The second way to say “of” uses a little word between the nouns: the genitival adjective n. It builds on The Direct Genitive and on the plural endings of The Plural.
Key idea
| First noun | Genitive word | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| masculine singular | n | zꜣ n ḥqꜣ | the son of the ruler |
| feminine singular | nt | zꜣt nt ḥqꜣ | the daughter of the ruler |
| plural | nw | zꜣw nw ḥqꜣ | the sons of the ruler |
In hieroglyphs n is the water sign 𓈖, nt adds the loaf 𓏏, and nw is often the pot 𓏌 (which writes nw) or the water with a w. The word behaves like an adjective of the first noun, which is why it agrees with it: literally “the son, the one of the ruler”.
Direct or indirect?
Both mean “of”. The direct genitive is usual for close, fixed pairs (titles, set phrases). The indirect genitive is used for looser relations, when an adjective or other word must come between, and very often in ordinary prose. You will read pr nsw and pr n nsw both, with the same meaning.
Why it works
Common mistake
The genitival adjective is also how Egyptian builds many descriptive phrases. ḥqꜣ n kmt is “the ruler of Egypt” (kmt, “the Black Land”, Egypt’s own name for itself); jmj-rꜣ pr n nsw could describe a steward of the king. When you translate, “of” is nearly always right; sometimes English prefers an adjective or a possessive instead.
Worked example: Translate
- pr: house (masculine).
- n: of (masculine, agreeing with pr).
- nsw: the king.
Answer: “the house of the king”
Worked example: Fill the gap
- The first noun, njwt, is feminine singular.
Answer: nt
Worked example: Fill the gap
- The first noun, sšw, is plural.
Answer: nw