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 | ||
describe | a cherry is red | kireeza hamra | كـِريز َة حـَمر َة |
describe | the ball is red | ilkoora hamra | ا ِلكور َة حـَمر َة |
describe | I want a red ball | aayiz koora hamra | َة َيـِز كور َة حـَمر َة |
qualify | I want the red ball | Aaayiz ilkoora ilhamra | عا َيـِز ا ِلكور َة ا ِلحـَمر َة |
describe | the book is big | ilkitaab kibeer | ا ِلكـِتا َب كـِبير |
describe | I have read a big book | 'ara't kitaab kibeer | قـَرا َءت كـِتا َب كـِبير |
qualify | I have read the big book | 'ara't ilkitaab ilkibeer | قـَرا َءت ا ِلكـِتا َب ا ِلكـِبير |
describe | the man is blind | ilraagil 'aAma | ا ِلرا َجـِل أعمى |
describe | a blind man is outside | raagil 'aAma barra | را َجـِل أعمى بـَرّاَ |
qualify | the blind man is outside | ilraagil 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:
English | Egyptian | |
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:
English | Egyptian | |||||
masculine | feminine | plural | ||||
-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
English | Egyptian | |||
thing plural | person plural | |||
the dogs are big | ilkilaeb 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:
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.
English | Country | m | f | pl | ||||
-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 َلـِيـَة | shimaaliyyin | 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:
English | Country | m | f | collective noun | ||||
-i | ـي | -iya | ــِيـَة | |||||
England | 'ingiltira | إنجـِلتـِراَ | 'ingileezi | إنجـِليزي | 'ingileeziya | إنجـِليز ِيـَة | 'ingileez | إنجـِليز |
Arabia | Aarabi | عـَر َبي | Aarabi | عـَر َبي | Aarabiya | عـَر َبـِيـَة | Aarab | عـَر َب |
Russia | roosya | روسياَ | roosi | روسي | roosya | روسيـَة | roos | 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.
English | Country | m | f | pl | ||||
-aawi | ـا َوي | -aawiya | ـا َو ِيـَة | -aawiyyin | ـا َو ِييا ِن | |||
Austria | ilnimsa | ا ِلنـِمساَ | nimsaawi | نـِمسا َوي | nimsawiyya | نـِمسـَو ِييـَة | nimsawiyyin | نـِمسـَو ِييـِن |
France | faransa | فـَر َنساَ | faransaawi | فـَر َنسا َوي | faransawiya | فـَر َنسـَو ِيـَة | faransawiyyin | فـَر َنسـَو ِييـِن |
One common usage of the country adjective is to talk about a person from that country. Here are some examples:
English | Egyptian | |
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:
English | Egyptian | |
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:
English | Egyptian | |
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:
English | Egyptian | |
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:
English | Egyptian | |
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:
English | adjective | comparative | ||
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.
English | adjective | comparative | ||
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.
English | adjective | comparative | ||
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
Group | Example | |
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 |