- Adjective ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ਣ -

Adjective gender ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ਣ ਲਿੰਗ

The ending of most adjectives changes to match the gender of the word they describe, but there are some adjectives that don’t change at all

Most adjectives ending in ā, ē, ī, ਈਆਂ īā(n) change their ending to match the gender of the word they describe This table describes the ending of each adjective depending on the gender and number of the word they describe.

Masculine

Feminine

Singular

ā

ī

Plural

ē

ਈਆਂ īā(n)

ਉਹ ਲੰਬਾ ਮੁੰਡਾ ਇੱਥੇ ਹੀ ਕੰਮ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ?
uh lambbā munḍḍā itthē hī kamm karadā hae?
Does that tall boy just work here?

ਲੰਬਾ lambbā (tall) is used with an ā ending because it describes ਮੁੰਡਾ munḍḍā (boy) which is masculine

ਉਹ ਲੰਬੀ ਕੁੜੀ ਇੱਥੇ ਹੀ ਕੰਮ ਕਰਦੀ ਹੈ?
uh lambbī kuṛī itthē hī kamm karadī hae?
Does that tall girl just work here?

ਲੰਬੀ lambbī (tall) is used with an ī ending because it describes ਕੁੜੀ kuṛī (girl) which is feminine

ਇੱਥੋਂ ਇੱਕ ਭੂਰਾ ਕੁੱਤਾ ਰੋਜ ਲੰਘਦਾ ਹੈ
ittho(n) ikk bhūrā kuttā roj langghadā hae
A brown dog crosses from here everyday

ਭੂਰਾ bhūrā (brown) is used with an ā ending because it describes ਕੁੱਤਾ kuttā (dog) which is masculine

ਇੱਥੋਂ ਇੱਕ ਭੂਰੀ ਬਿੱਲੀ ਰੋਜ ਲੰਘਦੀ ਹੈ
ittho(n) ikk bhūrī billī roj langghadī hae
A brown cat crosses from here everyday

ਭੂਰੀ bhūrī (brown) is used with an ī ending because it describes ਬਿੱਲੀ billī (cat) which is feminine

Adjectives NOT ending in ā, ē, ī, ਈਆਂ īā(n) do NOT change their ending to match the gender of the word they describe

        
ਇਹ ਮੁੰਡਾ ਦਿਮਾਗੀ ਤੌਰ ‘ਤੇ ਬਹੁਤ ਤੇਜ ਹੈ
ih munḍḍā dimāgī taur ‘tē bahut tēj hae
This boy is very sharp (lit. this boy is mentally very fast)
ਇਹ ਕੁੜੀ ਦਿਮਾਗੀ ਤੌਰ ‘ਤੇ ਬਹੁਤ ਤੇਜ ਹੈ
ih kuṛī dimāgī taur ‘tē bahut tēj hae
This girl is very sharp (lit. this girl is mentally very fast)

The word ਤੇਜ tēj (fast) is used for both ਮੁੰਡਾ munḍḍā (boy) and ਕੁੜੀ kuṛī (girl) since it does not end in ā, ē, ī, ਈਆਂ īā(n)

While most adjectives follow the above rule, some adjectives ending in ā, ē, ī, ਈਆਂ īā(n) do NOT change regardless of the gender of the word they describe

ਇਹ ਮੁੰਡਾ ਮਿਹਨਤੀ ਹੈ
ih munḍḍā mihanatī hae
This boy is hard working
ਇਹ ਕੁੜੀ ਮਿਹਨਤੀ ਹੈ
ih kuṛī mihanatī hae
This girl is hard working

ਮਿਹਨਤੀ mihanatī (hard working) is used for both ਮੁੰਡਾ munḍḍā (boy) and ਕੁੜੀ kuṛī (girl) even though it ends in ī