Gender exceptions and human reference
Form predicts much, but agreement can follow lexical class or the person being described.
- па́па, дя́дя, мужчи́на, ю́ноша are masculine although they decline like nouns in -а/-я.
- Common-gender nouns such as у́мница, сирота́, and колле́га can take masculine or feminine agreement according to the referent.
- Profession nouns may be grammatically masculine while referring to a woman: но́вый врач пришла́. Usage and register affect the agreement pattern.
- Indeclinable personal nouns take gender from meaning: э́тот конферансье́; э́та мада́м.
| Noun | Referent | Possible frame |
|---|---|---|
| у́мница | male | Он тако́й у́мница. |
| у́мница | female | Она́ така́я у́мница. |
| врач | female | Врач пришла́. |
Mini-check
1. Why is мужчи́на masculine? 2. Can the form у́мница alone tell you the referent's sex?
Apply this next
- Retrieve the rule without looking, then continue to the next lesson.