Language/Gujarati/Grammar/Gender

Gujarati Grammar - Gender

Hi Gujarati learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about gender in Gujarati grammar. Gender is an important aspect of any language, and it is essential to understand its usage to form proper sentences. We will also explore some cultural and interesting facts related to gender in Gujarati.

Introduction

In Gujarati, gender plays an important role in forming correct sentences. Gujarati has two genders - masculine and feminine. Unlike English, where gender plays a limited role in sentence formation, in Gujarati, it is used extensively. Therefore, learning gender is essential to master the Gujarati language.

Masculine Gender

In Gujarati, the masculine gender is used to denote males or masculine objects. A masculine noun generally ends with the vowel "o." For example,

Gujarati	Pronunciation	English
ભાઈ	bhāī	brother
પ્રેમિકો	prémiko	lover (male)
ખેતરમાં	khetar mā́ṁ	field (masculine)

In the above examples, "ભાઈ" (bhāī) means brother, "પ્રેમિકો" (prémiko) means male lover, and "ખેતરમાં" (khetar mā́ṁ) means field (masculine).

Feminine Gender

In Gujarati, the feminine gender is used to denote females or feminine objects. A feminine noun generally ends with the vowel "i." For example,

Gujarati	Pronunciation	English
બહેન	bahēn	sister
પ્રેમિકા	prémikā́	lover (female)
ખેતડીમાં	khetadī mā́ṁ	field (feminine)

In the above examples, "બહેન" (bahēn) means sister, "પ્રેમિકા" (prémikā́) means female lover, and "ખેતડીમાં" (khetadī mā́ṁ) means field (feminine).

Gender Neutral Words

In Gujarati, there are some words that are gender-neutral, and their gender can only be identified based on the context. For example,

Gujarati	Pronunciation	English
માણસ	māṇas	person
બાળક	bā́ḷak	child

In the above examples, "માણસ" (māṇas) means person, and "બાળક" (bā́ḷak) means child but can refer to both boys and girls.

Gender Agreement

In Gujarati, gender agreement is crucial to form proper sentences. The verb, pronoun, and adjective should agree with the gender of the noun. Let us take an example:

• Person 1: આ પતંગો છોકરી પર ઉડે છે. (ā patango chhōkari par uḍē chhe.) (This kite is flying over the girl.)
• Person 2: તે ખુશ છોકરી છે. (tē khuśh chhōkari chhe.) (She is a happy girl.)

In the above conversation, "છોકરી" (chhōkari) means girl, which is a feminine noun. Therefore, the adjective "ખુશ" (khuśh), which means happy, has been modified to "ખુશ છોકરી" (khuśh chhōkari) to agree with the gender of the noun.

Cultural Facts

In Gujarat, it is customary to address an elder as "કાકા" (kākā) if they are male or "કાકી" (kā́kī) if they are female. Similarly, it is customary to address someone younger as "ભાઈ" (bhāī) or "બહેન" (bahēn), irrespective of gender.

Gujarat is known for its diverse textile industry, and many of its textiles are named based on gender. The Patola saree, for example, is a famous saree woven in Gujarat and is named after its makers, who were traditionally men.

Conclusion

Gender is an essential aspect of Gujarati grammar, and understanding its usage is crucial to forming proper sentences. By using the examples and rules mentioned above, you can improve your Gujarati speaking and writing skills.

To improve your Gujarati Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Sources

• Gujarati Language
• Gender
• Textile arts of India

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