Lesson 22 · أَكْبَرُ
Comparing: bigger, the biggest
To compare, Arabic puts the describing word into the pattern أَفْعَلُ (afʿalu) and follows it with مِنْ (than): كَبِيرٌ (big) gives أَكْبَرُ مِنْ (bigger than). The same form is used for men, women and things, so it never takes ـة.
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Examples
الرِّيَاضُ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ جِدَّةَar-riyaaḍu akbaru min jiddataRiyadh is bigger than Jeddah.
أَخِي أَصْغَرُ مِنِّيakhii aṣgharu minniiMy brother is younger than me.
هٰذَا الطَّرِيقُ أَقْرَبُhaadha ṭ-ṭariiqu aqrabuThis way is shorter (nearer).
الْقِطَارُ أَسْرَعُ مِنَ الْحَافِلَةِal-qiṭaaru asraʿu mina l-ḥaafilatiThe train is faster than the bus.
هٰذَا أَحْسَنُ مَطْعَمٍ فِي الْمَدِينَةِhaadhaa aḥsanu maṭʿamin fil-madiinatiThis is the best restaurant in the city.
انْتَظَرْتُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ سَاعَةٍintaẓartu akthara min saaʿatinI waited more than an hour.
هِيَ أَطْوَلُ طَالِبَةٍ فِي الْفَصْلِhiya aṭwalu ṭaalibatin fil-faṣliShe is the tallest student in the class.
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُallaahu akbarAllah is the Greatest.
Key points
- كَبِيرٌ → أَكْبَرُ bigger · صَغِيرٌ → أَصْغَرُ smaller · قَرِيبٌ → أَقْرَبُ nearer · جَمِيلٌ → أَجْمَلُ more beautiful
- For “the biggest”, put the same word before a singular noun: أَكْبَرُ مَدِينَةٍ (the biggest city). Or add الْ: هُوَ الْأَكْبَرُ (he is the eldest).
- أَحْسَنُ means better or best, and أَكْثَرُ more or most: أَكْثَرُ مِنْ سَاعَةٍ (more than an hour). You already know a famous one: اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ (Allah is the Greatest).
Practice
Tap a question to see the answer.
Make “more beautiful than” from جَمِيلٌ.
أَجْمَلُ مِنْ ajmalu min
Say “My house is bigger than your house.” (to a man)
بَيْتِي أَكْبَرُ مِنْ بَيْتِكَ baytii akbaru min baytika
Say “the biggest city”.
أَكْبَرُ مَدِينَةٍ akbaru madiinatin