Feminine Nouns: The Taa Marbuta (ة)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Most Arabic nouns ending in the 'round' ة are feminine, helping you choose the right adjectives and verbs.
- Add ة to make a masculine noun feminine: e.g., 'teacher' (مُعَلِّم) becomes 'female teacher' (مُعَلِّمَة).
- The ة is silent when you pause, but sounds like 't' when connected to the next word.
- Non-human plurals are treated as feminine singular, even without ة.
Overview
In Arabic, nearly every noun is assigned a grammatical gender: either masculine (مُذَكَّر) or feminine (مُؤَنَّث). Unlike English, where gender is mostly limited to pronouns referring to people, this grammatical distinction is a core structural pillar of Arabic. It dictates how nouns, adjectives, pronouns, and verbs interact within a sentence.
The most common and visible signpost for a feminine noun is the Taa Marbuta (التاء المربوطة), which translates to "the tied Taa." It is written as ة when isolated or as ـة when connected to a preceding letter.
Think of the Taa Marbuta as a grammatical tag that appears exclusively at the end of a word. Its presence almost universally signals that the noun or its modifying adjective is feminine. This isn't necessarily about biological sex; inanimate objects like مَكْتَبَة (maktabah - library) and abstract concepts like حَقِيقَة (ḥaqīqah - truth) are feminine.
Linguistically, the Taa Marbuta is a fascinating evolution. It originates from the standard open Taa (ت), which was historically used to mark femininity. Over time, in pausal positions (at the end of an utterance), the 't' sound softened into an 'h' sound, eventually becoming silent.
This led to the dual-pronunciation system we have today and the unique graphical form ة, a hybrid of the Taa (ت) and the Haa (ه). Mastering this one character is a fundamental step toward grammatical accuracy and fluency.
How This Grammar Works
Taa Marbuta's primary function is to be a feminine suffix, but its defining characteristic is its dual pronunciation. The sound it makes changes depending on its position in a sentence—specifically, whether you pause after it or continue speaking. This is not an optional stylistic choice; it is a mandatory rule of pronunciation in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA).- 1Pronunciation as
-ah(a soft 'h' sound) when paused. When a word ending inTaa Marbutais the last word you are saying, or you pause directly after it, theTaa Marbutais pronounced as a soft, breathy-hsound, written phonetically as-ah. The original 't' sound vanishes. This is known as the pausal form. For example, the word for "car,"سَيَّارَةٌ(sayyāratun), is pronouncedsayyārahwhen said in isolation.
- 1Pronunciation as
-at(a clear 't' sound) when connected. When the word ending inTaa Marbutais immediately followed by another word in a grammatical construction, its originalت(Taa) sound is fully restored. This occurs most frequently in possessive constructions (iḍāfah) or when the noun is followed by an adjective. The final vowel on the-at(either-atu,-ati, or-ata) depends on its grammatical case (a more advanced topic). For an A1 learner, recognizing the 't' sound is the key takeaway. For instance, inلَوْنُ السَّيَّارَةِ(lawn-u as-sayyārati - the color of the car), the wordالسَّيَّارَةِis pronounced with a clear-tiat the end because it's connected to the preceding word.
مَدْرَسَة | madrasah | The word is at a pause point, so ة is pronounced -ah. |مَدْرَسَةٌ كَبِيرَةٌ | madrasatun kabīratun | The word مَدْرَسَة is followed by an adjective, so its ة is pronounced -atun. Note that كَبِيرَة is pausal here, so it is pronounced kabīrah. |مَدِيرَةُ الْمَدْرَسَةِ | mudīrat-ul-madrasati | مَدِيرَة (director) is connected to الْمَدْرَسَة, so it's pronounced mudīratu. The word الْمَدْرَسَة here is pronounced al-madrasati. |سَاعَتِي | sāʿatī | The word for "watch," ساعة (sāʿah), is connected to the "my" suffix ـي, so the ة becomes a full ت sound: sāʿat-ī. |Taa Marbuta is crucial for both understanding spoken Arabic and speaking it with a natural rhythm and correct grammar.Formation Pattern
Taa Marbuta is its role in deriving feminine nouns and adjectives from their masculine counterparts. The process is generally straightforward and follows a clear pattern.
