Language/Serbian/Grammar/Nouns:-Gender-and-Number

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Serbian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Nouns: Gender and Number

Welcome to the lesson on Nouns: Gender and Number! Understanding the concepts of gender and number in Serbian nouns is crucial for mastering the language, as they play a significant role in sentence structure and communication. In Serbian, nouns are categorized into three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. Additionally, nouns can be singular or plural, which adds another layer to the language's grammatical system. This lesson will guide you through these essential aspects, providing you with the tools to identify and use nouns correctly in Serbian.

In this lesson, we will cover the following points:

• Understanding Gender in Serbian Nouns

• Masculine Nouns

• Feminine Nouns

• Neuter Nouns

• Understanding Number in Serbian Nouns

• Singular Nouns

• Plural Nouns

• Practical Exercises

By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid grasp of Serbian nouns, their genders, and how they change from singular to plural. Let's dive in!

Understanding Gender in Serbian Nouns

In Serbian, every noun is assigned a gender, which affects how it interacts with other words in a sentence, particularly adjectives and verbs. The three genders are:

• Masculine: Typically nouns that end in a consonant.

• Feminine: Nouns that usually end in -a.

• Neuter: Nouns that commonly end in -o or -e.

Masculine Nouns

Masculine nouns often refer to male beings or are associated with male characteristics. Here are some key points and examples:

• Masculine nouns often end in a consonant.

Serbian	Pronunciation	English
стол (stol)	[stol]	table
учитељ (učitelj)	[ʊˈt͡ɪt͡ɕɛʎ]	teacher
пас (pas)	[pas]	dog
град (grad)	[ɡrad]	city
човек (čovek)	[t͡ʃɔʋɛk]	man

Feminine Nouns

Feminine nouns are often associated with female beings or characteristics. Here are some characteristics and examples:

• Feminine nouns typically end in -a.

Serbian	Pronunciation	English
жена (žena)	[ʒɛna]	woman
кућа (kuća)	[ˈkʊt͡ɕa]	house
мачка (mačka)	[ˈmaːt͡ʃka]	cat
девојка (devojka)	[dɛˈʋɔjka]	girl
река (reka)	[rɛka]	river

Neuter Nouns

Neuter nouns are generally inanimate objects or abstract concepts. They usually end in -o or -e.

Serbian	Pronunciation	English
дете (dete)	[ˈdɛtɛ]	child
море (more)	[ˈmɔrɛ]	sea
око (oko)	[ˈɔkɔ]	eye
име (ime)	[ˈimɛ]	name
дело (delo)	[ˈdɛlɔ]	work

Understanding Number in Serbian Nouns

In Serbian, nouns can be either singular or plural. The way nouns change from singular to plural often depends on their gender.

Singular Nouns

Singular nouns refer to one item or being. Here are some examples:

Serbian	Pronunciation	English
књига (knjiga)	[ˈkɲiɡa]	book
цвет (cvet)	[tsʋɛt]	flower
аутомобил (automobil)	[autɔˈmɔbiɫ]	car
телефон (telefon)	[tɛlɛˈfɔn]	telephone
компјутер (kompjuter)	[kɔmpˈjutɛr]	computer

Plural Nouns

Plural nouns indicate more than one item or being. The formation of the plural can vary by gender:

• Masculine nouns typically add -i or -ovi.

• Feminine nouns usually add -e or -i.

• Neuter nouns often add -a.

Here are some examples:

Serbian	Pronunciation	English
књиге (knjige)	[ˈkɲiɡɛ]	books
цветови (cvetovi)	[tsʋɛˈtɔʋi]	flowers
аутомобили (automobili)	[autɔˈmɔbiɫi]	cars
телефони (telefoni)	[tɛlɛˈfɔni]	telephones
компјутери (kompjuteri)	[kɔmpˈjutɛri]	computers

Practical Exercises

Now that you have a solid understanding of gender and number in Serbian nouns, let's put your knowledge to the test! Here are some exercises to help you practice:

Exercise 1: Identify the Gender

Determine the gender of the following nouns:

1. старица (starica)

2. војник (vojnik)

3. дете (dete)

4. кућа (kuća)

5. река (reka)

Solution:

1. Feminine

2. Masculine

3. Neuter

4. Feminine

5. Feminine

Exercise 2: Singular to Plural Transformation

Convert the following singular nouns to their plural forms:

1. мачка (mačka)

2. стол (stol)

3. девојка (devojka)

4. ауто (auto)

5. цвет (cvet)

Solution:

1. мачке (mačke)

2. столови (stolovi)

3. девојке (devojke)

4. аутомобили (automobili)

5. цветови (cvetovi)

Exercise 3: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the noun in parentheses.

1. Она је _____ (девојка).

2. То је _____ (аутомобил).

3. Он има _____ (пас).

4. Они воле _____ (књига).

