḍsa/laugh/rire, Times/fire/feu
• Tameddit/evening/soir, Tugdi/fear/peur, Tezdeg/cleanness/propreté,
• Tadimt/lid/couvercle, Tisri/complexity/complication,
• Tuzya/peer, equality/pair, égalité, Tanafa/dream/rève,
• Tasemt/fat/graisse, Taga/cardoon/cardon, Tiskert/garlic/ail
• Tili/shadow/ombre, Taḍuṭ/wool/laine,…atg (etc)

Isem unti yeţfakan s usekkil “ṭ”

The feminine noun that ends with the letter “ṭ” :

Asekkil “ṭ” yekka-d si “ḍ + t”.

The letter “ṭ” is formed from “ḍ + t”.

MD/EX:

• ayaziḍ/cock/coq ---> tayaziṭ/hen/poule (tayaziṭ = tayaziḍt)
• asemmiḍ/coldness/froid ---> tasemmiṭ/coldness (tasemmiṭ = tasemmiḍt)
• axeyyaḍ/tailor,couturier/tailleur,couturier ---> taxeyyaṭ (taxeyyaṭ = taxeyyaḍt)

Asekkil “ṭ” yekka-d si “d + t”.

The letter “ṭ” is formed from“d + t”.

MD/EX:

• agellid/king/roi ---> tagelliṭ/queen/reine (tagelliṭ = tagellidt)
• iγid/roe deer/chevreuil ---> taγaṭ/goat/chèvre (taγaṭ = taγadt)

• Ismawen untiyen deg wesget/The feminine nouns in the plural :

Amalay asget/Masculine plural Unti asget/Feminine plural

• anzaren/noses/nez
• arrac/boys/garçons

• ixxamen/houses/maisons
• izamaren/lambs/agneaux

• udmawen/faces/visages
• uccanen/wolfs/loups

• tanzarin/noses (small)/nez (petits)
• tarracin/girls/filles

• tixxamin/rooms/chambres
• tizamarin/female lambs/agnelles

• tudmawin/faces (small)/visages (petits)
• tuccanin/she-wolfs/louves

Alugen/rule

• Isem unti γur-s kraḍ inumak :
• The feminine noun has three meanings :

=Tawtemt/Feminization=

MD/EX:

• anelmad/student/étudiant ---> tanelmadt/student/étudiante
• ageldun/prince/prince ---> tageldunt/princess/princesse
• aqcic/boy/garçon ---> taqcict/girl/fille
• aserdun/mule/mulet ---> taserdunt/female mule/mule

=Asemẓi/Miniaturization=

MD/EX:

• aqeṛṛuy/head/tête ---> taqeṛṛuyt/small head/petite tête
• axxam/house/maison ---> taxxamt/room/chambre
• asenduq/coffer/coffre ---> tasenduqt/small coffer/petit coffre
• afus/hand/main ---> tafuseţ/small hand/petite main
• aγenğa/ladle/louche ---> taγenğawt/spoon/cuillère

=Acemmet/Underestimation=

• Mi ara ad nekkes azal i yisem yeţţuγal d ucmit.

When we delete the value of the noun, it becomes an underestimated noun.

MD/EX:

• argaz/man/homme ---> targazt/underestimated man/homme sous-estimé

=Aferdis deg wegraw/Unit (element) in the group=

MD/EX:

• aslen/ash (tree)/frêne ---> taslent/one ash tree/un arbre de frêne
• azumba/pine (tree)/pin ---> tazumbaţ/one pine tree/un arbre de pin
• akermus/prickly pear (tree)/figuier de Barbarie ---> takermust/prickly pear (fruit)/figue de Barbarie
• azemmur/olive (fruit)/olive ---> tazemmurt/one olive tree/un olivier
• (azemmur/a lot of olive trees/oliviers, tazemmurt/one olive tree/olivier)
• aweṭṭuf/ants/fourmis ---> taweṭṭuft/ant (one)/une fourmi

• azzu/broom (plant)/genêt ---> tazzuţ/one plant of broom/une plante de genêt
• ifires/pear tree/poirier ---> tifirest/one pear (fruit)/une poire (fruit)
• Lebṣel/onion (vegetable)/oignon ---> tibṣelt/bulb of onion/un bulbe d’oignon

(this word “Lebṣel” is from Arabic language “Al-baṣl”).

• Čina/orange (fruit)/fruit d’orange ---> tačinaţ/one orange/une orange

This word “Čina” came from the word “China (the asian country) because this fruit is brought from China, so it called like this “Čina” according to the original land of orange which is “China/la Chine”, same thing for the Arabic word Bourtuqal/orange”, the origin of this word is “Portugal” (european country) because Portuguese people were the first European people who brought this fruit (orange) from China, so they called it according to their country which is “Portugal”.

Amawal/Dictionary

• Acemmet = Underestimation/Sous-estimation
• Aferdis = Unit/Unité (dans un ensemble)
• Agraw = Group/Groupe
• Amalay = Masculine/Masculin
• Anamek = Meaning/Signification (Inumak/Meanings/Significations)
• Anmaγru = Corresponding/Correspondant
• Asget = Plural/pluriel
• Asemẓi = Miniaturization/Miniaturisation
• Asuf = Singular/singulier
• Tagara = End/Fin
• Talγa = Form, Shape/Forme
• Tawsit = Gender/Genre (Tiwsatin/Genders/Genres)
• Tawtemt = Feminization/Féminisation
• Tazwara = Beginning/Début
• Tazwart = Introduction/Introduction
• Unti = Feminine/Féminin

AUTHOR

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Other Lessons

• Adjectives
• Plural
• Conditional Mood
• Plurals
• Kabyle verb
• Pronouns
• Future Tense
• Types of nouns
• Exam 2 Kabyle Noun