One pattern for every comparative
Arabic does not choose between "-er" and "more". Most simple adjectives are poured into the pattern أَفْعَل:
| Adjective | Comparative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| كَبِير | أَكْبَر | bigger, older |
| صَغِير | أَصْغَر | smaller, younger |
| طَوِيل | أَطْوَل | longer, taller |
| قَصِير | أَقْصَر | shorter |
| جَمِيل | أَجْمَل | more beautiful |
| سَهْل | أَسْهَل | easier |
| صَعْب | أَصْعَب | harder |
| سَرِيع | أَسْرَع | faster |
| كَثِير | أَكْثَر | more |
| قَلِيل | أَقَلّ | less |
"Than" is مِنْ:
- أَحْمَدُ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ عُمَرَ. — Ahmad is older than Omar.
- الْعَرَبِيَّةُ أَصْعَبُ مِنَ الْإِنْجِلِيزِيَّةِ. — Arabic is harder than English.
- هَذِهِ السَّيَّارَةُ أَسْرَعُ مِنْ تِلْكَ. — This car is faster than that one.
The comparative never agrees
أَفْعَل has one form for everybody: masculine, feminine, singular, plural.
- هِيَ أَكْبَرُ مِنْهُ. — She is older than he is.
- هُمْ أَسْرَعُ مِنَّا. — They are faster than we are.
It also takes no tanween, and in the genitive it ends in fatha: فِي بَيْتٍ أَكْبَرَ — in a bigger house.
Adjectives that resist the pattern
Adjectives that do not have a simple three-letter pattern, above all participles of derived verbs (مُسْتَخْدَم, مُفِيد), use أَكْثَر or أَقَلّ plus the noun of the quality in the accusative:
- هَذَا الْكِتَابُ أَكْثَرُ فَائِدَةً. — This book is more useful.
- هَذِهِ الطَّرِيقَةُ أَقَلُّ صُعُوبَةً. — This method is less difficult.
- اللُّغَةُ الْعَرَبِيَّةُ أَكْثَرُ اسْتِخْدَامًا الْيَوْمَ. — Arabic is more used today.
Two superlatives
As a possessive construct, followed by an indefinite singular genitive, or by a definite plural:
- أَكْبَرُ مَدِينَةٍ فِي مِصْرَ — the biggest city in Egypt
- أَكْبَرُ الْمُدُنِ — the biggest of the cities
As an adjective with ال, after a definite noun. Here a feminine form فُعْلَى appears:
- الطَّالِبُ الْأَكْبَرُ — the oldest student
- الْمَدِينَةُ الْكُبْرَى — the greatest city
- الْمُشْكِلَةُ الصُّغْرَى — the smallest problem
Watch out as an English speaker
- Do not translate "more" separately. ✗ أَكْثَرُ كَبِيرٍ / ✓ أَكْبَرُ.
- The comparative does not agree with the subject. ✗ هِيَ كُبْرَى مِنْهُ. / ✓ هِيَ أَكْبَرُ مِنْهُ.
- أَفْعَل takes no tanween. ✗ أَكْبَرٌ مِنْ عُمَرَ / ✓ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ عُمَرَ.
- In the superlative construct, the noun is singular and genitive. ✗ أَكْبَرُ مَدِينَةً / ✓ أَكْبَرُ مَدِينَةٍ.
Example dialogue
أَيُّ مَدِينَةٍ أَكْبَرُ، الْقَاهِرَةُ أَمْ دِمَشْقُ؟ — Which city is bigger, Cairo or Damascus?
الْقَاهِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ بِكَثِيرٍ. — Cairo is much bigger.
وَهَلْ هِيَ أَجْمَلُ؟ — And is it more beautiful?
دِمَشْقُ أَقْدَمُ وَأَهْدَأُ. — Damascus is older and quieter.
إِذَنْ هِيَ أَكْثَرُ رَاحَةً. — Then it is more comfortable.