Taa Marbuta
Taa Marbuta (ة) to the end. This is especially common for professions, nationalities, and descriptive adjectives.
مُهَنْدِسٌ (muhandisun) | مُهَنْدِسَةٌ (muhandisatun) | Engineer (M/F) |
طَبِيبٌ (ṭabībun) | طَبِيبَةٌ (ṭabībatun) | Doctor (M/F) |
مِصْرِيٌّ (miṣriyyun) | مِصْرِيَّةٌ (miṣriyyatun) | Egyptian (M/F) |
صَغِيرٌ (ṣaghīrun) | صَغِيرَةٌ (ṣaghīratun) | Small (M/F) |
جَمِيلٌ (jamīlun) | جَمِيلَةٌ (jamīlatun) | Beautiful (M/F) |
Taa Marbuta is written depends on the final letter of the word it is being attached to. This is a purely spelling-based rule and does not change the pronunciation or meaning.
ـة): This form is used when the preceding letter is a connecting letter. Most letters in the Arabic alphabet connect to the letter that follows them. The Taa Marbuta then links directly to it. Examples: طَالِبَة (ṭālibah - female student), where ة connects to ب; خَرِيطَة (kharīṭah - map), where it connects to ط.
ة): This form is used when the preceding letter is one of the six non-connecting letters: ا (alif), د (dāl), ذ (dhāl), ر (rā’), ز (zāy), و (wāw). These letters do not connect to the letter that follows them, so the Taa Marbuta is written as a separate, isolated circle with two dots. Examples: كَبِيرَة (kabīrah - big), where ة follows the non-connector ر; جَدِيدَة (jadīdah - new), where it follows the non-connector د.
Taa Marbuta to create a "unit noun," or a singular instance of a collective noun. This is often seen with plants, fruits, and natural elements. The masculine form without the ة refers to the substance or species collectively, while the feminine form with the ة refers to a single unit.
شَجَر (shajar) - Trees (in general, as a collective) -> شَجَرَة (shajarah) - One single tree.
تُفَّاح (tuffāḥ) - Apples (as a type of fruit) -> تُفَّاحَة (tuffāḥah) - One single apple.
بَقَر (baqar) - Cattle -> بَقَرَة (baqarah) - One single cow.
Taa Marbuta is not just for gender but can also carry a grammatical meaning of singularity.
Gender & Agreement
this/that), and personal pronouns (he/she) must all match the gender of the noun they refer to. This concept, known as agreement (التَطَابُق), is fundamental to forming correct Arabic sentences.Taa Marbuta. The adjective typically follows the noun.- Masculine:
وَلَدٌ طَوِيلٌ(waladun ṭawīlun) - A tall boy.
وَلَد is masculine, so طَوِيل is masculine.)- Feminine:
بِنْتٌ طَوِيلَةٌ(bintun ṭawīlatun) - A tall girl.
بِنْت is a hidden feminine, but the principle applies. A clearer example is سَيَّارَةٌ جَدِيدَةٌ (sayyāratun jadīdatun) - A new car.)*سَيَّارَةٌ جَدِيدٌ is a significant grammatical error. The Taa Marbuta on both the noun and adjective signals their connection.كِتَابٌ مُفِيدٌ (kitābun mufīdun) | قِصَّةٌ مُفِيدَةٌ (qiṣṣatun mufīdatun) | A useful book / A useful story |مَطَارٌ كَبِيرٌ (maṭārun kabīrun) | مَدِينَةٌ كَبِيرَةٌ (madīnatun kabīratun) | A big airport / A big city |هَذَا(hādhā) is used for masculine nouns:هَذَا بَيْتٌ.(hādhā baytun. - This is a house.)هَذِهِ(hādhihi) is used for feminine nouns:هَذِهِ سَيَّارَةٌ.(hādhihi sayyāratun. - This is a car.)
