Language/Moroccan-arabic/Grammar/Adjective-Agreement

Rate this lesson:

0.00

(0 votes)

Help - Comments

◀️ Renting an Apartment — Previous Lesson	Next Lesson — Comparative and Superlative Adjectives ▶️

Moroccan Arabic Grammar → Adjectives → Adjective Agreement

As a beginner Moroccan Arabic learner, it's extremely important to learn how to agree adjectives with nouns. Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns, and they take different forms depending on the gender and number of the noun they are describing. In this lesson, we will cover the basics of adjective agreement in Moroccan Arabic.

Don't miss the chance to check out these pages as you wrap up this lesson: The verb to sleep & How to use “to be” with adjectives in Moroccan Arabic.

Gender Agreement

Moroccan Arabic, like many other languages, distinguishes between masculine and feminine nouns. Adjectives must agree with the gender of the noun they describe. Here are some examples:

Moroccan Arabic	Pronunciation	English
بغيت لونجير فلوز	Bghit longir flwz	I want a yellow t-shirt
لونجيرة كتبنية	Longirat katbnia	The blue t-shirt is new (feminine)
هاد المكتب كيشريرو بيض	Had lmktb kyshrero byd	This desk is buying white (masculine)
هاد لمكتب كياشريرو بيضة	Had lmktb kiyshrero byda	This desk is buying white (feminine)

In the first example, the noun "longir" (t-shirt) is masculine, so the adjective "flwz" (yellow) is in masculine form. In the second example, the noun "longirat" (t-shirt) is feminine, so the adjective "katbnia" (new) is in feminine form. Similarly, in the third example, the noun "mktb" (desk) is masculine, so the adjective "byd" (white) is in masculine form. In the fourth example, the noun "lmktb" (desk) is feminine, so the adjective "byda" (white) is in feminine form.

Note: Some adjectives have the same form for both masculine and feminine, such as "katbnia" in the second example.

Number Agreement

Moroccan Arabic nouns have two numbers: singular and plural. Adjectives must also agree with the number of the noun they describe. Here are some examples:

Moroccan Arabic	Pronunciation	English
هاد شي كرسي	Had shi krsi	This is a chair (singular)
هاد شي كراسي	Had shi krasī	These are chairs (plural)
هاد لبغيتي كرسي كيفرش	Had lbghiti krsi kifērsh	This chair that I wanted is broken (singular)
هاد لبغيتي كراسي كيفرشو	Had lbghiti krasī kifērsho	These chairs that I wanted are broken (plural)

In the first example, the noun "krsi" (chair) is singular, so the adjective "shi" (this) is also in singular form. In the second example, the noun "krasī" (chairs) is plural, so the adjective "shi" (these) is also in plural form. Similarly, in the third example, the noun "krsi" (chair) is singular, so the adjective "lbghiti" (that I wanted) is also in singular form. In the fourth example, the noun "krasī" (chairs) is plural, so the adjective "lbghiti" (that I wanted) is also in plural form.

Position of Adjectives

In Moroccan Arabic, adjectives usually come after the noun they describe. Here are some examples:

بغيت خويا خدام يجيب ليا الكتاب لي كتبتوا || Bghit khuya khaddam yjib lia lktab li ktbto || I want my brother who works to bring me the book that I wrote.

In this example, the adjective "khaddam" (who works) comes after the noun "khuya" (brother). This is a common pattern in Moroccan Arabic.

Exceptions

There are a few exceptions to the rules of adjective agreement in Moroccan Arabic, such as:

Adjectives that end in "i" or "u" do not change form for feminine nouns.

For example:

Moroccan Arabic	Pronunciation	English
هاد البَغْل ديالي خفيف	Had lbaghl dayli khfif	This is my light-colored mule
هد الخرفان ديالي صغيرات	Had lkhrafān dayli sghirat	These are my small-sized sheep

In the first example, the adjective "khfif" (light) does not change form for the feminine noun "baghl" (mule). In the second example, the adjective "sghirat" (small-sized) does not change form for the feminine noun "khrafān" (sheep).

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding how to agree adjectives with nouns is an essential part of mastering Moroccan Arabic grammar. Remember to pay attention to the gender and number of the noun you are describing, and keep in mind the exceptions to the rules. With practice, you will soon be able to form accurate and grammatically correct sentences in Moroccan Arabic.

Sources

Congratulations on finishing this lesson! Explore these related pages to keep learning: The verb "To want" & Adjectives.

Table of Contents - Moroccan Arabic Course - 0 to A1

Course Presentation

Introduction

Greetings and Basic Phrases

Nouns and Pronouns

Food and Drink

Verbs

House and Home

Adjectives

Traditions and Customs

Prepositions

Transportation

Imperative Mood

Shopping and Bargaining

Historical Sites and Landmarks

Relative Clauses

Health and Emergencies

Passive Voice

Leisure and Entertainment

Holidays and Festivals

Conditional Mood

Regional Dialects

Indirect Speech

Weather and Climate

Other Lessons

◀️ Renting an Apartment — Previous Lesson	Next Lesson — Comparative and Superlative Adjectives ▶️

Contributors

Maintenance script

Create a new Lesson