Elementary Arabic Morphology 2

The Adjective

  1. What is an adjective?

  2. How is an adjective formed from a triliteral verb?

  3. How is an adjective formed from a triliteral verb that indicates a color, defect or decoration?

  4. How is an adjective formed from a non-triliteral verb?

  5. An adjective is a form derived from an intransitive verb that slightly indicates an actor, except that it does not indicate the action of the actor, rather it indicates an established characteristic of the actor. For example: وَلَدٌ حَسَنٌ (a nice boy) or رَجُلٌ کَریمٌ(an honorable man). These adjectives are established characteristics found in the boy and man.

  6. There is no rule in forming adjectives from triliteral verbs. They are formed in numerous forms. For example: طاهر (purified), عطشان (thirsty) and ظریف (delicate).

  7. The adjective formed from triliteral verbs that indicate color, defect or decoration is put into the form أفعل. For example: أسمَرالوَجه (a brown face), أعمیَ القَلبِ (a blind heart) and أهیَفُ القَد (a slender physique).

  8. The adjective is formed from non-triliteral verbs by using the active participle form.