Arabic Adjective 8

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:

1. Translate the individual words into Arabic.
2. Reverse the order of the words so that the first word comes second and the second word comes first.
3. 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:

1. 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).

2. 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 .

3. 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 .
4. 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