Egyptian Arabic Grammar

Adjectives

Adjectives can be used in two ways: to describe something, or to specify which one of several you are talking about (a qualifying adjective).

In English, you put the in front of a qualifying adjective. In Egyptian, you put il- ا ِلـ before both the qualifiying adjective and the noun: the il- ا ِلـ before the adjective is the one that means that the adjective is specifying which one you mean. Note that adding il- ا ِلـ to a word affects the pronunciation if it begins with a sun letter.

English Egyptian
describea cherry is red kireeza hamra
كـِريز َة حـَمر َة
describethe ball is red ilkoora hamra
ا ِلكور َة حـَمر َة
describeI want a red ballaayiz koora hamra
َة َيـِز كور َة حـَمر َة
qualifyI want the red ballAaayiz ilkoora ilhamra
عا َيـِز ا ِلكور َة ا ِلحـَمر َة
describethe book is bigilkitaab kibeer
ا ِلكـِتا َب كـِبير
describeI have read a big book'ara't kitaab kibeer
قـَرا َءت كـِتا َب كـِبير
qualifyI have read the big book'ara't ilkitaab ilkibeer
قـَرا َءت ا ِلكـِتا َب ا ِلكـِبير
describethe man is blindilraagil 'aAma
ا ِلرا َجـِل أعمى
describea blind man is outsideraagil 'aAma barra
را َجـِل أعمى بـَرّاَ
qualifythe blind man is outsideilraagil il'aAma barra
ا ِلرا َجـِل ا ِلأعمى بـَرّاَ

Masculine, feminine, plural

In English, there is only one form of an adjective, but in Egyptian, most adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun that they relate to. Here are some examples:

EnglishEgyptian
the man is clever ilraagil shaaTir
ا ِلرا َجـِل شا َطـِر
the woman is clever ilsitt shaTra
ا ِلسـِتّ شا َطر َة
the children are clever il'aTfaal shaTreen
ا ِلأطفا َل شا َطـِرين

The following table shows some typical feminine and plural forms:

EnglishEgyptian
masculinefeminineplural
-a
ــَة -yn
ـين
big kibeer
كـِبير kibeera
كـِبير َة kubaar
كـُبا َر
good kuwayis
كـُو َيـِس kuwayisa
كـُو َيـِس َة kuwayiseen
كـُو َيـِسين
red 'ahmar
أحمـَر hamra
حـَمر َة humr
حـُمر
easy sahl
سـَهل sahla
سـَهل َة sahleen
سـَهلين
nice laTeef
لـَطيف laTeefa
لـَطيف َة luTaaf
لـُطا َف
free faaDi
فا َضي faDya
فا َضي َة faDyyin
فا َضييـِن
brown bunni
بـُنّي bunni
بـُنّي bunni
بـُنّي

The feminine form of most adjectives is made by adding the suffix -a ــَة, and the plural is formed by adding the suffix -yn ـين. Note that adding a suffix may affect the pronunciation.

The plural form of an adjective is normally only used for many people: for many things, the feminine form is used. Animals are half-way between: in the same way as an English person might say 'he' or 'it' about a dog, Egyptians could use either the plural or the feminine form to talk about a group of animals

EnglishEgyptian
thing pluralperson plural
the dogs are bigilkilaeb kibeera
ا ِلكـِلا َب كـِبير َة ilkilaeb kubaar
ا ِلكـِلا َب كـُبا َر
the dogs are good ilkilaeb kuwayisa
ا ِلكـِلا َب كـُو َيـِس َة ilkilaeb kuwayiseen
ا ِلكـِلا َب كـُو َيـِسين

Some nouns, for example dibbaen د ِبّا َن (flies) are collective nouns- a singular form is used to talk about a group of them. When an adjective is applied, the singular form of the adjective is used, for example:

the flies are disgusting
ildibbaen mu'rif
ا ِلد ِبّا َن مـُقر ِف

We will look at some of the common exceptions later. Note that some words, for example brown bunni بـُنّي are invariable- you use the same form for masculine, feminine and plural.

Countries

A country name is usually converted to an adjective by adding -i ـي. This can be used to refer to a person, a language or something from a country.

