⚥ Noun Gender

Every noun is masculine or feminine - and it changes everything.

There is no neuter

Every Urdu noun is either masculine or feminine. The gender controls the form of adjectives, possessives, and verbs that connect to that noun.

Common patterns

Most nouns ending in -aa (ا) are masculine: larka (boy), kamra (room). Most ending in -ee (ی) are feminine: larki (girl), kursi (chair). But there are many exceptions - pani (water) is m, raat (night) is f.

لڑکا

larkaboy (m)

لڑکی

larkigirl (f)

کتاب

kitaabbook (f) - exception

پانی

paniwater (m) - exception

Gender controls adjectives

achha larka (good boy) but achhi larki (good girl). The -a/-i ending of the adjective swaps to match.