Adjectives in Arabic (صِفَات ṣifāt, singular صِفَة ṣifa) do the work of describing, specifying, comparing, and narrating. Arabic adjectives differ from English ones in two important ways. First, they follow the noun rather than precede it: big book is كِتَاب كَبِير (a book big). Second, they must agree with the noun in gender, number, definiteness, and case, a four-way agreement more demanding than the gender-only agreement of most European languages. This reference covers colors, common adjectives, the agreement rules that knit them to nouns, and the comparative and superlative forms built from the same morphological template.
Arabic colors are structurally distinctive. The primary colors follow a fixed morphological pattern, أَفْعَل/فَعْلَاء (afʿal for masculine, faʿlā' for feminine), shared with the vocabulary of physical defects. This grouping preserves an ancient Semitic instinct that treats salient physical qualities as a single class. For the root system that makes these patterns possible, see the Arabic root system reference. For how adjectives attach to nouns grammatically, see the Arabic grammar rules guide.
The Primary Colors
Table 1. The basic eight colors with full agreement forms.
| Root | Masc. sg. | Fem. sg. | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ح-م-ر | أَحْمَر aḥmar | حَمْرَاء ḥamrā' | حُمْر ḥumr | Red |
| ز-ر-ق | أَزْرَق azraq | زَرْقَاء zarqā' | زُرْق zurq | Blue |
| خ-ض-ر | أَخْضَر akhḍar | خَضْرَاء khaḍrā' | خُضْر khuḍr | Green |
| ص-ف-ر | أَصْفَر aṣfar | صَفْرَاء ṣafrā' | صُفْر ṣufr | Yellow |
| س-و-د | أَسْوَد aswad | سَوْدَاء sawdā' | سُود sūd | Black |
| ب-ي-ض | أَبْيَض abyaḍ | بَيْضَاء bayḍā' | بِيض bīḍ | White |
| س-م-ر | أَسْمَر asmar | سَمْرَاء samrā' | سُمْر sumr | Brown (dark complexion) |
| ش-ق-ر | أَشْقَر ashqar | شَقْرَاء shaqrā' | شُقْر shuqr | Blonde |
Every primary color fits the same three-slot template based on its root:
- Masculine: أَفْعَل (afʿal). Prefix a-, and a dead vowel on the middle root letter.
- Feminine: فَعْلَاء (faʿlā'). First root letter with fatḥa, second with sukūn, third root letter then long ā with hamza.
- Plural: فُعْل (fuʿl). First root letter with ḍamma, second with sukūn.
This is the same pattern used for physical qualities like blind (أَعْمَى aʿmā, fem. عَمْيَاء ʿamyā'), deaf (أَصَمّ aṣamm, fem. صَمَّاء ṣammā'), dumb (أَبْكَم abkam, fem. بَكْمَاء bakmā'), and hunchbacked. The morphological grouping reflects an old Arabic classification of prominent physical marks.
Arabic poetry from the pre-Islamic period already uses these color-adjective patterns unchanged. The 6th-century poet Imru' al-Qays described his beloved's hair as "darker than the blackness of night" (أَسْوَد مِن سَوَاد اللَّيْل), using exactly the aswad form preserved in Modern Standard Arabic today. The stability of Arabic morphological patterns over 1500 years is remarkable.
Derived and Modern Color Terms
Beyond the primary eight, modern Arabic expresses color with relative adjectives (نِسْبَة nisba) formed by adding ـِيّ (-iyy, masculine) or ـِيَّة (-iyya, feminine) to a noun.
Table 2. Derived colors.
| Arabic | Transliteration | Derivation | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| وَرْدِيّ | wardī | from ward (rose) | Pink |
| بُرْتُقَالِيّ | burtuqālī | from burtuqāl (orange fruit) | Orange |
| بُنِّيّ | bunnī | from bunn (coffee) | Brown |
| بَنَفْسَجِيّ | banafsajī | from banafsaj (violet flower) | Purple, violet |
| رَمَادِيّ | ramādī | from ramād (ashes) | Gray |
| فِضِّيّ | fiḍḍī | from fiḍḍa (silver) | Silver |
| ذَهَبِيّ | dhahabī | from dhahab (gold) | Gold |
| تُرْكُوَازِيّ | turkuwāzī | from turkuwāz (turquoise) | Turquoise |
| نَيْلِيّ | nīlī | from nīl (indigo) | Dark blue, indigo |
| سَمَاوِيّ | samāwī | from samā' (sky) | Sky blue |
| زَيْتُونِيّ | zaytūnī | from zaytūn (olive) | Olive |
| كَرَزِيّ | karazī | from karaz (cherries) | Cherry red |
| فِسْتُقِيّ | fistuqī | from fistuq (pistachio) | Pistachio green |
| قَمْحِيّ | qamḥī | from qamḥ (wheat) | Wheat-colored |
Derived color adjectives follow regular gender inflection: masculine بُنِّيّ, feminine بُنِّيَّة, plural بُنِّيُّون for humans or بُنِّيَّة for non-humans.
The Four Kinds of Adjective Agreement
An Arabic adjective agrees with its noun in all four of the following:
1. Gender (masculine / feminine). A masculine noun takes a masculine adjective; feminine takes feminine.
- كِتَاب كَبِير (kitāb kabīr) a big book (m).
- مَدْرَسَة كَبِيرَة (madrasa kabīra) a big school (f).
2. Number (singular / dual / plural).
- كِتَاب كَبِير (one big book).
- كِتَابَانِ كَبِيرَانِ (kitābān kabīrān) two big books.
- كُتُب كَبِيرَة (kutub kabīra) big books (non-human plural, see below).
3. Definiteness (both have الـ or neither does).
- كِتَاب كَبِير (a big book, both indefinite).
- الكِتَاب الكَبِير (al-kitāb al-kabīr) the big book (both definite).
- الكِتَاب كَبِير (al-kitāb kabīr) the book is big. This is a sentence (copula), not a noun phrase.
4. Case (nominative -u, accusative -a, genitive -i; see the Arabic grammar rules guide).
- رَأَيْتُ الكِتَابَ الكَبِيرَ (ra'aytu l-kitāba l-kabīra) I saw the big book (both accusative).
The Crucial Non-Human Plural Rule
This is Arabic's most counterintuitive agreement rule: plurals of non-human nouns take feminine singular adjectives and verbs.
- كُتُبٌ جَدِيدَةٌ (kutubun jadīdatun) new books. jadīda is feminine singular, not kabīr jam'.
- السَّيَّارَاتُ سَرِيعَةٌ (as-sayyārātu sarīʿatun) the cars are fast. Not sarīʿāt.
- البُيُوتُ قَدِيمَةٌ (al-buyūtu qadīmatun) the houses are old.
This rule applies to anything inanimate or animal: books, cars, schools, animals, abstract concepts. Only plurals of humans (teachers, students, men, women) take proper plural adjectives.
- المُعَلِّمُونَ مُجْتَهِدُونَ (al-muʿallimūna mujtahidūna) the teachers are diligent. Human plural takes plural adjective.
- الطُّلَّابُ ذَكِيُّونَ (aṭ-ṭullābu dhakiyyūn) the students are intelligent.
Why? Classical grammarians described non-human plurals as a "collective feminine" because the plural of a non-human is conceptually a single mass of things. Mastering this rule is a rite of passage for Arabic learners.
