LESSON 8
Arabic Adjective
Adjective
Consider the following phrases: ‘truthful Muslim,’ ‘pious man,’ ‘large mosque,’ ‘small book,’ ‘trustworthy servant.’ These phrases and other phrases of similar pattern are called صِفَةٌُ (adjective) andمَوْصُوْفٌُ (the described). In the phrase ‘small book, ‘small’ describes the ‘book.’ Thus, ‘small’ is صِفَةٌُ (adjective), and ‘book’ isمَوْصُوْفٌُ (the described).
To convert a phrase into Arabic, follow the following steps:
- Translate the individual words into Arabic.
- Reverse the order of the words so that the first word comes second and the second word comes first.
- Give both words one or two dammah(s) (depending on the situation).
Example: We want to convert the phrase, ‘truthful Muslim’ into Arabic. First, we translate the individual words into Arabic. We get مُُسُْلُِم صَُادُِق . Next, we reverse the order to get مُُسُْلُِم صَُُادُِق . Then, we give two dammahs to both the words. We get مُسْلِمٌ صَُادِقٌُ . Similarly, if we want to convert ‘pious man’ into Arabic, we will first translate the individual words into Arabic – صَُالُِح رَُُجُُل . Next, we will reverse the order of the words – رَُجُُل صَُُالُِح . Lastly, we will give two dammahs to both words – رَجُلٌ صَُالِحٌُ .
Additional Rules:
- Both the صِفَةٌُ and the مَوْصُوْفٌُ have to be in the same state, i.e., if one has a dammah at the end, the other will also have a dammah at the end. Similarly, if one has a fathah at the end, the other will also have a fathah, and so on. For
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example, consider رَجُلٌ صَُالِحٌُ . Since رَجُلٌُ has two dammahs at the end, صَالِحٌُ also has two dammahs. If for some reason رَُجُُل
had two fathahs, صَُالُِح would also have had two fathahs. The phrase would then have been رَجُلًَ صَُالًِْا such as in نَصَرْتُ رَُجُلًَ صَُالًِْا (I helped a pious man). Similarly, if رَُجُُل
had two kasrahs at the end, صَُالُِح would also have had two kasrahs. The phrase would then have been رَجُلٍ صَُالِحٍُ such as in ذَىَبْتُ إُُِلٰ رَُجُلٍ صَُالِحٍُ (I went to a pious man).
- If the مَوْصُوْفٌُ has an alif-laam, the صِفَةٌُ will also get an alif-laam. For example, if رَُجُُل were to be changed to اَُلرَُّجُُل , صَُالُِح
would also change to اَُلصَُّالُِح .
- If the مَوْصُوْفٌُ is feminine, the صِفَةٌُ will also be feminine. To change a word to its feminine form, just add a round taa (ة) at the end of the word. For example, ‘a pious teacher (F)’ will be أُسْتَاذَةٌُ صَُالَِْةٌُ and ‘the pious teacher (F)’ will be اَُلُْْسْتَاذَةُُ اُلصَّالَِْةُُ .
- If the مَوْصُوْفٌُ is a proper noun, it will not accept alif-laam. Alif-laam is used to change a common noun into a definite noun. However, the صِفَةٌُ will still require an alif-laam to make it a definite noun. For example, when converting ‘the conquering Khalid’ into Arabic, we will not add alif-laam to خَالِدٌُُ because it is already a proper noun. However, we will add an alif-laam to the صِفَةٌُ (فَاتِحٌُ ) because it is not a proper noun. The sentence will be خَالِدٌ اُلْفَاتِحُُ .
The following examples illustrate this point:
‘The king Mahmood’ will be مَُْمُوْدٌ اَُُلْمَلُِكُُ .
‘The commander Taariq’ will be طَارِقٌ اَُُلْقَائِدُُ .
اَلصِّفَّةُ وَُ اُلْمَوْصُوْفُُ
‘The poet Ghalib’ will be غَالِبٌ اَُُلشَّاعِرُُ .
These sentences can also be read as خَالِدُ نُِالْفَاتِحُُ , مَُْمُوْدُ نُِالْمَلِكُُ ,
طَارِقُ نُِالْقَائِدُُ and غَالِبُ نُِالشَّاعِرُُ .
