Gender Exceptions — Common Traps
Quick Answer: Many common nouns break the ending-based gender rule. Notable exceptions: पानी (water, -ई but masc.), मेज़ (table, no -ई but fem.), दही (yogurt, -ई but masc.), हवा (air, -आ but fem.).
Nouns that break the -आ/-ई gender rule
Category: Gender System
The Rule
Many common nouns break the ending-based gender rule. Notable exceptions: पानी (water, -ई but masc.), मेज़ (table, no -ई but fem.), दही (yogurt, -ई but masc.), हवा (air, -आ but fem.).
Why This Matters
The -आ = masculine / -ई = feminine rule works ~70% of the time. The remaining 30% must be memorized. English speakers who rely solely on the rule will make errors on very common everyday words.
Examples
• The water is hot. — "पानी गर्म है। (not गर्मी)" [पानी ends in -ई but is MASCULINE] • The air is cold. — "हवा ठंडी है।" [हवा ends in -आ but is FEMININE] • The table is new. — "मेज़ नई है।" [मेज़ is FEMININE (नई, not नया)] • Give me yogurt. — "मुझे दही दो। (दही is masculine)" [दही ends in -ई but is MASCULINE]
Common Mistakes
❌ पानी ठंडी है ✅ पानी ठंडा है → पानी is masculine despite -ई ending. Use ठंडा (masc. adjective) ❌ हवा गर्मा है ✅ हवा गर्म है / हवा गर्मी है → हवा is feminine; गर्म is invariable so no change needed, or use गर्मी (noun)
Quick Tip
Memorize the common exceptions as a group: पानी, दही, घी, मोती, हाथी — all end in -ई but are MASCULINE. मेज़, किताब, रात, दाल — no -ई ending but FEMININE.
Memorize the common exceptions as a group: पानी, दही, घी, मोती, हाथी — all end in -ई but are MASCULINE. मेज़, किताब, रात, दाल — no -ई ending but FEMININE.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: पानी ठंडी है → Correct: पानी ठंडा है. पानी is masculine despite -ई ending. Use ठंडा (masc. adjective)
Incorrect: हवा गर्मा है → Correct: हवा गर्म है / हवा गर्मी है. हवा is feminine; गर्म is invariable so no change needed, or use गर्मी (noun)
Quiz
Which of these -ई ending nouns is MASCULINE?