Questions & Answers about الأرض حارة تحت الشمس.
Why does the word الأرض (the ground) take the feminine adjective حارة (hot) when it doesn't end in a feminine marker?
In Arabic, some nouns are feminine by nature even though they do not end in a taa marbuta (ة). الأرض (the earth/ground) and الشمس (the sun) are classic examples of this. Because الأرض is feminine, the adjective describing it must also be feminine, which is why we use حارة instead of the masculine حار.
Could I use the word ساخنة instead of حارة for 'hot' here?
You could, but they have slightly different nuances. حارة is usually used for weather, climate, or natural environments, which fits perfectly here. ساخنة is more often used for physical objects that have been heated up, like a hot drink (قهوة ساخنة) or a stove.
If I were reading this with full vowel endings (tashkeel), what vowel would go on the end of الشمس?
It would take a kasra (an 'i' sound), making it الشمسِ (ash-shamsi). This is because the word comes immediately after a spatial word or preposition of place, تحت (under). Nouns that directly follow these words are placed in the genitive case (majrour), which typically ends with a kasra.