Chapter 1

Phrases
1.4 
(Description)


   
(description) in Arabic involves a   
  (described noun), often simply called   
and a
  
  (adjective), often simply called a   
 . In the expression ‘the Arabic book’, the word ‘Book’ is the
  
(described noun) and ‘Arabic’ is the   
 (adjective).

 1.4.1 There are two principles we need to remember about the Arabic   
 (adjective):
1. The   
 (adjective) always goes after the   
(described noun).
2. The   
 (adjective) always ‘agrees’ with the   
(described noun) in four respects:
definition, gender, ending and number.

(a) If the   
(described noun) is 
 
(indefinite), the   

 (adjective) must also be 
 
(indefinite).

 


 !
" An Arabic book
(kitaabun ⊂arabiyyun)

If the   
(described noun) is  # $ 
(definite), the   

 (adjective) must also be  # $ 
(definite).

% 
$
'&  !
 '& The Arabic book

(al-kitaabu al-⊂arabiyyun)

% 
$
'&  !
 '& ( )
This Arabic book

(haadthaa al-kitaabu al- ⊂arabiyyu)

(b) The gender of the   

 (adjective) must agree with the gender of the   
(described noun).

 +*

 ,
-" An Arabic word

(kalimatun ⊂arabiyyatun)

/ +*
$
'& / ,
- '& . ( )
This Arabic word

(haadhihi al-kalimatu al-⊂arabiyyatu)

(c) The   
 (adjective) must agree with the   
(described noun) in ending. Agreement in  ,* 0

ending
has been shown above.

2 


1 !
" # In an Arabic book
(fii kitaabin ⊂arabiyyin)

23
 3 
$
'& 
 !
 '& ( )
# In this Arabic book
(fii haadtha al-kitaabi al-⊂arabiyyi)

 +*
$
'&  ,
- '& . ( )
4  From this Arabic word

(min haadthihi al-kalimati al-⊂arabiyyati)

The  5

! # ending will be introduced in chapters two and three.

(d) If the   
(described noun) is a 6 , 7
(plural), the   

 (adjective) must also be a 6 , 7
(plural):

: ;

< 8 7
9 Handsome Men
(rijaalun Hisaanun)

?
 @
 +,7
>= ;

 Beautiful women
(nisaa’un jameelaatun)

: ;

5 '& 8 7
3 ' >A B C
) 4  From these handsome Men
(min haa’ulaa’i ar-rijaali al-Hisaani)

?
 @
 +,J

'& >A ;

D3' E

F'/G H'I To those beautiful women
(ilaa ‘ulaa’ika an-nisaa’i al-jameelaati)

(e) Arabic divides plurals into two types. Plurals of things that are K1 L 
(rational), which includes human
beings, jinn and angels and plurals of things that are K1 L 
+M (irrational), which includes dumb creatures
and inanimate objects.

 Plurals of adjectives, as shown above, are only ever used to describe things that are K1 L 
(rational). We
cannot say 9 N
" ?
 + for ‘big houses’ or ?
 O
PO7
?
 ,
-" for ‘new words’.

 Plurals of things that are K1 L 
+M (irrational) are treated as grammatically Q 
&  R
 *C
 (feminine singular).
 9
S
TA >U ,
 G (Demonstrative pronouns) and ?   
 (adjectives) referring to K1 L 
+M (irrational) plurals are
therefore actually Q 
&  R
 *C
 (feminine singular).

 ,
PO L V
 !/" Ancient books
(kutubun qadeematun)

/ ,
PO W '& V!/'& . ( )
These ancient books

(haadthihi al-kutubu al-qadeematu)

 -+,J

'& ?
 ,
- '& E

-& X 4  From those new words
(min tilka al-kalimaati al-jameelati)

In poetry we often find K1 L 
+M (not intelligent) plurals treated as feminine plural – a personification of
sorts.

24
 ?
 @
 +,7
?
 ,
-" Beautiful words
(kalimaatun jameelaatun)

We recommend at this stage that you do not attempt such poetry Y

 + N
'& # (at home).

(f) The superlative form K

/ $
#& G can also be used as a   
 in which case, it does not remain masculine singular
as it did in the  #/ 0

I construction and must agree with the   
(described noun) in all four respects.

The superlative remains

masculine and singular in
the / # 0

I construction (cf. 1.3.4)

O '
4
;< G 4
;< [Z O'
'& The handsomest boy

(al-waladu al-aHsanu)

Y
 D  4
;< G H
D;
 5&' YDN'& The prettiest girl
(al-bintu al-Husnaa)

>\ ,
 G 4
;< G H
D;

 5&' >U ,
 [Z The most beautiful names
(al-asmaa’u al-Husnaa)

?