5. Ми видимо _____ (река).

Solution:

1. девојка (devojka)

2. аутомобил (automobil)

3. пса (pasa)

4. књиге (knjige)

5. реку (reku)

Exercise 4: Gender Classification

Classify the following nouns by their gender:

1. кућа (kuća)

2. учитељ (učitelj)

3. око (oko)

4. пријатељ (prijatelj)

5. жена (žena)

Solution:

• Feminine: кућа, жена

• Masculine: учитељ, пријатељ

• Neuter: око

Exercise 5: Match the Noun to Its Plural

Match the singular nouns to their plural forms:

1. цвет (cvet) → a. цветови (cvetovi)

2. стола (stol) → b. столови (stolovi)

3. књига (knjiga) → c. књиге (knjige)

4. девојка (devojka) → d. девојке (devojke)

5. аутомобил (automobil) → e. аутомобили (automobili)

Solution:

1 → a

2 → b

3 → c

4 → d

5 → e

Exercise 6: Create Sentences

Using the following nouns, create sentences that show both singular and plural forms:

1. мачка (mačka)

2. пас (pas)

3. књига (knjiga)

4. дете (dete)

Solution:

1. Имам једну мачку. (I have one cat.) / Имам две мачке. (I have two cats.)

2. Он има пса. (He has a dog.) / Они имају псе. (They have dogs.)

3. Читам књигу. (I am reading a book.) / Читам књиге. (I am reading books.)

4. То је дете. (That is a child.) / То су деца. (Those are children.)

Exercise 7: Gender Quiz

Choose the correct gender for each noun:

1. аутомобил (automobil) - a. masculine b. feminine c. neuter

2. жена (žena) - a. masculine b. feminine c. neuter

Solution:

1. a. masculine

2. b. feminine

Exercise 8: Plural Identification

Identify whether the following nouns are singular or plural:

1. река (reka)

2. књиге (knjige)

3. телефони (telefoni)

4. човек (čovek)

5. столови (stolovi)

Solution:

1. Singular

2. Plural

3. Plural

4. Singular

5. Plural

Exercise 9: Translate to Serbian

Translate the following English nouns into Serbian, noting their gender:

1. dog (masculine)

2. girl (feminine)

3. car (neuter)

Solution:

1. пас (pas) - masculine

2. девојка (devojka) - feminine

3. ауто (auto) - neuter

Exercise 10: Sentence Correction

Correct the following sentences if necessary:

1. Он има две девојке. (He has two girls.)

2. Она види књигу. (She sees a book.)

3. Имам три аутомобила. (I have three cars.)

4. То су пса. (Those are dogs.)

Solution:

1. Correct

2. Correct

3. Correct

4. То су пси. (Those are dogs.)

Congratulations on completing this lesson on Nouns: Gender and Number! By now, you should feel more confident in identifying and using Serbian nouns correctly. Remember, practice makes perfect, so continue to engage with these concepts in your daily studies. Happy learning!

Table of Contents - Serbian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Serbian Grammar

• Nouns: Gender and Number
• Cases: Nominative and Accusative
• Pronouns: Personal Pronouns
• Verbs: Present Tense
• Verbs: Past Tense

  ---

Introduction to Serbian Vocabulary

• Greetings and Introductions
• Numbers and Counting
• Food and Drink
• Family and Relationships
• Transportation and Directions

  ---

Introduction to Serbian Culture

• Traditional Serbian Music
• Religious Festivals
• Folk Dances
• Serbian Films
• Cuisine

  ---

Pronouns: Possessive Pronouns

• Verbs: Future Tense
• Adjectives: Comparative and Superlative
• Verbs: Imperative

  ---

Shopping

• Clothes and Accessories
• At the Market
• Banking and Money

  ---

Sports and Recreation

• Football in Serbia
• Winter Sports
• Music Festivals

  ---

Adjectives: Declension

• Verbs: Perfective and Imperfective
• Verbs: Reflexive Verbs

  ---

Jobs and Professions

• Places around Town
• Education and Learning

  ---

Literature and Poetry

• Medieval Serbian Literature
• Contemporary Serbian Poetry

  ---

Verbs: Conditional

• Verbs: Participles
• Verbs: Infinitives

  ---

Entertainment and Media

• Movies and Theater
• Music and Performances

  ---

Art and Artists

• Famous Serbian Painters
• Contemporary Serbian Art Scene

Sources

• Serbian/Grammar - Wikibooks, open books for an open world
• Serbian Nouns
• Gender of Serbian Nouns

Other Lessons

• Verbs: Reflexive Verbs
• How to Use Be
• Be Polite
• Verbs: Future Tense
• Present Tense
• Verbs: Imperative
• Prepositions
• Past Tense
• Pronouns: Personal Pronouns
• Adjectives

Next Lesson — Cases: Nominative and Accusative ▶️