LessonsLevel 13: Masculine and FeminineQuiz

Core definition: A noun is masculine or feminine, and feminine gender is recognized through meaning or an established marker.
• Tāʾ marbūṭah is a common feminine marker.
• Alif maqṣūrah and alif mamdūdah may also mark feminine gender.
• Some nouns are feminine in established Arabic usage without a visible marker.
• An adjective agrees with its noun in masculine or feminine gender.

Opening interactive controls...

Level 13: Masculine and Feminine

Classical Arabic syntax through clear rules and worked examples Read the bilingual lesson for Level 13: Masculine and Feminine and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. Masculine and Feminine: Core Idea

Core definition: A noun is masculine or feminine, and feminine gender is recognized through meaning or an established marker.
• Tāʾ marbūṭah is a common feminine marker.
• Alif maqṣūrah and alif mamdūdah may also mark feminine gender.
• Some nouns are feminine in established Arabic usage without a visible marker.
• An adjective agrees with its noun in masculine or feminine gender.

2. Masculine and Feminine: Key Terms

Key terms

Arabic termEnglish meaning
الْمُذَكَّرُmasculine
الْمُؤَنَّثُfeminine
التَّاءُ الْمَرْبُوطَةُtāʾ marbūṭah
الْمُؤَنَّثُ السَّمَاعِيُّlexically feminine noun

3. Masculine and Feminine: Worked Examples

Example and grammatical analysis

Arabic exampleMeaningGrammatical point
مُسْلِمٌMuslim manmasculine
مُسْلِمَةٌMuslim womanfeminine with tāʾ marbūṭah
حُبْلَىpregnant womanfeminine with alif maqṣūrah
شَمْسٌsunlexically feminine in Arabic

4. Masculine and Feminine: Rules and Distinctions

Keep the rules distinct
• Rule 1: Tāʾ marbūṭah is a common feminine marker.
• Rule 2: Alif maqṣūrah and alif mamdūdah may also mark feminine gender.
• Rule 3: Some nouns are feminine in established Arabic usage without a visible marker.
• Rule 4: An adjective agrees with its noun in masculine or feminine gender.

5. Masculine and Feminine: Review and Application

Lesson summary
• A noun is masculine or feminine, and feminine gender is recognized through meaning or an established marker.
• مُسْلِمٌ: masculine
• مُسْلِمَةٌ: feminine with tāʾ marbūṭah
• حُبْلَى: feminine with alif maqṣūrah
• شَمْسٌ: lexically feminine in Arabic
Next step: Identify the governor, governed word, and case sign separately in each example.

Practice questions

Question 1: Core Idea

Which statement gives the core definition of this lesson?

  • feminine
  • tāʾ marbūṭah
  • A noun is masculine or feminine, and feminine gender is recognized through meaning or an established marker.
  • masculine

Question 2: Terms and Meanings

Match each Arabic term with its correct meaning.

Question 3: Meaning of the Example

Choose the correct meaning of مُسْلِمٌ.

  • Muslim man
  • Muslim woman
  • pregnant woman
  • sun

Question 4: Rule Check

Is this statement true or false? Tāʾ marbūṭah is a common feminine marker.

  • False
  • Only with nouns
  • Only with verbs
  • True

Question 5: Examples and Meanings

Match each Arabic example with its correct meaning.

Question 6: Identify the Term

What is the correct meaning of الْمُذَكَّرُ?

  • lexically feminine noun
  • masculine
  • feminine
  • tāʾ marbūṭah

Question 7: Grammatical Analysis

Choose the correct grammatical analysis of مُسْلِمَةٌ.

  • masculine
  • feminine with tāʾ marbūṭah
  • feminine with alif maqṣūrah
  • lexically feminine in Arabic

Open the interactive quiz