P] 
N"& G _
N / '& ?
P^ The greatest signs
(al-aayaatu al-kubraa)

Y
 +
8/ * G `
 9 [Z # 8/ * [Z Y+N
'& The first house
(al-baytu al-awwalu fi al-arDi)

 ,
-" 8/ * G H' [U / ,
- '& The first word

(al-kalimatu al-‘uulaa)

1  H- G H- [Z B The loftiest name

(al-ismu al-a⊂laa)

H- [Z K/ a,
'& The loftiest similitude in the

K1 a
H- G heavens and the earth
`
 9 [Z 
?
 
,
;* ' # (al-mathalu al-a⊂laa fi as-samaawaati
wa al-arDi)

 ,
-" H- G +
-& $&' / ,
- '& The loftiest word

(al-kalimatu al-⊂ulyaa)

>\ ,

H
Q G +
-& $' >A ,
;

* ' 4
 From the highest heaven to the
lowest heaven
>\ ,

H- G +
O% ' >A ,
;* ' H'I (min as-samaa’i al-⊂ulyaa ilaa as-
samaa’ i ad-dunyaa)

 +
<
H
Q G +
O% ' / +
5

'& The temporal (lit. lowest) life
(al-Hayaatu ad-dunyaa)

Q B  G 4
;< G 4 <
[Z QB [Z The handsomest boys

(al-awlaadu al-aHaasinu)

?
 D

4
;< G ?
P D
;
 5&' ? D
N
'& The prettiest girls
(al-banaatu al-Husnaayaatu)

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 Note that all the expressions above are  #
$ 
(definite). This is because superlatives are intrinsically

definite. It makes no sense for example to say ‘a handsomest boy’ so we cannot say ‘4
;<
 G O '
’ .

1.4.2 We may have a number of ?

  
 (adjectives) describing one   (noun). All ?
  
 (adjectives) must agree
with the 
  (noun) in the four respects mentioned above. Generally, multiple ?
  
 (adjectives) need not
come in any particular order.

K +,7
b c 

 PO L 
 !
" A beautiful small ancient book
(kitaabun qadeemun Sagheerun jameelun)

K/ +,J

'& bcd
* ' PO W '&  !
 '& The beautiful small ancient book
(al-kitaabu al-qadeemu aS-Sagheeru al-jameelu)

 D
;

<
OPO7
 ,
-" A good new word
(kalimatun jadeedatun Hasanatun)

8/
fe ' : -/+,J

'& 8/ 7
3 ' E

F'/G Those tall handsome men
(‘ulaa’ika ar-rijaalu al-jameeluuna aT-Tiwaalu)

?
 @
 P g ?
 @
 +,7
>= ;

 Beautiful tall women
(nisaa’un jameelaatun Taweelaatun)

 b
N '&  O
POJ

'& V
 !/'& . ( )
# In these big new books
(fii haadthihi al-kutubi al-jadeedati al-kabeerati)

8/
g& [Z 4
;< [Z O'
'& The handsomest tallest boy

(al-waladu al-aHsanu al-aTwalu)

1.4.3 ?
  
 (Adjectives) describing proper names must be  # $ 
(definite). This is often how epithets are given.

h[Z O ,* 5

 Muhammad the Trustworthy
(lit. The trustworthy Muhammad)
(muHammadun al-‘ameenu)

_
N/ '& / J

PO i
Khadeeja the great
(lit. The great Khadija)
(khadeejatu al-kubraa)

1.4.4 Negativising 
  
 (adjectives)
In English we negativise adjectives by placing the word ‘not’ before them. We negativise the word ‘far’ by
saying ‘not far’. In Arabic, we negativise a   
 (adjective) by placing the word +M (not) before it in an
 # 0

I construction. The negated   
 (adjective) agrees with the   
(described noun) in gender,

26
 number, definition but not ending since as k +'I  j

 (possessor) it ends in 
;
 " . The ending agreement
happens on +M
 which does not otherwise change.