EnglishCountrym fpl
-i
ـي -iya
ــِيـَة iyyin
ِييـِن
Egypt maSr
مـَصر maSri
مـَصري maSriya
مـَصر ِيـَة maSriyyin
مـَصر ِييـِن
Greece ilyoonaan
ا ِليونا َن yoonaani
يونا َني yoonaaniya
يونا َنـِيـَة yoonaaniyyin
يونا َنـِييـِن
Italy 'ieeTalya
إيطا َلياَ 'ieeTaali
إيطا َلي 'ieeTalya
إيطا َليـَة'ieeTalyyin
إيطا َلييـِن
Sweden ilsiweed
ا ِلسـِويد siweedi
سـِويدي siweedya
سـِويديـَة siweedyyin
سـِويدييـِن
the North ilshimaal
ا ِلشـِما َل shimaali
شـِما َلي shimaaliya
شـِما َلـِيـَةshimaaliyyin
شـِما َلـِييـِن
Europe 'uoorubba
أ ُور ُبّاَ 'uooroobbi
أ ُوروبّي 'uooroobbiya
أ ُوروبّـِيـَة'uoorubbiyyin
أ ُور ُبّـِييـِن
Irregular ones...
India ilhind
ا ِلهـِند hindi
هـِندي hindya
هـِنديـَة hunood
هـُنود
America 'amreeka
أمريكاَ (people) 'amreeki
أمريكي'amreekiyya
أمريكـِييـَة'amreekiyyin
أمريكـِييـِن
(things) 'amrikaani
أمر ِكا َني
Russia roosya
روسياَ roos
روس roosiyya
روسـِييـَة (things,men) roos
روس
(women) roosyaet
روسيا َت

For some countries, eg England, the adjective is made from the collective noun. Here are some examples:

EnglishCountrym fcollective noun
-i
ـي -iya
ــِيـَة
England'ingiltira
إنجـِلتـِراَ 'ingileezi
إنجـِليزي 'ingileeziya
إنجـِليز ِيـَة'ingileez
إنجـِليز
Arabia Aarabi
عـَر َبي Aarabi
عـَر َبي Aarabiya
عـَر َبـِيـَةAarab
عـَر َب
Russia roosya
روسياَ roosi
روسي roosya
روسيـَةroos
روس
Germany 'almanya
ألما َنياَ 'almaani
ألما َني 'almanya
ألما َنيـَة 'almaan
ألما َن
Spain 'asbanya
أسبا َنياَ 'asbaani
أسبا َني 'asbanya
أسبا َنيـَة 'asbaan
أسبا َن

For countries ending with two consonants and alif, for example faransa فـَر َنساَ, the ending is -aawi ـا َوي.

EnglishCountrym fpl
-aawi
ـا َوي -aawiya
ـا َو ِيـَة-aawiyyin
ـا َو ِييا ِن
Austria ilnimsa
ا ِلنـِمساَ nimsaawi
نـِمسا َوي nimsawiyya
نـِمسـَو ِييـَةnimsawiyyin
نـِمسـَو ِييـِن
France faransa
فـَر َنساَ faransaawi
فـَر َنسا َوي faransawiya
فـَر َنسـَو ِيـَةfaransawiyyin
فـَر َنسـَو ِييـِن

One common usage of the country adjective is to talk about a person from that country. Here are some examples:

EnglishEgyptian
an Egyptian man waahid maSri
وا َحـِد مـَصري
an Egyptian woman wahda maSrya
وا َحد َة مـَصريـَة
an Englishman waahid 'ingilizi
وا َحـِد إنجـِلـِزي
an Englishwoman wahda 'ingileezya
وا َحد َة إنجـِليزيـَة
a Frenchman waahid faransawi
وا َحـِد فـَر َنسـَوي
a Frenchwoman wahda faransawiya
وا َحد َة فـَر َنسـَو ِيـَة

The feminine and plural are used only for people. For inanimate objects, the masculine form only is used. Here are some examples:

EnglishEgyptian
a Greek boat markib yoonaani
مـَركـِب يونا َني
French cheese gibna faransaawi
جـِبنـَة فـَر َنسا َوي
American cars ilAarabiyaat 'amrikaani
ا ِلعـَر َبـِيا َت أمر ِكا َني

Colours

The main colours follow a pattern. Here are some examples:

English m f pl
C=consonant aCCaC CaCCao CuCC
white 'abyaD
أبيـَض biyDa
بـِيضـَة biyD
بـِيض
black 'iswid
إسو ِد sooda
سود َة suwd
سـُود
yellow 'aSfar
أصفـَر Safra
صـَفر َة Sufr
صـُفر
blue 'azra'
أزر َق zar'a
ز َرقـَة zur'
ز ُرق
green 'aKDar
أخضـَر KaDra
خـَضر َة KuDr
خـُضر
red 'ahmar
أحمـَر hamra
حـَمر َة humr
حـُمر

Colours derived from a material or thing just have a -i ـي added. They are invariable: the feminine and plural form is the same as the masculine form.

