Modern Hindi Grammar - Indian Institute of Language Studies (IILS)

3. MORPHOLOGY

In the above examples, the final -Aa /-a:/ in the masculine nouns is
replaced by - [- /-i:/ in their feminine forms.

(ii) Most of the - [- /-i:/ ending animate masculine nouns have their
feminine forms ending in -Ana /-an/.

Masculine Feminine
QaaobaI dhobi: washerman Qaaobana dhoban washerwoman
tolaI teli: oilman tolana telan oilwoman
maalaI ma:li: gardener (m) maalana ma:lan gardener (f)

jaaogaI (^) jogi: saint (m) jaaogana jogan saint (f)
(iii) Some nouns ending in - Aa /-a:/ form their feminine (diminutive)
by
replacing -Aa /-a:/ with - [yaa /-iya:/.
Dbaa daba: box iDibayaa dibiya: a small box
(iv) Most of the -Aa /-a:/ ending inanimate nouns are masculine and -
[- /-i:/ ending inanimate nouns are feminine.
Masculine Feminine
pMKa pankha: fan pMKI pankhi: a small fan
saaoTa sota: a big stick saaoTI soti: a small stick
kTaora katora: a bowl kTaorI katori: a small bowl
kaoza (^) kotha: a room kaozrI kothri: a small room
In the above examples, the final -Aa /a:/ in the masculine forms is
replaced by the suffix -[- /i:/.
(v) The suffix -naI /-ni:/ is added to the masculine nouns to form the
feminine.
Masculine Feminine
Saor šer lion SaornaI šerni: lioness
maaor mor peacock maaornaI morni: peahen
maasTr (^) ma:star teacher (m) maasTrnaI ma:starni: teacher (f)
}ÐT ũ:t camel }ÐTnaI ũ:tni: she-camel
naaOkr (^) nøkar servant (m) naaOkranaI nøkra:ni: servant (f)