Noun-adjective phrase explained

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What is a phrase? A phrase is a part of a sentence that can never, ever, stand alone. Remember: "A phrase is part of a sentence." This module deals with noun-adjective phrases. A noun-adjective phrase consists of a noun plus an adjective.   Noun-adjective phrase = Noun + Adjective Understand noun-adjective phrases to transform the phrases, later, into sentences.   Review: Nouns, in Arabic, are either masculine or feminine. Not both. Masc. noun "the class": اِلْفَصْلْ Fem. noun "suit":  بَدْلـَةْ Adjectives, however, can be masculine OR/ feminine depending on the noun they modify.   If the noun is masculine the adjective is masculine. If the noun is feminine the adjective is feminine.     Think of adjectives as bipolar. Adjectives take-on the SAME gender as nouns. Adjectives are sheep. For example: badla gidiida = new suit. badla = noun gidiida = adjective Because noun “badla" is feminine than the adjective is also feminine. Adjectives copy the gender of the noun. Adjectives are "on-call" depending on the noun they modify. Sum-up: If the noun is masculine the adjective is masculine. If the noun is feminine the adjective is feminine. This is the noun-adjective agreement.   Also, if the noun is definite then the adjective also must be definite. And, if a noun is singular or plural then the adjective also must be singular or plural.     Gender agreement in a noun-adjective phrase:   Example of gender agreement بَدْلـَةٌ جَديدَةٌ بَدْلـَةْ جِديدَةْ   1  badla gidiida (phrase)  a new suit

Be careful. You asked and we answered.       1- Adjectives follow their nouns in word order like sheep.   Noun  Adjective  Noun-Adjective Phrase       2- Adjectives copy the gender of the noun. Masculine nouns take masculine adjectives. Feminine nouns take feminine adjectives.     Example of gender agreement   بِنْتٌ كَبيرَةٌ بِنْتْ كِبيرَةْ  2  bint kibiira a big girl Both noun & adjective are feminine     وَلَدٌ كَبيرٌ وَلَدْ كِبيرْ  3  walad kibiir a big boy Both noun & adjective are masculine   3- Adjectives agree with nouns in definiteness. Definite nouns take definite adjectives. Indefinite nouns take indefinite adjectives.     Example of definiteness   بِنْتٌ كَبيرَةٌ بِنْتْ كِبيرَة  4  bint kibiira   a big girl Both noun & adjective are indefinite     اَلْبِنْتُ الْكَبيرَةُ اِلْـبِنْتْ الـكِّبيرَةْ  5  il bint il kibiira the big girl Both noun & adjective are definite   4- Adjectives agree with nouns in count. Singular nouns take singular adjectives. Plural nouns take plural adjectives.   Example of count   بِنْتٌ كَبيرَةٌ بِنْتْ كِبيرَةْ  6  bint kibiira a big girl Both noun & adjective are singular     بَناتٌ كَبيراتٌ بَناتْ كُبارْ 7  banaat kubaar   the big girls Both noun & adjective are plural 5- Skip (not really necessary) Here is a mind twister: Inanimate objects or abstract ideas of plural nouns take feminine singular adjectives - with few exceptions.   Example of inanimate plural nouns   فَنادِقٌ كَبيرَةٌ لوكنْدَاتْ كِبيرَة  8  lokandaat kibiira   big hotels Keep going! You're almost there.

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