English m/f/pl
brown
coffee
bunni
بـُنّي
gold zahabi
ذ َهـَبي
silver faDDi
فـَضّي
copper nahaasi
نـَحا َسي
light grey rumaadi
ر ُما َدي
dark grey
lead
ruSaaSi
ر ُصا َصي
dark green
olive
zeeti
زيتي
dark blue kuhli
كـُحلي
pale blue
milk
labani
لـَبـَني
dark red
wine
nibeeti
نـِبيتي
chestnut kastanaa'i
كـَستـَنا َئي
light brown
honey
Aasali
عـَسـَلي
purple
violet
banafsigi
بـَنـَفسـِجي
orange burtu'aali
بـُرتـُقا َلي
deep purple
aubergine
bitangaani
بـِتـَنجا َني

Personal attributes

Personal attributes or disabilities follow the same pattern as the basic colours:

English m f pl
C=consonant aCCaC CaCCao CuCC
foolish 'ahbal
أهبـَل habla
هـَبلـَة hubl
هـُبل
squinting 'ahwal
أحو َل hoola'
حولا َء huwl
حـُول
bald 'a'raA
أقر َع 'arAa
قـَرعـَة 'urA
قـُرع
bald 'aSlaA
أصلـَع SalAa'
صـَلعا َء SulA
صـُلع
fair skin
blonde
'ash'ar
أشقـَر sha'ara
شـَقـَر َة shu'r
شـُقر
dark skin
brunette
'asmar
أسمـَر samra
سـَمر َة sumr
سـُمر
frizzy haired 'akrat
أكر َت karta
كـَرتـَة kurt
كـُرت
left handed 'ashwal
أشو َل shoola
شولـَة shool
شول
right handed 'aeeman
أيمـَن yimna
يـِمنـَة yumn
يـُمن
lame 'aArag
أعر َج Aarga
عـَرجـَة Aurg
عـُرج
blind 'aAma
أعمى Aamya
عـَميـَة Aumi
عـُمي
deaf 'aTrash
أطر َش Tursha'
طـُرشا َء Tursh
طـُرش
deaf 'aSam
أصـَم Sama'
صـَما َء Summ
صـُمّ
mute 'aKras
أخر َس Karsa
خـَرسـَة Kurs
خـُرس

Slightly, Very... Extremely...

The following adverbs can be placed after the adjective:

English Egyptian
slightly shwaya
شو َيـَة
moderately bi'iAtidaal
بـِإعتـِدا َل
very 'awi
قـَوي
extremely KaaliS
خا َلـِص
giddan
جـِدّاً
Aail'aKir
عـَا ِلأخـِر
too 'awi
قـَوي

Here are some examples:

English Egyptian
the car is slightly damaged ilAarabiya 'itDarrarit shwaya
ا ِلعـَر َبـِيـَة إتضـَرّ َر ِت شو َيـَة
the carpet was very expensive ilsigaada kaanit Galya 'awi
ا ِلسـِجا َد َة كا َنـِت غا َليـَة قـَوي
he is extremely rich huwwa Gani giddan
هـُوّ َ غـَني جـِدّاً
this house is too big ilbiyt dih kibeer 'awi
ا ِلبـِيت د ِه كـِبير قـَوي

You may have noticed that the word qawy has two meanings: very and too. This sometimes causes confusion when Egyptians speak English: they say, for example, too much when they mean very much.

Comparatives

In English we take an adjective like big and add suffixes -er to make comparative bigger and -est to make the superlative biggest. In Egyptian there is one word, a comparative, that is used for both. The context indicates the meaning.