هُوَ(huwa - he/it) is for masculine nouns:أَيْنَ الْكِتَابُ؟ هُوَ عَلَى الطَّاوِلَةِ.(Ayna al-kitāb? Huwa ʿalā aṭ-ṭāwilah. - Where is the book? It is on the table.)هِيَ(hiya - she/it) is for feminine nouns:أَيْنَ السَّاعَةُ؟ هِيَ فِي الْحَقِيبَةِ.(Ayna as-sāʿah? Hiya fī al-ḥaqībah. - Where is the watch? It is in the bag.)
ة, does its adjective and pronoun match?When To Use It
Taa Marbuta appears on words across several categories. Recognizing these categories helps you anticipate when a noun is likely to be feminine.- 1To feminize roles, professions, and identities: This is the most direct application, turning a masculine role into its female counterpart. Examples:
مُعَلِّم(muʿallim - male teacher) becomesمُعَلِّمَة(muʿallimah - female teacher);صَدِيق(ṣadīq - male friend) becomesصَدِيقَة(ṣadīqah - female friend).
- 1For a vast number of inanimate objects: There is often no logical reason why an object is feminine; it's simply a convention of the language that you must memorize. The
Taa Marbutais your clue. Common examples includeطَاوِلَة(ṭāwilah - table),غُرْفَة(ghurfah - room),شَاشَة(shāshah - screen), andوَرَقَة(waraqah - piece of paper).
- 1For many abstract concepts: Many nouns representing ideas, qualities, or concepts are feminine. For instance:
حُرِّيَّة(ḥurriyyah - freedom),ثَقَافَة(thaqāfah - culture),مَشْكَلَة(mushkilah - problem), andسِيَاسَة(siyāsah - politics).
- 1For most country and city names: While there are exceptions, the vast majority of place names are treated as grammatically feminine, even if they don't end in
Taa Marbuta. However, many do, such asالْقَاهِرَة(al-qāhirah - Cairo) orالْمَمْلَكَة العَرَبِيَّة السُّعُودِيَّة(al-mamlakah al-ʿarabiyyah as-suʿūdiyyah - The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). The word for kingdom,مَمْلَكَة, is itself feminine.
- 1For body parts that come in pairs: This is a separate rule for "hidden" feminine nouns, but it's related. Parts like
يَد(yad - hand) andعَيْن(ʿayn - eye) are feminine without aTaa Marbuta. It's good to be aware that theةis the most common, but not the only, marker of femininity.
Common Mistakes
Taa Marbuta is the site of several classic learner errors. Being aware of them is the first step to avoidance.- 1Mistake: Forgetting Noun-Adjective Agreement.
- Incorrect:
*لَدَيَّ سَيَّارَة جَدِيد.(I have a new car.) - Why it's wrong: The noun
سَيَّارَةis feminine (it has aة), so the adjectiveجَدِيدmust also be made feminine. - Correct:
لَدَيَّ سَيَّارَةٌ جَدِيدَةٌ.
- 1Mistake: Incorrect Pausal Pronunciation.
- Incorrect Pronunciation: Saying
sayyāratwhen "car" is the last word in your sentence. - Why it's wrong: In a pausal position, the
ةsoftens to an-ahsound. Pronouncing a hard-atsounds unnatural and grammatically jarring to a native speaker. - Correct Pronunciation:
sayyārah.
- 1Mistake: Incorrect Connected Pronunciation.
- Incorrect Pronunciation: Saying
madrasah al-lughahfor "language school." - Why it's wrong: When a word with
Taa Marbutais connected to the next word in an iḍāfah (possessive) phrase, thetsound must be pronounced. - Correct Pronunciation:
madrasat-ul-lughah.
- 1Mistake: Confusing
Taa Marbuta(ة) with Open Taa (ت) or Haa (ه).
