| Chapter 7 - Type 2 Nouns |
Reminder:
The singular indefinite noun is the basic form of the noun. No equivalent to the English article "a" or "an" is used before the noun in singular.
For example baabuur will translate as "vehicle" or "a vehicle"; inan will translate as "boy" or "a boy," etc.
The form of the indefinite noun does not distinguish between masculine and feminine. It will be the different suffixes added to the noun that will distinguish the grammatical gender.
In this chapter, we are studying in detail the formation of Type 2 nouns in the plural, and in the definite form singular and plural.
Type 2 Indefinite Nouns - Singular and Plural
Type 2 Nouns |
in singular |
in plural |
Gender |
Mostly masculine nouns |
Always feminine nouns |
Form of the noun |
Often more than one syllable. No nouns ending in -e |
-o is added at the end of the noun with phonetic changes |
Tone |
The singular ends in the HL order on the last 2 moras.
The last 2 moras can be 1 or 2 syllables; the rest of the singular is L. (H = high tone; L = low tone) |
Phonetic Changes:
-
Nouns ending in -i in the singular take -yo in the plural :
Example : tagsi = a taxi ; tagsiyo = taxis
-
Nouns ending in q, kh, c, x, h, ', j or s in the singular take -yo in the plural :
Example : dariiq = a road ; darriqyo = roads
-
Nouns ending in b, d, dh, r, l or n double their final consonant before -o in the plural :
Example : albaab = a door ; albaabbo = doors
-
Nouns ending in n often change their -n to -m which doubles in the plural (gemination of the final consonant):
Example : inan = a boy ; inammo = boys
Plural of Type 2 Indefinite Nouns - Examples |
Singular (fem.) |
Translation |
Plural (masc.) |
Translation |
kursi |
a chair |
kursiyo |
chairs |
laabis |
a cloth |
laabisyo |
clothes |
barnaamij |
a program |
barnaamijyo |
programs |
sac |
a cow |
saco, sacyo |
cows |
madax |
a head |
madaxyo |
heads |
baabuur |
a vehicule |
baabbuurro |
vehicules |
gidaar |
a wall |
gidaarro |
walls |
albaab |
a door |
albaabbo |
doors |
dukaan |
a shop |
dukaammo |
shops |
inan |
a boy |
inammo |
boys |
joornal |
a newspaper |
joornarro / joornallo |
newspapers |
Type 2 Nouns - Formation of the Singular Definite Noun
In Somali, the English article "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 the subject of a verb: -ka, -ta = absolute, -ku, -tu = subject.
Phonetic Changes:
-
The k of the suffix disappears after the sounds q, kh, c, x, h, ' :
Examples: madax = a head ; madax + -ka -> madaxa = the head
sac = a cow ; sac + -ka -> saxa = the cow.
-
The k of the suffix becomes g after a vowel:
Example : kursi = a chair ; kursi = -ka -> kursiga = the chair
|
Noun absolute |
Noun subject |
Masculin suffix |
-ka |
-ku |
Example with inan = boy |
inan-ka -> inanka = the boy |
inan-ku -> inanku = the boy |
Singular of Type 2 Definite Nouns - Examples |
Indefinite (masc.) |
Defini absolute |
Definite subject |
Translation |
kursi |
kursiga |
kursigu |
the chair |
laabis |
laabiska |
laabisku |
the cloth |
barnamiij |
barnamiijka |
barnamiijku |
the program |
sac |
saca |
sacu |
the cow |
madax |
madaxa |
madaxu |
the head |
baabuur |
baabuurka |
baabuurku |
the vehicule, the lorry |
gidaar |
gidaarka |
gidaarku |
the wall |
albaab |
albaabka |
albaabku |
the door |
dukaan |
dukaanka |
dukaanku |
the shop |
inan |
inanka |
inanku |
the boy |
joornal |
joornalka |
joornalku |
the newspaper |
Type 2 Nouns - Formation of the plural definite noun
Type 2 definite nouns form their plural by adding the suffixes -ada and -adu to the plural indefinite noun, after removing the final -o.
Type 2 Nouns Plural Definite - Examples |
Indefinite pl. (fem.) |
Definite pl. absolute |
Definite pl. subject |
Translation |
kursiyo |
kursiyada |
kursiyadu |
the chairs |
laabisyo |
laabisyada |
laabisyadu |
the clothes |
barnamiijyo |
barnamiijyada |
barnamiijyadu |
the programs |
saco / sacyo |
sacaha / sacyaha |
sacahu / sacyahu |
the cows |
madaxyo |
madaxyada |
madaxyadu |
the heads |
baabuurro |
baabuurrada |
baabuurrahdu |
the vehicules, the lorries |
gidaarro |
gidaarrada |
gidaarradu |
the walls |
albaabbo |
albaabbada |
albaabbadu |
the doors |
dukaammo |
dukaammada |
dukaammadu |
the shops |
inammo |
inammada |
inammadu |
the boys |
joornarro |
joornarrada |
joornarradu |
the newspapers |
Some additional Type 2 Nouns:
- Abti (abtiyo, abtiga, abtiyada) = maternal uncle
- Bangi (bangiyo, bangida, bangiyada) = bank
- Cashar (casharro, casharka, casharrada) = lesson
- Durmaan (durmaano, durmaanka, durmaanada) = drum, tom-tom
- Laybreeri (laybreeriyo, laybreeriga, laybreeriyada) = library
- Muftax (muftaxyo, muftaxha, muftaxyada) = key
- Nacas (nacasyo, nacaska, nacasyada) = fool, idiot
- Roog (roogyo, rooga, roogyada) = rug, carpet
- Safar (safarro, safarka, safarrada) = travel
- Sombob (sombobbo, sombobka, sombobbada) = lung
- Sannad (sannaddo, sannadka, sannaddada) = year
- Suuq (suuqyo, suuqya, suuqyada) = market
- Timir (timirro, timirta, timirraha) = date (the fruit !)
- Waddan (waddammo, waddanka, waddammada) = country
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