Common Descriptive Adjectives
Table 3. Size, quality, and state adjectives.
| Arabic (m) | Transliteration | English | Feminine |
|---|---|---|---|
| كَبِير | kabīr | Big | كَبِيرَة |
| صَغِير | ṣaghīr | Small | صَغِيرَة |
| طَوِيل | ṭawīl | Tall, long | طَوِيلَة |
| قَصِير | qaṣīr | Short | قَصِيرَة |
| عَرِيض | ʿarīḍ | Wide | عَرِيضَة |
| ضَيِّق | ḍayyiq | Narrow | ضَيِّقَة |
| جَدِيد | jadīd | New | جَدِيدَة |
| قَدِيم | qadīm | Old (things) | قَدِيمَة |
| كَبِير السِّنّ | kabīr as-sinn | Old (people) | كَبِيرَة السِّنّ |
| شَابّ | shābb | Young | شَابَّة |
| جَمِيل | jamīl | Beautiful | جَمِيلَة |
| قَبِيح | qabīḥ | Ugly | قَبِيحَة |
| حَسَن | ḥasan | Good, nice | حَسَنَة |
| سَيِّئ | sayyi' | Bad | سَيِّئَة |
| سَرِيع | sarīʿ | Fast | سَرِيعَة |
| بَطِيء | baṭī' | Slow | بَطِيئَة |
| قَوِيّ | qawī | Strong | قَوِيَّة |
| ضَعِيف | ḍaʿīf | Weak | ضَعِيفَة |
| غَنِيّ | ghanī | Rich | غَنِيَّة |
| فَقِير | faqīr | Poor | فَقِيرَة |
| سَعِيد | saʿīd | Happy | سَعِيدَة |
| حَزِين | ḥazīn | Sad | حَزِينَة |
| ذَكِيّ | dhakī | Intelligent | ذَكِيَّة |
| غَبِيّ | ghabī | Stupid | غَبِيَّة |
| كَسْلَان | kaslān | Lazy | كَسْلَى (irregular) |
| مُجْتَهِد | mujtahid | Diligent | مُجْتَهِدَة |
Most adjectives form the feminine by simple addition of ـَة (tā' marbūṭa). A small set follows the فَعْلَان/فَعْلَى pattern (kaslān/kaslā, ʿaṭshān/ʿaṭshā thirsty).
Temperature, Weight, and Condition
Table 4. Physical-state adjectives.
| Arabic | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| حَارّ | ḥārr | Hot |
| بَارِد | bārid | Cold |
| دَافِئ | dāfi' | Warm |
| مُعْتَدِل | muʿtadil | Mild, moderate |
| رَطْب | raṭb | Humid, moist |
| جَافّ | jāff | Dry |
| ثَقِيل | thaqīl | Heavy |
| خَفِيف | khafīf | Light (weight) |
| مُمْتَلِئ | mumtali' | Full |
| فَارِغ | fārigh | Empty |
| نَظِيف | naẓīf | Clean |
| وَسِخ | wasikh | Dirty |
| حُلْو | ḥulw | Sweet |
| مُرّ | murr | Bitter |
| مَالِح | māliḥ | Salty |
| حَامِض | ḥāmiḍ | Sour |
Comparative and Superlative: The Second Use of the afʿal Pattern
The same أَفْعَل (afʿal) pattern that forms colors and defects also forms comparative and superlative adjectives. This is economical but can confuse beginners.
Formation. Take any adjective with a triliteral root. Strip to three consonants and apply أَفْعَل:
- كَبِير (big) → أَكْبَر (akbar) bigger / biggest.
- صَغِير (small) → أَصْغَر (aṣghar) smaller.
- جَمِيل (beautiful) → أَجْمَل (ajmal) more beautiful.
- ذَكِيّ (intelligent) → أَذْكَى (adhkā) more intelligent.
- سَرِيع (fast) → أَسْرَع (asraʿ) faster.
- قَوِيّ (strong) → أَقْوَى (aqwā) stronger.
Comparative syntax
Use أَفْعَل + مِن (min, than):
- الكِتَابُ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ المُعْجَمِ (al-kitābu akbaru mina l-muʿjam) The book is bigger than the dictionary.
- السَّيَّارَةُ أَسْرَعُ مِنَ الدَّرَّاجَةِ (as-sayyāratu asraʿu mina d-darrāja) The car is faster than the bicycle.
Note: comparatives do not inflect for gender or number; afʿal works for everything. هِيَ أَكْبَرُ مِنِّي (hiya akbaru minnī) "She is bigger than me" uses the same afʿal form regardless of the feminine subject.