O +$
:  
A far place

(makaanun ba⊂eedun)

O +$
+M :  
A not far place

(makaanun ghayru ba⊂eedun)

Other three Word ending

agreements here agreement here

O +$
 +M :  
# In a not far place

(fii makaanin ghayri ba⊂eedun)

O +$N
'& +M :/  ,
'& The not far place

(al-makaanu ghayru al-ba⊂eedi)

 O
+$
+M  D
  G Not far places

(amkinatun ghayru ba⊂eedatin)

Q $
 +M 8 7
9  ) They are men not far

(hum rijaalun ghayru bi⊂aadin)

+M means ‘other than’ when the negativised k + 'I  j

 (possessor) is a   (noun) or b
 , 0

(pronoun).

(O < 
) 
1 !
" +M Other than (one) book
(ghayru kitaabin waaHidin)

n
A  +M 4  From other than Allah
(min ghayri allahi)

.+M Other than him

(ghayruhu)

o
 + M H'I To other than you

(ilaa ghayrika)

1.4.5 
  
 (Adjectives) in the    construction

Describing the k + 'I  j

 (possessor) is quite straight forward. We simply place the   
 (adjective) after it.

O POJ

'& V
 ' fp '  !
" The book of the new student / The new student’s book
(kitaabu aT-Taalibi al-jadeedi)
We know that O POJ

'& is describing V
 ' fp ' here because it agrees with it in all four respects; it agrees with

 !
" in definition, gender and number but not ending.

27
Describing the  j

 (possessed noun) poses a problem for us. Can we put a     (adjective) between the
 j
 (possessed noun) and k +'I  j
 (possessor)? The answer is no. The  # 0
IA construction is
‘sacrosanct’ and violating it by interpolating a   
 (adjective) amounts to grammatical ‘blasphemy’. A    
(adjective) describing the  j
 (possessed noun) must be placed after the  # 0

IA construction.

OPOJ

'& V
 ' fp '  !
" The new book of the student / The student’s new book
(kitaabu aT-Taalibi al-jadeedu)

We know that OPOJ

'& is describing  !
" here because it agrees with it in all four respects; it agrees with
V
 ' fp ' in definition, gender and number but not ending.

H
D;
 5&' n
A >U ,
 G The most beautiful names of Allah / Allah’s most beautiful names
(asmaa’u Allahi al-Husnaa)

+
-& $&' n
A / ,
-" The loftiest word of Allah / Allah’s loftiest word
(kalimatu Allahi al-⊂ulyaa)

The same is true when the k + 'I  j

 (possessor) is a K d
 !*  +, 0

(attached pronoun).

OPOJ

'& k !
" His new book
(kitaabuhu al-jadeedu)

H
D;
 5&' .q ,
 G His most beautiful names
(asmaa’uhu al-Husnaa)

+
-& $&' k!
,-" His loftiest word

(kalimatuhu al-⊂ulyaa)

/ -+,J

'& r
!D Her beautiful daughter
(bintuhaa al-jameelatu)

?@+,J

'& rX D

Their beautiful daughters
(banaatuhum al-jameelaatu)

9 c
d
3 ' 4* )QB G Their small children
(‘awlaaduhunna aS-Sighaaru)

/ -+,J

'& E

!
 Your beautiful attribute
(Sifatuka al-jameelatu)

bcd
* '  !+ 
My small house
(baytii aS-Sagheeru)

/ -+,J

'& D
% G/ Our beautiful mother
(‘ummunaa al-jameelatu)

+
O% ' D
X +
<
Our temporal (lit. lowest) life

(Hayaatunaa ad-unyaa)

28
A  9
S
TA  (demonstrative pronoun) demonstrating the  j

 (possessed noun) is placed after the   

(adjective).

( )
OPOJ

'& V
 ' fp '  !
" This new book of the student
(kitaabu aT-Taalibi al-jadeedu haadthaa)

( )
OPOJ

'& k !
" This new book of his
(kitaabuhu al-jadeedu haadthaa)

. ( )
/ -+,J

'& r
!D This beautiful daughter of hers
(bintuhaa al-jameelatu haadthihi)

>A B C
) ?@+,J

'& rX D

These beautiful daughters of theirs
(banaatuhum al-jameelaatu haa’ulaa’i)

E

sB /G 9 c
d
3 ' 4* )QB G Those small children of theirs
(‘awlaaduhunna aS-Sighaaru ‘ulaa’ika)

E

-& X / -+,J

'& E

!
 That beautiful attribute of yours
(Sifatuka al-jameelatu tilka)

E

't bcd
* ' !+ 
That small house of mine
(baytii aS-Sagheeru dthaalika)

. ( )
/ -+,J

'& D
% G/ This beautiful mother of ours
(‘ummunaa al-jameelatu haadthihi)

. ( )
+
O% ' D
X +
<
This temporal (lit. lowest) life of ours
(Hayaatunaa ad-dunyaa haadthihi)

In a chain  # 0

IA we can often tell which  j

 (possessed noun) the /  
 (adjective) is describing from the
agreement pattern.

