# IMetadataVariable

> Adds support for querying the Metadata in a Smart String.

## Definition

* **Type:** Interface
* **Namespace:** [Unity.SmartStrings.PersistentVariables](/engine/6000.7/script-reference/unity/smartstrings/persistentvariables.md)
* **Assembly:** UnityEngine.SmartStringsModule

```csharp
public interface IMetadataVariable : IVariable
```

## Remarks

In some languages, such as Spanish, all nouns have a gender, that means they are either masculine or feminine. The structure of the sentence will change according to the gender of the item. This example shows how metadata can be used to mark an entry with a gender which can then be queried to create a dynamic string with the correct gender forms. This shows how the following metadata could be used in a Smart String, where `item` is a localized string local variable: `{item.gender:choose(Male|Female):El|La}`

## Properties

| Property                                                                                                                 | Description                                                                                                         |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [VariableName](/engine/6000.7/script-reference/unity/smartstrings/persistentvariables/imetadatavariable/variablename.md) | The named placeholder that will match this metadata when querying a localized string as a local or global variable. |

## Inheritance

**Inherited Members:**

* [IVariable.GetSourceValue(ISelectorInfo)](/engine/6000.7/script-reference/unity/smartstrings/persistentvariables/ivariable/getsourcevalue.md)