Grammatical Gender in Hindi

Overview

Grammatical Gender (लिंग) is an essential topic in Hindi grammar that you will encounter early in your studies. Hindi has two genders: masculine (पुल्लिंग) and feminine (स्त्रीलिंग). Gender affects verb agreement, adjective forms, and postpositions. Must be memorized with each noun.

Understanding grammatical gender is one of the first steps toward communicating effectively in Hindi. As a beginner concept, it provides the foundation for many other grammatical structures you will learn later.

Once you are comfortable with grammatical gender, you will be well prepared to explore related topics such as Number (Singular/Plural), Basic Adjective Agreement, Possessive Postposition.

How It Works

Key Rules

• Hindi has two genders: masculine (पुल्लिंग) and feminine (स्त्रीलिंग).
• Gender affects verb agreement, adjective forms, and postpositions.
• Must be memorized with each noun.

Forms and Patterns

Hindi	English/Explanation
लड़का (boy) - masculine	Most -ा ending nouns are masculine
लड़की (girl) - feminine	Most -ी ending nouns are feminine
किताब (book) - feminine	Gender must be learned (not always predictable)

Examples in Context

Hindi	English	Note
लड़का (boy)	Masculine	Typical -ा ending masculine noun
लड़की (girl)	Feminine	Typical -ी ending feminine noun
किताब (book)	Feminine	No predictable ending; must memorize
पानी (water)	Masculine	Despite -ी ending, masculine
मेज़ (table)	Feminine	Common household noun
कमरा (room)	Masculine	-ा ending masculine
खिड़की (window)	Feminine	-ी ending feminine
दूध (milk)	Masculine	Must be memorized
चाय (tea)	Feminine	Must be memorized
फूल (flower)	Masculine	No ending clue

Common Mistakes

Assuming gender from meaning

• Wrong: Thinking पानी (water) is feminine because it ends in -ी
• Right: पानी is masculine despite the -ी ending
• Why: Endings are helpful guides but not absolute rules; always learn gender with the noun

Using wrong adjective agreement

• Wrong: अच्छा लड़की instead of अच्छी लड़की
• Right: Adjectives ending in -ा must change to -ी for feminine nouns
• Why: Always match the adjective to the noun's gender

Forgetting verb agreement

• Wrong: लड़की गया instead of लड़की गई
• Right: Verbs also agree with gender in Hindi
• Why: Past tense and continuous forms show gender agreement

Practice Tips

1. Practice grammatical gender by writing simple sentences every day. Start with patterns you know well and gradually add new vocabulary.
2. Use flashcards to memorize key forms and patterns. Test yourself regularly, and review any items you find difficult.
3. Listen to simple Hindi dialogues or children's content and try to identify examples of grammatical gender in use.

Related Concepts

• Number (Singular/Plural) -- builds on this concept
• Basic Adjective Agreement -- builds on this concept
• Possessive Postposition -- builds on this concept