Arabic Comparatives - Part 1
Modern Standard Arabic
Adjectives to comparatives
1- Identify the root letters of the adjective
كَبير kabeer big | 3 | 2 | 1 |
ر | ب | ك |
2- Use the comparative template
أكبَر akbar bigger |
Big | kabeer | كَبير |
Bigger | akbar | أكبـَر |
Small | Sagheer | صَغير |
Smaller | aSghar | أصغـَر |
Fast | saree3 | سَريع |
Faster | asra3 | أسرَع |
Slow | baTee2 | بَطيء * |
Slower | abTa2 | أبطـَأ |
* If the adjective ends with hamza in any form, the comparative ends with alif + hamzah (أ)
Pretty | jameel | جَميل |
Prettier |
Old (obj) | qadeem | قَديم |
Older (object) |
New | jadeed | جَديد |
Newer |
Simple | baseeT | بَسيط |
Simpler |
Brave | shujaa3 | شُجاع |
Braver | ashja3 | أشجَع |
Successful | naaji7 | ناجِح |
More Successful | anja7 | أنجـَح |
High | 3aalee | عالي * |
Higher | a3laa | أعلى |
Calm | haadi2 | هادِئ |
Calmer | ahda2 | أهدَأ |
* If adjective ends with long vowel, comparative ends with
alif layyenah (ى)
Soft | naa3im | ناعِم |
Softer |
Expensive | ghaalee | غالي |
More expensive |
Sentences with comparatives
When comparing two things, we use preposition “min مِن” to mean “than”
الكَلب أكبَر مِن القِطَّة al-kalb akbar min al-qiTTah The dog is bigger than the cat | ||||
Sentences with comparatives
When comparing two things, we use preposition “min مِن” to mean “than”
القِطَّة أصغَر مِن الكَلب al-qiTTah aSghaar min al-kalb The cat is smaller than the dog | ||||
Sentences with superlatives
Superlative uses the same comparative form, with different constructions
الفيل أكبَر الحَيَوانات al-feel akbar al-7aywaanaat The elephant is the biggest of animals | الفيل أكبَر حَيَوان al-feel akbar 7ayawaan The elephant is the biggest animal | ||||||||
الفيل هو الحَيَوان الأكبَر al-feel huwa al-7ayawaan al-akbar The elephant is the biggest animal | |||||||||
Comparatives and superlatives
الفَهد أسرع مِن الأَرنَب al-fahd asra3 min al-arnab Cheetah is faster than the rabbit | |||||||||
الفَهد أسرع الحَيَوانات al-fahd asra3 al-7ayawaanaat Cheetah is the fastest animal |
Questions with superlatives
ما هُوَ أسرَع الحَيَوانات؟ maa huwa asra3 al-7ayawaanaat? What is the fastest animal? | |||||||||
ما هو أسرَع حَيوان؟ maa huwa asra3 7ayawaan? What is the fastest animal? |
Practice Comparatives
How do you say the following?
The dog is faster than the cat | ||||
The elephant is bigger than the cheetah | ||||
The cheetah is faster than the dog | ||||
Practice Superlatives
How do you say the following?
What is the biggest animal? | ||||
What is the smallest animal? | ||||
What is the slowest animal? | ||||
Tips To Learn Better:
