Comparative & Superlative Degree in Arabic - Durusul Lughah book 2 - lesson 3

In third lesson, we are going to learn comparative and superlative degree in Arabic.

These two things in Arabic are called ism tafdil (اسم التفضيل)

Basic concep of Ism tafdil (اسم التفضيل)

1. ism tafdil that we learn today has the following pattern : أَفْعَلُ 

Examples:

أَجْمَلُ = more beautiful

أَحْسَنُ = better

أَصْغَرُ = smaller

أَقْدَمُ = older

2. The word that has this pattern (أَفْعَلُ ) is mamnu' minash sharf (ممنوع من الصّرف) or has no tanwin.

3. This form (أَفْعَلُ) is for masculine, feminine, singular, and plural.

4. The rule of comparative degree in Arabic

- For comparative degree:

أَفْعَلُ is followed by مِنْ 

So, the noun after مِنْ is in genitive case (majrur). 

Examples:

- Ahmad is taller than Zaid => أَحْمَدُ أَطْوَلُ مِنْ زَيْدٍ

أَحْمَدُ = mubtada', marfu

أَطْوَلُ = khabar

مِنْ = harf jar (حرف الجرّ)

زَيْدٍ = majrur by مِنْ , the indication of it's jar is kasrah "i"

Note: 

مِنْ can be followed by pronoun.

Example:

Ahmad is taller than you = > أَحْمَدُ أَطْوَلُ مِنْكَ

5. The rule of superlative degree in Arabic

- For superlative degree:

أَفْعَلُ is followed by noun.

In this case :

- أَفْعَلُ = mudaf

- the noun after أفعل = mudaf ilaih

Therefore this noun is majrur (genitive case).

Examples:

- Zaid is the best student in the school => زَيْدٌ أَحْسَنُ طَالِبٍ فِي المَدْرَسَةِ

زَيْدٌ = mubtada', marfu

أَحْسَنُ = khabar. It's also mudaf.

طَالِبٍ = mudaf ilaih (mudaf to أَحْسَنُ), majrur, the indication of it's jar is kasrah "i"

فِي = harf jar

المَدْرَسَةِ = majrur, the sign of it's jar is kasrah "i"

Summary

Ok. You've already learn the basic concept of comparative and superlative degree in Arabic. Now, let's do some exercises.

Exercises

Translate the following sentences into Arabic.

Comparative degree

1. Cairo is bigger than Riyadh.

2. This hotel is cleaner than that one.

3. I'm older than him.

4. He is younger than you.

5. The sun is further than the moon.

Superlative degree

6. This is the smallest room in our house.

7. This is the easiest lesson in this book.

8. Umar is the best teacher in the school.

9. Ahmad is the most famous doctor in our country.

10. This is the cheapest watch in this market.

Answers

1. Cairo is bigger than Riyadh => القَاهِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الرِّيَاضِ

2. This hotel is cleaner than that one => هَذَا الفُنْدُقُ أَنْظَفُ مِنْ ذَاكَ

3. I'm older than him => أَنَا أَكْبَرُ مِنْهُ

4. He is younger than you => هُوَ أَصْغَرُ مِنْكَ

5. The sun is further than the moon => الشَّمْسُ أَبْعَدُ مِنَ القَمَرِ

6. This is the smallest room in our house => هَذِهِ أَصْغَرُ غُرْفَةٍ  فِي بَيْتِنَا

7. This is the easiest lesson in this book => هَذَا أَسْهَلُ دَرْسٍ فِي الكِتَابِ 

8. Umar is the best teacher in the school => عُمَرُ أَحْسَنُ مُدَرِّسٍ فِي المَدْرَسَةِ

9. Ahmad is the most famous doctor in our country => أَحْمَدُ أَشْهَرُ طَبِيبٍ فِي بَلَدِنَا

10. This is the cheapest watch in this market => هَذِهِ أَرْخَصُ سَاعَةٍ فِي السُّوقِ