Language/Egyptian-arabic/Grammar/Noun-and-Adjective-Agreement
As a beginner in Egyptian Arabic, learning how to properly use nouns and adjectives is crucial. Not only will it allow you to construct basic sentences, but it will also help you communicate more effectively with native speakers. In this lesson, we will cover the basics of noun and adjective agreement in Egyptian Arabic.
Noun Agreement
In Egyptian Arabic, nouns are either masculine or feminine. If a noun is feminine, it is often marked by a ة (taa marbuuTa). When using a noun in a sentence, it must agree in gender and number with the rest of the sentence. Here are a few examples:
| Egyptian Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| بَيْتٌ | baytun | a house (singular/masculine) |
| بَيْتٌ واحِدٌ | baytun waahidun | one house (singular/masculine) |
| بُيُوتٌ | buyuutun | houses (plural/masculine) |
| دارٌ | daarun | a home (singular/feminine) |
| دارٌ واحِدٌ | daarun waahidatun | one home (singular/feminine) |
| دُورٌ | duurun | homes (plural/feminine) |
As you can see in the examples above, the noun changes to indicate whether it is singular or plural, and whether it is masculine or feminine.
Adjective Agreement
Just like nouns, adjectives must agree with the gender and number of the noun they describe. In Egyptian Arabic, the adjective follows the noun it describes. Here are a few examples:
| Egyptian Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| بَيْتٌ كَبيرٌ | baytun kabiirun | a big house (singular/masculine) |
| بَيْتٌ صَغيرٌ | baytun saghiirun | a small house (singular/masculine) |
| بُيُوتٌ جَميلَةٌ | buyuutun jamiilatun | beautiful houses (plural/feminine) |
| دارٌ قَدِيمَةٌ | daarun qadiimatun | an old home (singular/feminine) |
| دُورٌ جَميلَةٌ | duurun jamiilatun | beautiful homes (plural/feminine) |
Notice that the adjective changes to match the gender and number of the noun it is modifying.
It's important to note that if the noun is preceded by an indefinite article (like "a" or "an" in English), then the adjective must take the form of the indefinite article. For example, بَيْتٌ كَبيرٌ (baytun kabiirun) means "a big house," but بَيْتٌ كَبِيرَةٌ (baytun kabiratun) means "big house" without the indefinite article.
That's it for noun and adjective agreement in Egyptian Arabic! Remember to always pay attention to the gender and number of the nouns and adjectives in your sentences to ensure accuracy and clarity.
Practice
To practice what you've learned, try translating the following sentences into Egyptian Arabic:
- The green car (singular/masculine)
- The black dress (singular/feminine)
- The pretty flowers (plural/feminine)
- The old house (singular/masculine)
- The big trees (plural/masculine)
Sources
Related Lessons
- Subject Pronouns
- Questions Words
- How to Use "فى" (There is)
- Negation
- Give your Opinion
- Plural
- Prepositions
- Reflexive Pronouns
- Use "بقدر" (can)
- Possession