Demonstratives Vocabulary
Kan · Tan · Kuwan · Kuwaas — with gender & definite forms
📌 Quick Rule Reminder
Kan / Kaas this / that — masculine singular
Tan / Taas this / that — feminine singular
Kuwan these — plural (near)
Kuwaas those — plural (far)
💬 In casual spoken Somali, kan is often used informally regardless of gender — but written and formal Somali always distinguishes Kan (m) from Tan (f).
Masculine Nouns (Lab — 🟦)
These nouns take the demonstrative Kan (this) or Kaas (that). Toggle each card to switch between this and that.
Feminine Nouns (Dheddig — 🟪)
These nouns take the demonstrative Tan (this) or Taas (that). Notice the -ta, -da, or -sha suffix on the definite form.
Plural Forms
Plural nouns use Kuwan (these – near) or Kuwaas (those – far). Toggle each card to practice both.
⚡ Practice: Tan or Kan?
Test yourself — pick the correct demonstrative for each sentence.