Language/Kabyle/Grammar/Noun-Gender
Tanga/Subject : TAJEṚṚUMT/GRAMMAR
Azwel/Title : TAWSIT N YISEM/THE GENDER OF THE NOUN
Dagi γur-m tamsirt γef tewsit n yisem. Here you are a lesson about the gender the noun. TAWSIT N YISEM/THE GENGER OF THE NOUN/LE GENRE DU NOM ________________________________________ TAWSIT N YISEM/ THE GENGER OF THE NOUN
I/ 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
II/ 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.
1- 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
1- 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”).
2- 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)
3- 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
4- 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
2- 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 Isem unti/Feminine 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
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
1- Llan kra n yismawen untiyen i d-yekkan seg Taεrabt ur nbeddu yara
s 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.
2- 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)
3- 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 :
1-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
2- 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
3- 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
4- 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