- Spelling Error: Writing
سيارتorسيارهinstead ofسَيَّارَة. - Why it's wrong: These are three distinct letters with different functions. The Open Taa (
ت) is always pronouncedt(e.g.,بَيْت- bayt). The Haa (ه) is always pronouncedh(e.g.,وَجْه- wajh). TheTaa Marbuta(ة) is unique because its pronunciation changes. The dots are not optional; they are what distinguishesةfromه.
- 1Mistake: Assuming all feminine nouns have a
Taa Marbuta.
- Incorrect Assumption: Thinking a word like
شَمْس(shams - sun) is masculine because it lacks aة. - Why it's wrong: There is a category of "hidden" or "semantic" feminine nouns that are feminine by convention. You learn these through exposure. Other examples include
أَرْض(arḍ - earth),نَار(nār - fire), andنَفْس(nafs - self). TheTaa Marbutais your most reliable guide, but it's not the only rule in the game.
Common Collocations
Taa Marbuta and its agreement rules are on full display. Memorizing these will help you internalize the patterns.اللُّغَةُ الْعَرَبِيَّةُ(al-lughat-ul-ʿarabiyyah) - The Arabic language. (Note the agreement betweenاللغةandالعربية)مَدِينَةٌ كَبِيرَةٌ(madīnatun kabīratun) - A big city. (Pronouncedmadīnah kabīrahif paused.)جَامِعَةُ الْقَاهِرَةِ(jāmiʿat-ul-qāhirah) - Cairo University. (Note the-atsound onجامعةbecause it's connected.)نِهَايَةُ الْأُسْبُوعِ(nihāyat-ul-usbūʿ) - The end of the week (the weekend).حَفْلَةُ عِيدِ مِيلَادٍ(ḥaflatu ʿīd mīlād) - A birthday party.شَرِكَةٌ دَوْلِيَّةٌ(sharikatun dawliyyatun) - An international company. (Pronouncedsharikah dawliyyah.)الْحَيَاةُ الْيَوْمِيَّةُ(al-ḥayāt-ul-yawmiyyah) - Daily life.فُرْصَةٌ أَخِيرَةٌ(furṣatun akhīratun) - A final chance/opportunity.
Real Conversations
Let's see how the Taa Marbuta appears in modern, everyday communication. Notice how the pausal pronunciation (-ah) is extremely common in spoken contexts.
1. Texting / WhatsApp Chat:
> Salma: مرحبا! أنا في المكتبة الآن. الحفلة تبدأ الساعة كام؟
> (Marḥaban! Anā fī al-maktabah al-ān. Al-ḥaflah tabdaʾ as-sāʿah kām?)
> Hello! I'm in the library now. What time does the party start?
- Analysis: Salma writes المكتبة (the library), الحفلة (the party), and الساعة (the hour/time), all with Taa Marbuta. When she speaks these words, she would pronounce them al-maktabah, al-ḥaflah, and as-sāʿah because they are at the end of phrases.
2. Social Media Post (Instagram Caption):
> صورة جميلة من رحلتي الأخيرة إلى مدينة مراكش الحمراء.
> (ṣūrah jamīlah min riḥlatī al-akhīrah ilā madīnat murrākish al-ḥamrāʾ.)
> A beautiful picture from my recent trip to the red city of Marrakech.
- Analysis: Notice the layers of agreement. صورة (picture) is feminine, so its adjective جميلة (beautiful) is also feminine. رحلتي (my trip) is feminine, so its adjective الأخيرة (recent) is feminine. مدينة (city) is feminine, so its adjective الحمراء (red) is also feminine. An expert sentence is built on this solid foundation of agreement.
3. Casual Spoken Exchange (in a café):
> Customer: ممكن زجاجة مياه، لو سمحت؟
> (Mumkin zujājat miyāh, law samaḥt?)
> Can I have a bottle of water, please?
>
> Barista: طبعاً. صغيرة ولا كبيرة؟
> (Ṭabʿan. ṣaghīrah wallā kabīrah?)
