Language/Kabyle/Grammar/Noun-Gender
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
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
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