Hindi grammar · Beginner · Lesson 4
Hindi Noun Gender and Plurals: Ladka, Ladki and Kitaab
Learn Hindi masculine and feminine nouns, common direct plural forms, and why word endings are useful clues rather than rules.
Updated October 10, 2026 · Free lesson and exercises
Learn gender with the noun
Hindi nouns are masculine or feminine. The gender affects many adjectives and participles around the noun. पानी is masculine and किताब is feminine; their meaning as an object or substance does not reveal their grammatical gender.
Recognize common direct plurals
Many masculine nouns ending in -ा change to -े in the direct plural: लड़का → लड़के. Feminine nouns ending in -ी commonly form plurals in -ियाँ: लड़की → लड़कियाँ. Other feminine nouns often add -ें, as किताब → किताबें. Some nouns do not follow these patterns, so learn frequent exceptions.
Separate plural from the oblique case
A direct plural is the form used before case marking changes it. Postpositions can require an oblique form: लड़कों से, with/from the boys. Learn the direct plural first, then study the oblique pattern rather than using the same plural in every setting.
Common direct noun forms
| Singular | Direct plural | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| लड़का (ladka) | लड़के (ladke) | masculine |
| लड़की (ladki) | लड़कियाँ (ladkiyaan) | feminine |
| किताब (kitaab) | किताबें (kitaabein) | feminine |
| कमरा (kamra) | कमरे (kamre) | masculine |
| घर (ghar) | घर (ghar) | masculine |
पिता (pita), father, is an important masculine -ा exception: the ordinary direct plural does not follow लड़का mechanically.
See the pattern in a sentence
यह किताब अच्छी है।yah kitaab achhi hai.
This book is good.
अच्छी agrees with feminine किताब.
दो लड़के यहाँ हैं।do ladke yahaan hain.
Two boys are here.
लड़के is the direct plural.
लड़कियाँ स्कूल जाती हैं।ladkiyaan school jaati hain.
The girls go to school.
The plural subject takes जाती हैं.
Common mistakes to notice
To fix: यह किताब अच्छा है।
Use: यह किताब अच्छी है।
किताब is feminine, so the adjective becomes अच्छी.
To fix: दो लड़की
Use: दो लड़कियाँ
Use the feminine direct plural after two in this noun phrase.
Try it yourself
Say or write an answer before opening the explanation.
1. Make लड़का plural in the direct case.
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लड़के।ladke.
Common masculine -ा nouns change to -े.
2. Make किताब plural in the direct case.
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किताबें।kitaabein.
This feminine noun adds -ें.
3. Choose अच्छा or अच्छी with किताब.
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अच्छी किताब।achhi kitaab.
The adjective agrees with a feminine noun.
Use it in a conversation
Name two things around you and learn their gender. Describe each with achha or achhi, then say how many you can see.
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Practice Hindi out loudFAQ
Questions about this pattern
Can I always predict Hindi gender from the ending?
No. Endings give useful clues, but there are exceptions. Learn a noun in a short phrase that shows its agreement.
Does every Hindi plural add a new ending?
No. Some direct plurals stay unchanged, such as घर (ghar). Other words in the sentence may still show plural agreement.
Is kitaab masculine or feminine?
किताब (kitaab) is feminine. Use अच्छी किताब, achhi kitaab, for a good book.
Keep building your sentences
Words to practice with
References and corrections
Original explanations and practice examples for beginners. References help check the grammar; this page covers the patterns shown rather than every exception.