> Of course. Small or big?
- Analysis: The customer requests a زجاجة (zujājah - bottle). The barista offers choices using feminine adjectives: صغيرة (ṣaghīrah - small) or كبيرة (kabīrah - big), because they implicitly refer back to the feminine noun زجاجة.
Quick FAQ
ة grammatically feminine?Taa Marbuta is the definitive marker of a feminine noun or adjective. There are a few rare exceptions with certain male names like حَمْزَة (Hamza) or أُسَامَة (Osama), but these are treated as grammatically masculine despite their spelling. For all other words, the rule holds.Taa Marbuta (ة) different from the letter Haa (ه)?Haa (ه) at the end of a word is always pronounced as an 'h' sound (e.g., مِيَاه - miyāh - water). A Taa Marbuta (ة) changes its sound (-ah or -at) based on context.ة to the adjective if the noun is feminine?Taa Marbuta when a word is made plural?Taa Marbuta, the most common plural pattern is to replace the ة with the suffix ـَات (-āt). For example, سَيَّارَة (sayyārah - car) becomes سَيَّارَات (sayyārāt - cars). This is called the sound feminine plural.Taa Marbuta is your biggest clue.Feminization Pattern
| Masculine | Feminine | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
|
مُعَلِّم
|
مُعَلِّمَة
|
Teacher
|
|
طَبِيب
|
طَبِيبَة
|
Doctor
|
|
مُهَنْدِس
|
مُهَنْدِسَة
|
Engineer
|
|
طَالِب
|
طَالِبَة
|
Student
|
|
مُدِير
|
مُدِيرَة
|
Manager
|
|
كَاتِب
|
كَاتِبَة
|
Writer
|
|
مُوَظَّف
|
مُوَظَّفَة
|
Employee
|
|
صَدِيق
|
صَدِيقَة
|
Friend
|
Meanings
The Taa Marbuta is a suffix used to indicate feminine gender in nouns and adjectives.
Gender Marker
Indicates a female person or animal.
“طَبِيبَةٌ (female doctor)”
“قِطَّةٌ (female cat)”
Feminization of Objects
Indicates feminine gender for inanimate objects.
“مَدْرَسَةٌ (school)”
“سَيَّارَةٌ (car)”
Unit Noun
Turns a collective noun into a single unit.
“تَمْر (dates) -> تَمْرَة (a single date)”
“شَجَر (trees) -> شَجَرَة (a single tree)”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Noun + ة
|
سَيَّارَة
|
|
Adjective Agreement
|
Noun(ة) + Adj(ة)
|
سَيَّارَة جَدِيدَة
|
|
Question
|
هَل هَذِهِ + Noun(ة)؟
|
هَل هَذِهِ مَدْرَسَة؟
|
|
Negative
|
لَيْسَت + Noun(ة)
|
لَيْسَت مَدْرَسَة
|
|
Pause
|
Noun(ة) (silent h)
|
مَدْرَسَة (madrasah)
|
|
Connection
|
Noun(ة) + t
|
مَدْرَسَةُ الْبَنَات
|
Formality Spectrum
الْمُعَلِّمَةُ ذَكِيَّةٌ (School setting)
الْمُعَلِّمَة ذَكِيَّة (School setting)
الْمُعَلِّمَة ذَكِيَّة (School setting)
الْمُعَلِّمَة شَاطْرَة (School setting)
Taa Marbuta Usage
People
- طَبِيبَة Doctor
Objects
- سَيَّارَة Car
Nature
- شَجَرَة Tree
Masculine vs Feminine
Is it Feminine?
Does it end in ة?
Common Feminine Nouns
Professions
- • طَبِيبَة
- • مُدِيرَة
- • مُهَنْدِسَة
Objects
- • سَيَّارَة
- • طَاوِلَة
- • مِحْفَظَة
Examples by Level
هَذِهِ طَالِبَةٌ
This is a female student.