Superlative syntax
Two forms:
أَفْعَل + indefinite noun (= "the biggest X"):
- أَكْبَرُ بَيْتٍ (akbaru baytin) the biggest house.
- أَجْمَلُ مَدِينَةٍ (ajmalu madīnatin) the most beautiful city.
الـ + أَفْعَل (= "the biggest"):
- البَيْتُ الأَكْبَرُ (al-baytu l-akbar) the biggest house.
- الرَّجُلُ الأَذْكَى (ar-rajulu l-adhkā) the most intelligent man.
The grammarian Sībawayh (8th century) noted that the afʿal pattern's triple use, for colors, defects, and comparatives, reflects "the mind's instinct to mark a quality as a distinguishing seal." All three meanings single out a noteworthy feature that separates its bearer from the ordinary.
Word Order: Adjective Follows Noun
English: "red car." Arabic: "car red" (سَيَّارَة حَمْرَاء sayyāra ḥamrā').
Multiple adjectives chain after the noun:
- سَيَّارَة حَمْرَاء كَبِيرَة (sayyāra ḥamrā' kabīra) a big red car.
- البَيْتُ القَدِيمُ الجَمِيلُ (al-baytu l-qadīmu l-jamīlu) the beautiful old house.
Each adjective carries its own agreement. If there are three adjectives, each inflects for gender, number, definiteness, and case.
Adjective-Noun vs. Sentence
Arabic draws a sharp line between a noun-adjective phrase and a subject-predicate sentence.
- الكِتَابُ الكَبِيرُ (al-kitābu l-kabīru) The big book. (Both definite. Noun phrase.)
- الكِتَابُ كَبِيرٌ (al-kitābu kabīrun) The book is big. (Noun definite, adjective indefinite. This is a sentence.)
This is the famous "verbless sentence" or جُمْلَة اسْمِيَّة (nominal sentence). The mismatch in definiteness is the signal that the adjective functions as a predicate rather than a modifier.
Common Mistakes English Speakers Make
Putting adjectives before nouns. English-speakers instinctively say ahmar sayyāra (red car) which is wrong. Arabic always puts the adjective after.
Forgetting to mark definiteness consistently. الكِتَاب أَكْبَر is a sentence (the book is bigger); الكِتَاب الأَكْبَر is a noun phrase (the biggest book). Dropping al- on the adjective changes the meaning entirely.
Using plural adjectives for non-human plurals. Saying البُيُوت كِبَار (buyūt kibār) instead of البُيُوت كَبِيرَة is a common error. Remember the non-human plural rule: feminine singular adjective.
Literal gender of feminine-irregular nouns. Some nouns look masculine (no tā' marbūṭa) but are grammatically feminine, like شَمْس (shams, sun) and يَد (yad, hand). Adjectives must match the grammatical gender, not the apparent form.
Mixing color patterns. Saying حَمْرَاء for a masculine noun (instead of أَحْمَر) is a frequent slip. Keep masculine afʿal and feminine faʿlā' straight.
Treating comparatives as inflected. أَكْبَر is fixed. You never say "أَكْبَرَة" for a feminine subject. Comparatives in afʿal form do not inflect.
Dropping من in comparisons. In English we can say "This is bigger." In Arabic the comparative form alone feels unfinished without a من clause or a context that implies the compared-to entity.
Quick Reference
- Color pattern: masc. أَفْعَل afʿal / fem. فَعْلَاء faʿlā' / pl. فُعْل fuʿl.
- Red: أَحْمَر / حَمْرَاء. Blue: أَزْرَق / زَرْقَاء. Green: أَخْضَر / خَضْرَاء.
- Derived colors: add ـِيّ -iyy: وَرْدِيّ (pink), بُنِّيّ (brown).
- Adjectives follow the noun: سَيَّارَة حَمْرَاء.
- Non-human plurals use fem. sg. adjective: كُتُب كَبِيرَة.
