هذه مسؤولية كبيرة.

this

Breakdown of هذه مسؤولية كبيرة.

• كبير: big
• مسؤولية: responsibility

Questions & Answers about هذه مسؤولية كبيرة.

Why is it هذه and not هذا?

Because هذه is the feminine form of this, and مسؤولية is a feminine noun.

In Arabic, demonstratives must agree with the noun they refer to:

• هذا = this (masculine)
• هذه = this (feminine)

So:

• هذا كتاب = this is a book
• هذه مسؤولية = this is a responsibility

Even though مسؤولية does not end with the usual ـة, it is still grammatically feminine.

Why is مسؤولية feminine?

مسؤولية is a feminine noun by grammar and usage. Many abstract nouns in Arabic are feminine, and nouns ending in ـية are very often feminine.

So even though it may not look like the most familiar feminine ending to a beginner, it still behaves as feminine in agreement:

• هذه مسؤولية
• مسؤولية كبيرة

That is why both the demonstrative هذه and the adjective كبيرة are feminine.

Why is there no word for is in the sentence?

In Arabic, the present tense of to be is usually not stated.

So هذه مسؤولية كبيرة literally looks like:

• this