هَذِهِ سَيَّارَةٌ
This is a car.
هَذِهِ قِطَّةٌ
This is a cat.
هَذِهِ مَدْرَسَةٌ
This is a school.
الطَّالِبَةُ ذَكِيَّةٌ
The student is smart.
السَّيَّارَةُ جَدِيدَةٌ
The car is new.
الْقِطَّةُ صَغِيرَةٌ
The cat is small.
الْمَدْرَسَةُ كَبِيرَةٌ
The school is big.
اشْتَرَيْتُ تَمْرَةً وَاحِدَةً
I bought one single date.
هَذِهِ شَجَرَةٌ طَوِيلَةٌ
This is a tall tree.
الْوَظِيفَةُ مُتْعِبَةٌ لَكِنَّهَا مُهِمَّةٌ
The job is tiring but important.
الْمَدِينَةُ جَمِيلَةٌ جِدًّا
The city is very beautiful.
تِلْكَ مَحَطَّةُ الْقِطَارِ
That is the train station.
الْحُكُومَةُ أَعْلَنَتِ الْقَرَارَ
The government announced the decision.
هَذِهِ طَاوِلَةٌ خَشَبِيَّةٌ
This is a wooden table.
الْمُدِيرَةُ تُدِيرُ الشَّرِكَةَ
The manager runs the company.
الْمَسْؤُولِيَّةُ تَقَعُ عَلَى عَاتِقِكَ
The responsibility lies on your shoulders.
هَذِهِ مَسْأَلَةٌ مَعْقِدَةٌ
This is a complex issue.
الْحُرِّيَّةُ هِيَ الْهَدَفُ الْأَسْمَى
Freedom is the highest goal.
الْإِنْسَانِيَّةُ تَتَطَلَّبُ التَّعَاوُنَ
Humanity requires cooperation.
تِلْكَ كَانَتْ خُطْوَةً جَرِيئَةً
That was a bold step.
الْخَلِيفَةُ كَانَ رَجُلًا حَكِيمًا
The Caliph was a wise man.
هَذِهِ ظَاهِرَةٌ لُغَوِيَّةٌ نَادِرَةٌ
This is a rare linguistic phenomenon.
الْأَهَمِّيَّةُ تَكْمُنُ فِي التَّفَاصِيلِ
The importance lies in the details.
Easily Confused
Learners mix up ة and ت because they both sound like 't' in some contexts.
Learners think only women are feminine.
Learners try to make non-human plurals masculine.
Common Mistakes
مُعَلِّم جَمِيلَة
مُعَلِّمَة جَمِيلَة
هَذَا سَيَّارَة
هَذِهِ سَيَّارَة
طَالِبَة كَبِير
طَالِبَة كَبِيرَة
مَدْرَسَة جَدِيد
مَدْرَسَة جَدِيدَة
قِطَّة صَغِير
قِطَّة صَغِيرَة
مُدِيرَة ذَكِي
مُدِيرَة ذَكِيَّة
هَذَا مَدِينَة
هَذِهِ مَدِينَة
تَمْرَة كَثِير
تَمْرَة كَثِيرَة
شَجَرَة طَوِيل
شَجَرَة طَوِيلَة
الْحُكُومَة جَدِيد
الْحُكُومَة جَدِيدَة
ظَاهِرَة نَادِر
ظَاهِرَة نَادِرَة
مَسْأَلَة مَعْقِد
مَسْأَلَة مَعْقِدَة
خُطْوَة جَرِيء
خُطْوَة جَرِيئَة
Sentence Patterns
هَذِهِ ___ (noun with ة).
ال___ (noun with ة) ___ (adjective with ة).
هَذِهِ ___ (noun) هِيَ ___ (adjective).
تِلْكَ ___ (noun) كَانَت ___ (adjective).
