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

3. MORPHOLOGY

(vi) The suffix -[- /-i:/ is added to the masculine nouns to form the
feminine.

Masculine Feminine
dasa da:s servant dasaI da:si: maid
pu~ putr son pu~I putri: daughter
sauMdr sundar beautiful sauMdrI sundri: beautiful woman

3.1.1.2. Number

There are two numbers: singular and plural.

(i) The -Aa /-a:/ ending masculine nouns (including pronouns and
adjectives), with a few exceptions change into -e /-e/ ending forms
in the plural.

Singular Plural
laD,ka larka: boy laD,ko larke boys
GaaoD,a gho:ra: horse GaaoD,o ghore horses
maora mera: my maoro mere my
kalaa ka:la: black kalao ka:le black

The following -Aa /-a:/ ending masculine nouns do not change in
their plural form.

ipta pita: father/fathers

naota (^) neta: leader/leaders
diryaa (^) dariya: river/rivers
(ii) All other consonant and/or other vowel-ending nouns do not
change in their plural forms.
maaor mor peacock(s)
kaoT kot coat(s)
ga`ama gra:m village(s)
haqaI ha:thi: elephant(s)
Émaala ruma:l handkerchief/handkerchiefs
QaaoobaI dhobi: laundry man/ laundry men