 -+,J

'& E
 -,
'& Y
 D   The name of the beautiful daughter of the king /
The name of the king’s beautiful daughter
(ismu binti al-maliki al-jameelati)

We know that  -+,J

'& is describing Y
 D here because it agrees with it in all four respects; it disagrees with
 in gender and ending and disagrees with E
 -,
'& in gender.

It is possible in the  # 0

IA construction for a   
 (adjective) to appear to describe both the  j

 (possessed
noun) and the k + 'I  j

 , so that more than one translation is possible.

O POJ

'& V
 ' fp ' 
 !
" # In the new book of the student or In the book of the new student
(fii kitaabi aT-Taalibi al-jadeedi)

H- [Z E

39
 The highest name of your Lord or The name of your Highest Lord
(ismu rabbika al-a⊂laa)

The ambiguity in this last example is created by the inability of the word H-
 [Z to carry a vowel ending.

29
The correct reading of such ambiguous expressions is determined by context, but may be resolved using the
preposition u' which means ‘to’, ‘for’ or ‘belonging to’. When written, it attaches to the   (noun)

following it. If the definite article u&' is preceded by u' , we drop the (alif) and write u&-' . When u'
attaches to a word, it forms a  -,
7 kNS (quasi sentence), just like any other 2 7
 <
(preposition).

Y
 +N
'& # 
 !
" A book in the house
(kitaabun fi al-bayti)

Y
 +N
-& ' 
 !
" A book belonging to the house
(kitaabun lil-bayti)

V
 ' fp -' 
 !
" A book belonging to the student,
A book of the student
(kitaabun liT-Taalibi)

We can use the preposition u' to overcome the ambiguity in an  # 0

IA construction.

O POJ

'& V
 ' fp -' 
 !
 '& # In the book of the new student
(fi al-kitaabi liT-Taalibi al-jadeedi)

V
 ' fp -' O POJ

'& 
 !
 '& # In the new book of the student
(fi kitaabi al-jadeedi liT-Taalibi)

30
 
!"

Vocabulary


 
 
Description waSfun

  
described noun mawSuufun

  
 Adjective Sifatun

(: -/L 
v >U @

 W ) K L 
Rational ⊂
aaqilun (⊂uqalaa’u , ⊂aaqiluuna)

K1 L 
+M Irrational ghayru ⊂aaqilin

(9 c

 ) b c 

small (m) Sagheerun (Sighaarun)

(?
 b
c 

) b
c 

small (f) Sagheeratun (Sagheeraatun)

(Q O7) O PO7
new (m) jadeedun (jududun)

(?
 O
PO 7
)  O
PO7
new (f) jadeedatun (jadeedaatun)

(8
g ) K P g tall; long (m) Taweelun (Tiwaalun)

(?
 @
 P g )  -P g tall; long (f) Taweelatun (Taweelaatun)

+M not ghayru

(4" 
G v  D
  G) :  
place makaanun (amkinatun, amaakinu)

(
 
9 G) 
 9
lord rabbun (arbaabun)

u' to; for; belonging to Li

Exercise 1.4.2 Exercise 1.4.1

Express in Arabic Express in English

1. A heavy word K +-L y @

 " .w
2. The few servants of Allah on the Earth
h
  [Z O ,* 5
 >U W !'& .z
3. Our new (male) teacher and our
old (female) teacher
OPOJ
'&  , -L .{
4. His beautiful house in this valley ( )
OPOJ
'&  , -L .|
5. This beautiful house of his in the valley  ,
PO W '& D
D,

P #
 -+,J
'& D
 S
# .}
6. From Hasan’s young (small) daughter
_
N/ '& kX
P]
 +
-& $&' n A / ,
-" .~
7. The closest meeting (do not use  # 0

I )
8 ,
'& ( )
4  K1 +-L >\  S
 
.
8. Heavier than the whole Earth
 b
c d *'`  9 [Z . ( )
# +
O% ' D
X +
<
.€
9. The first Man on this Earth (do not use  # 0

I )
 b
d W '&  +
5
'& . ( )
# V 1  D
 +M .
10. A great sign in everything new
OPOJ
'& V  ' fp ' ( )
 !
" .w‚

31