Real World Usage
#مَدِينَة_الرِّيَاض
أَيْنَ السَّيَّارَة؟
مَا هِيَ خِبْرَتُكِ؟
أَيْنَ الْمَحَطَّة؟
طَلَبْتُ قَهْوَةً
هَذِهِ ظَاهِرَةٌ لُغَوِيَّةٌ
Check the end
Don't forget adjectives
Listen for the 't'
Dialect variations
Smart Tips
Always check the noun ending first.
Pause at the end of the word to make it easier.
Look for the dots.
Learn the noun with its gender.
Pronunciation
Pause (Waqf)
When you stop at the word, ة sounds like a soft 'h'.
Connection (Wasl)
When you continue, ة sounds like 't'.
Statement
الْمَدْرَسَةُ كَبِيرَةٌ ↘
Falling intonation for facts.
Question
هَلِ الْمَدْرَسَةُ كَبِيرَةٌ؟ ↗
Rising intonation for questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
The Taa Marbuta is a 'tied' circle; think of a lady wearing a round hat.
Visual Association
Imagine a circle with two dots as a pair of glasses on a female teacher's face.
Rhyme
Add the circle, add the dot, feminine is what you've got!
Story
A teacher named Sarah (سَارَة) walks to her school (مَدْرَسَة). She drives her car (سَيَّارَة) to the office (مَكْتَبَة). Everything she touches ends in ة.
Word Web
Challenge
Look around your room and find 3 items. If they are feminine, add ة in your head!
Cultural Notes
In spoken Levantine, the ة often sounds like 'eh' at the end of words.
Egyptian dialect often uses 'a' instead of 'ah' for ة.
Gulf dialects maintain a clearer 'h' sound in formal speech.
The Taa Marbuta evolved from the feminine suffix '-at' in Proto-Semitic.
Conversation Starters
هَلْ هَذِهِ مَدْرَسَةٌ؟
مَا هِيَ وَظِيفَتُكِ؟
كَيْفَ هِيَ الْمَدِينَةُ؟
مَا رَأْيُكِ فِي هَذِهِ الْمَسْأَلَةِ؟
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
مُعَلِّم -> ?
هَذِهِ سَيَّارَة ___ (new).
Find and fix the mistake:
الْمَدْرَسَة كَبِير.
الطَّالِب ذَكِي.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
سَيَّارَة
هَذِهِ مَدِينَة ___ (beautiful).
Find and fix the mistake:
الْوَظِيفَة مُتْعِب.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesمُعَلِّم -> ?
هَذِهِ سَيَّارَة ___ (new).
Find and fix the mistake:
الْمَدْرَسَة كَبِير.
الطَّالِب ذَكِي.
مُدِير -> ?
سَيَّارَة
هَذِهِ مَدِينَة ___ (beautiful).
Find and fix the mistake:
الْوَظِيفَة مُتْعِب.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesHadhihi ___ jamila. (This is a beautiful ___).
Match the pairs:
Which word correctly uses Taa Marbuta for 'Library'?
Al-luga al-arabiyya sa'b. (The Arabic language is difficult).
jadida / sayyara / Hiya / tamlik
A small cat.
Which of these words is Masculine?
Madina___ al-Doha (The city OF Doha).
Anta taliba dhakiya. (You [m] are a smart student [f]).
Is the name 'Hamza' (حمزة) grammatically feminine?
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
Almost all. There are very rare exceptions like 'Khalifa' (Caliph), which is masculine.
Pause: 'h'. Connect: 't'.
Only if the noun is feminine.
Non-human plurals are treated as feminine singular.
It is a form of the letter Taa.
Regional accents affect how the ة is pronounced.
No, it is strictly for feminine.
On most keyboards, it's the 'h' key.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Gendered nouns (o/a)
Arabic ة is a specific suffix, while Spanish -a is often part of the root.
Gendered nouns (le/la)
Arabic gender is marked on the noun itself.
Three genders (der/die/das)
Arabic is strictly binary (masculine/feminine).
No gender
Arabic requires gender agreement for every noun.
Taa Marbuta
None.
No gender
Arabic requires gender agreement.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Continue With
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