Word List
English
Arabic
Singular
Plural
most-forgiving
غَفُوْرٌُ
rooster
دِيْكٌُ
دُي وُْكٌُ
shouting; noisy
صَائِحٌُ
mat
حَصِيْ رٌُ
حُصُرٌُ
shabby, worn (garment)
خَلَقٌُ
excellent; good
جَيِّدٌُ
جِيَادٌُ
beautiful, handsome; good
حَسَنٌُ
حِسَانٌُ
street
شَارِعٌُ
شَوَارِعُُ
ship, boat
سَفِيْ نَةٌُ
سُفُنٌُ
Sea
بَِْرٌُ
بَِِارٌُ
Deep
عَمِيْقٌُ
Mountain
جَبَلٌُ
جِبَالٌُ
great; powerful
عَظِيْمٌُ
عُظَمَاءُُ
Train
قِطَارٌُ
قُطُرٌُ
Engine
قَاطِرَةٌُ
قَاطِرَُاتٌُ
Station
مََُطَّةٌُ
مََُُطَّاتٌُ
(finger or toe) nail
ظُفْرٌُ
أَُظْفَارٌُ
hair
شَعْرٌُ
أَُشْعَارٌُ
he cut (hair)
قَصَُّ
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English
Arabic
Singular
Plural
he cut (used for nails)
قَ لَمَُ
store, shop
دُكَّانٌُ
دَكَاكِيُُْ
old man; scholar
شَيْخٌُ
شُيُ وْخٌُ
ugly
دَمِيْمٌُ
دِمَامٌُ
matches
كِبِْيْتٌُ
post, mail
بَرِيْدٌ، بُ وُْسَطَةٌُ
post office
مَكْتَبَةُ اُلْبَِيْدُِ
fan
مِرْوَحَةٌُ
مَرَاوِحُُ
bitter
مُيرُ
army
جُنْدٌُ
جُنُ وْدٌُ
defeat
ىَزْمٌُ
capital city
عَاصِمَةٌُ
عَوَاصِمُُ
daily
ي وَْمِيَّةٌُ
to buy
اِشْتَِِاءٌُ
barber
حَلََّقٌُ
skillful; outstanding
بَارِعٌُ
box; can
عُلْبَةٌُ
عُلَُبٌُ
he touched, he felt (by hand); he examined
جَسَُّ
medical prescription
وَصْفَةٌُ
painful
أَُلِيْمٌُ
trial, tribulation
بَلََءٌُ
mosquito
ب عَُوْضَةٌُ
price
ثَََنٌُ
أَُثََْانٌُ
اَلصِّفَّةُ وَُ اُلْمَوْصُوْفُُ
English
Arabic
Singular
Plural
cloud
غَمَامٌُ
غَمَائِمُُ
shady, shading
مُظَلِّلٌُ
dark
مُظْلِمَةٌُ
this (M)
ىٰذَا
this (F)
ىٰذِهُِ
these (M & F)
ىٰؤُلََءُِ
twig, branch
غُصْنٌُ
غُصُوْنٌُ
firm, established
ثَابِتٌُ
big, large
كَبِيْ رٌُ
كِبَارٌُ
root
أَُصْلٌُ
أُُصُوْلٌُ
fort, fortress, castle
حِصْنٌُ
حُصُوْنٌُ
that (M)
ذُٰلِكَُ
that (F)
تِلْكَُ
those (M & F)
اُولُٰئِكَُ
everyday, daily
كُلَّ يُ وَْمٍُ
small, little
صَغِيْ رٌُ
صِغَارٌُ
sick, ill
مَرِيْضٌُ
مَرْضٰى
branch
فَ رْعٌُ
فُ رُوْعٌُ
poet
شَاعِرٌُ
شُعَرَاءُُ
word
كَلِمَةٌُ
كَلِمَاتٌُ
Romans
اَلرُّوْمُُ
immoral (person)
فَاجِرٌُ
فُجَّارٌُ
medicine
دَوَاءٌُ
أَُدْوِيَةٌُ
mischievous
شَرِيْ رٌُ
أَُشِرَّاءُُ
English
Arabic
Singular
Plural
doctor
طَبِيْبٌُ
أَُطِبَّاءُُ
king
مَلِكٌُ
مُلُوْكٌُ
livelihood
رِزْقٌُ
أَُرْزَاقٌُ
market
سُوْقٌُ
أَُسْوَاقٌُ
torment; punishment
عَذَابٌُ
little; few
قَلُِيْلٌُ
أَُقِلََّءُُ
tree
شَجَرَُةٌُ
شَجَرَاتٌُ
he opened; he conquered
فَ تَحَُ
good; pleasant (F)
طَيِّبَةٌُ
طَيِّبَاتٌُ
old
قَدِيْمٌُ
near, close
قَرِيْبٌُ