We can compare two things using min مـِن, which is equivalent to than in English:

EnglishEgyptian
Ahmad is taller than me 'ahmad 'aTwal minni
أحمـَد أطو َل مـِنّي
he is more stupid than I thought huwwa 'aGba min makunt faakir
هـُوّ َ أغبى مـِن مـَكـُنت فا َكـِر

We can also make comparison without specifying the second thing like this:

EnglishEgyptian
Ahmad is a lot taller 'ahmad 'aTwal bikiteer
أحمـَد أطو َل بـِكـِتير
the weather will be a little better tomorrow ilgaww haykoon 'ahsan shuwaya bukra
ا ِلجـَوّ حـَيكون أحسـَن شـُو َيـَة بـُكر َة

For the superlative (best, biggest) the comparative is used immediately before a noun:

EnglishEgyptian
mohammed is the tallest student muhammad 'aTwal Taalib
مـُحـَمّـَد أطو َل طا َلـِب
he is the youngest boy huwwa 'aSGar walad
هـُوّ َ أصغـَر و َلـَد
the tallest student is 1m90 ilTaalib il'aTwal Toolooh mitr 1 wa 90 santi
ا ِلطا َلـِب ا ِلأطو َل طولوه مـِتر ١ و َ ٩٠ سـَنتي
the most expensive drink is 20 pounds ilmashroob il'aGla 20 gineeh
ا ِلمـَشروب ا ِلأغلى ٢٠ جـِنيه
this is the prettiest dress in the shop dih 'ahla fustaan fi ilmahal
د ِه أحلى فـُستا َن في ا ِلمـَحـَل
it was the best day in my life kaan 'ahsan yoom fi hayaati
كا َن أحسـَن يوم في حـَيا َتي

Making comparatives

As you may have noticed from the previous examples, the comparative is often derived from the adjective as follows:

Englishadjectivecomparative
big kibeer
كـِبير 'akbar
أكبـَر
easy sahl
سـَهل 'ashal
أسهـَل
tall Taweel
طـَويل 'aTwal
أطو َل
classy raaQi
را َقي 'arQa
أرقى
exceptions
good kuwayyis
كـُو َييـِس 'ahsan
أحسـَن

For adjectives with two consonants and ending in -i ـي or -w ـو, the final letter changes to alif-layena -a ـى.

Englishadjectivecomparative
pretty hilw
حـِلو 'ahla
أحلى
expensive Gaali
غا َلي 'aGla
أغلى
loud/high Aaali
عا َلي 'aAla
أعلى
rich Gani
غـَني 'aGna
أغنى
healthy Sahi
صـَحي no comp
stupid Gabi
غـَبي 'aGba
أغبى
clever zaki
ذ َكي 'azka
أذكى

For adjectives with three consonants where the last two consonants are the same, the middle vowel is replaced with a fatha -a ـَ.

Englishadjectivecomparative
serious gadd
جـَدّ no comp
new gideed
جـِديد 'agdad
أجد َد
important muhimm
مـُهـِمّ 'ahamm
أهـَمّ
numerous Aadeed
عـَديد no comp
lucky mahZooZ
مـَحظوظ no comp
popular mahboob
مـَحبوب 'ahabb
أحـَبّ
light Kafeef
خـَفيف 'aKaff
أخـَفّ
delicious lazeez
لـَذيذ 'alazz
ألـَذّ
few 'alayil
قـَلـَيـِل 'a'aal
أقا َل

In English, it is not possible to make a comparative in the usual way from some adjectives, for example interesting: instead, we say more interesting. The same is true in Egyptian: the words 'aktar أكتـَر - more and 'a'aal أقا َل - less are used with the adjective. Here are examples of adjectives that are handled this way

GroupExample
participles
beginning with m- مـ
the contract is more acceptable like this
ilAa'd ma'bool 'aktar kidah
ا ِلعـَقد مـَقبول أكتـَر كـِد َه
participles
beginning with ta- تـَ
I am less traditional than you
'ana ta'lidi 'a'aal minnak
أنا َ تـَقلـِدي أقا َل مـِنّـَك
adjectives
beginning with 'a- أـ
he gets more selfish every day
huwwa biyib'a 'anaani 'aktar kul yoom
هـُوّ َ بـِيـِبقا َ أنا َني أكتـَر كـُل يوم
adjectives
ending with -an ـاً
Sarah is more tired than Ahmed
saara taAbaana 'aktar min 'ahmad
سا َر َة تـَعبا َنـَة أكتـَر مـِن أحمـَد

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