 | Chapter 06 - Type 1 Nouns |
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Reminder:
The singular indefinite noun is the basic form of the noun in Somali. No article equivalent to "a" or "an" in English, is used before the noun.
Thus bisad will translate as "cat" or "a cat"; naag will translate as "woman" or "a woman," etc.
Although there are 2 genders, the form of the indefinite noun does not distinguish between masculine and feminine. The different suffixes added to the noun will reveal the grammatical gender.
In this chapter, we're going to study in detail the formation of Type 1 nouns in the plural, and in the singular and plural definite forms.
Indefinite Type 1 Nouns - Singular and Pural
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 |
 |
 |
| Type 1 Nouns | in singular | in plural |
|---|---|---|
| Gender |
Mostly feminine nouns | Always masculine nouns |
| Form of the noun | Most nouns end in a consonant. No nouns ending in -o |
-o is added at the end of the noun |
Tone |
The singular (absolute) has a high tone on the last syllable. |
|
| Type 1 Definite Nouns - Examples | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Singular (fem.) | Translation | Plural (masc.) | Translation |
| bisad | a cat | bisado | cats |
| naag | a woman | naago | women |
| shimbir | a bird | shimbiro | birds |
| saacad | an hour, a watch | saacado | hours, watches |
| hees | a song | heeso | songs |
| su'aal | a question | su'aalo | questions |
| bil | a month | bilo | months |
| warqad | a letter | warqado | letters |
| dayuurad | a plane | dayuurado | planes |
| il | an eye | indho | eyes |
| jidh (masc.) ! | a body | jidho | bodies |
Note : Nouns ending in -i in singular take -yo in plural :
| Singular (fem.) | Translation | Plural (masc.) | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| guri (masc.) ! | a house | guriyo | houses |
| mindi | a knife | mindiyo | knives |
Type 1 Nouns - Formation of the singular definite noun
In Somali, the English articles "the" is marked by suffixes added to the end of the indefinite noun.
This suffix begins with -k- for masculine nouns and -t- for feminine nouns.
The vowel following -k- and -t- changes depending on whether the noun is absolute or subject of a verb: -ka, -ta = absolute; -ku, -tu = subject.
| Noun absolute | Noun subject | |
|---|---|---|
| Masculin suffix | -ka | -ku |
| Example with jidh = body | jidh-ka -> Jidhka = the body | jidh-ku -> Jidhku = the body |
| Feminine suffix | -ta | -tu |
| Example withnaag = woman | naag-ta-> naagta = the woman | naag-tu-> naagtu = the woman |
Phonetic Changes:
- the -t- changes to -d- after a noun ending in: q, kh, c, x, h, ', d.
- the -t- also changes to -d- after the semi-consonants: w, y, and all vowels.
- the -t- changes to sh- after a noun ending in l. This same consonant l disappears!
| Definite Type 1 Nouns - Examples | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Indefinite (fem.) | Definite absolute | Definite subject | Translation |
| bisad | bisada | bisadu | the cat |
| naag | naagta | naagtu | the woman |
| shimbir | shimbirta | shimbirtu | the bird |
| saacad | saacada | saacadu | the hour, the watch |
| hees | heesta | heestu | the song |
| su'aal | su'aasha | su'aashu | the question |
| bil | bisha | bishu | the month |
| warqad | warqada | warqadu | the letter, the paper |
| dayuurad | dayuurada | dayuuradu | the plane |
| il | isha | ishu | the eye |
| guri (masc.) ! | guriga | gurigu | la maison |
| mindi | mindida | mindidu | le couteau |
| jidh (masc.) ! | jidhka | jidhku | the body |
Type 1 Nouns - Formation of the plural definite noun
Type 1 definite nouns form their plural by adding the suffixes -aha and -uhu to the indefinite noun.
| Plural of Type 1 Definite Nouns - Examples | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Indefinite pl. (masc.) | Definite pl. absolute | Definite pl. subject | Translation |
| bisado | bisad/aha | bisad/uhu | the cats |
| naago | naag/aha | naag/uhu | the women |
| shimbiro | shimbir/aha | shimbir/uhu | the birds |
| saacado | saacad/aha | saacad/uhu | the hours, the watches |
| heeso | hees/aha | hees/uhu | the songs |
| su'aalo | su'aal/aha | su'aal/uhu | the questions |
| bilo | bil/aha | bil/uhu | the months |
| warqado | warqad/aha | warqad/uhu | the letters, the papers |
| dayuurado | dayuurad/aha | dayuurad/uhu | the planes |
| indho | indh/aha | indh/ahu | the eyes |
| guriyo | guriy/aha | guriy/uhu | la maison |
| mindiyo | mindiy/aha | mindi/uhu | les couteaux |
| jidho | jidh/adka | jidh/adku | the bodies |
Type 1 Nouns that exist only in the plural
Bíyo = water(s) ; is always plural and has no singular form! It's definite form is biyaha or biyuhu.
Caano = milk ; is always plural and has no singular form! It's definite form is caanaha or caanuhu.
Some additional Type 1 Nouns :
- Beer (beero, beerta, beeraha) = farm, garden
- Daar (daaro, daarta, daaraha) = stone built house
- Dhakhtarad (dhakhtarado, dhakhtarada, dhakhtaradaha) = female doctor
- Gacan (gacmo, gacanta, gacmaha) = hand
- Galab (galbo, galabta, galbaha) = afternoon
- Geed (masc.) (geedo, geedka, geedaha) = tree
- Kab (kabo, kabta, kabaha) = shoe, sandal
- Mici (miciyo, miciyada, miciyaha) = canine
- Muraayad (muraayado, muraayada, muraayadaha) = glass, mirror, spectacles
- Qayb (qaybo, qaybta, qaybaha) = a part
- Qolof (qolfo, qolofta, qolfaha) = bark
- Saaxibad (saaxibado, saaxibada, saaxibadaha) = a female friend
- Sabab (sababo, sababta, sababaha) = reason
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