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Adjectives (Na’at and Man’oot)
By ArabicTree | August 4, 2007
In Arabic, adjectives are two parts: the na’at (نَعَت) or adjective, and the man’oot (مَنعُوت), the word being described.
The man’oot must agree with the na’at in four things:
- Definitivity: both must be definite or indefinite.
- Number: both must reflect the same number (singular, dual, or plural)
- Case: both must be nominative, genitive, or accusative
- Gender: both must be masculine or feminine.
And remember, it’s the na’at that determines what the four aspects are–the man’oot must follow it.
Some examples to chew on:
- The Big Duck: al-battatu al-kabiyratu (البَطَّةُ الكَبِيرَةُ)
- In front of the small chair: amaamu al-kursiyyi al-saghiyri (أمَامُ المُرسِيِّ الصَعِيرِ)
- Painful Torment: ‘athaabun ‘athiym (عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ)
And indeed, Allah says in many places in the Qur’an:
لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ حَتَّى يَرَوُا الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ
Translation: They will not believe until they see the painful torment. [Surah Ash-Shu3raa, verse 201]