- Comparative: أَفْعَل + مِن: أَكْبَر مِن.
- Superlative: أَفْعَل + indefinite noun: أَكْبَر بَيْت.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do colors have unusual masculine and feminine forms? They share the أَفْعَل/فَعْلَاء pattern with physical defects, an ancient grouping.
What is four-way agreement? Gender, number, definiteness, and case. The adjective must match on all four.
Do non-human plurals always use feminine singular adjectives? Yes. كُتُب كَبِيرَة not كُتُب كِبَار.
How do derived colors like pink work? Relative adjectives: وَرْدِيّ (from rose), بُنِّيّ (from coffee).
What is the feminine of أحمر? حَمْرَاء. All primary colors form the feminine by faʿlā'.
Order of noun and adjective? Noun first, then adjective.
Comparative and superlative forms? أَفْعَل pattern with من (than). Superlative uses indefinite genitive or al- form.
See Also
- Arabic grammar rules complete beginners guide
- Arabic root system trilateral roots word formation reference
- Arabic definite article al sun moon letters reference
- Arabic verb forms 1-10 complete conjugation reference
- Arabic pronouns attached detached complete reference
- Arabic numbers system guide Modern Standard
- Arabic broken plurals irregular plural patterns reference
- Arabic alphabet complete guide for beginners
Author: Kalenux Team
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Arabic colors have unusual masculine and feminine forms?
Primary colors follow the أَفْعَل/فَعْلَاء (afʿal/faʿlā') pattern, shared with physical defects (like blind أَعْمَى/عَمْيَاء and deaf أَصَمّ/صَمَّاء). The pattern emerged from classical Arabic's tendency to group qualities perceived as notable features into a single morphological class. The plural is فُعْل (fuʿl).
What does it mean for an adjective to agree with its noun?
Arabic adjectives must match their noun in four features: gender (masculine/feminine), number (singular/dual/plural), definiteness (both take al- or neither does), and case (nominative, accusative, genitive). A red book is كِتَابٌ أَحْمَرُ; the red book is الكِتَابُ الأَحْمَرُ.
Do non-human plurals always take feminine singular adjectives?
Yes. This is one of Arabic's most counterintuitive rules. A plural of non-humans (books, buildings, animals) takes a feminine singular adjective. كُتُبٌ كَبِيرَةٌ (big books) uses kabīra (f. sg.) not kibār. Human plurals use proper plural adjectives: رِجَال طِوَال (tall men).
How do derived colors like pink or brown work?
Derived colors often use relative adjectives: وَرْدِيّ (wardī, pink, from ward rose), بُرْتُقَالِيّ (burtuqālī, orange, from burtuqāl orange), بُنِّيّ (bunnī, brown, from bunn coffee). They follow regular masculine-feminine patterns: wardī/wardiyya.
What is the feminine of أحمر?
حَمْرَاء (ḥamrā'). All primary color adjectives form the feminine by the pattern فَعْلَاء (faʿlā'). Blue أَزْرَق → زَرْقَاء (zarqā'), green أَخْضَر → خَضْرَاء (khaḍrā'), yellow أَصْفَر → صَفْرَاء (ṣafrā'), black أَسْوَد → سَوْدَاء (sawdā'), white أَبْيَض → بَيْضَاء (bayḍā').
Do Arabic adjectives come before or after the noun?
After. Arabic is adjective-follows-noun. كِتَاب كَبِير (a big book), literally 'a book big.' This is the opposite of English. Multiple adjectives stack after the noun: a big red book is كِتَاب كَبِير أَحْمَر.
How do comparative and superlative forms work?
The comparative/superlative uses أَفْعَل (afʿal) pattern, the same as the primary color pattern. أَكْبَر (akbar, bigger/biggest), أَصْغَر (aṣghar, smaller/smallest), أَطْوَل (aṭwal, taller/tallest). Comparative: أَكْبَر مِن (bigger than). Superlative: الأَكْبَر (the biggest) or أَكْبَر + indefinite noun (the biggest X).
