A Hundred and One Rules in Arabic Grammar!

84. Adjectives ==============

We learned earlier that adjectives in Arabic are usually placed after the noun they modify, and therefore, they agree in terms of number, gender, definiteness/indefiniteness, and case with that noun. The comparative and superlative degrees of the adjectives are formulated following the pattern [Af’alu] ( أفعَلُ ) . They should be treated as Diptotes (no Nunation & accusative marker for genitive case).

Therefore,** **  قَريبٌ -------->** ** أقربُ

and   جَميلٌ -------->** ** أجملُ

a. With comparative adjectives, you need to use the preposition (مِنْ ) to compare the two nouns, as in:

My house is smaller than hers.  بَيتي أصغرُ مِنْ بَيتِها

b. In superlative, the most common method is to place the adjective before the noun, as in:

My house is the smallest (house) in  the village

Please remember that the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives are gender blind. Therefore, أصغرُ can be used for feminine and masculine nouns as well.