أفعل + من

Bigger than

Level 2

In Arabic, the comparative ('more [adjective]') is formed by putting the three root letters of an adjective into the pattern أَفْعَل (af‘al) followed by the word مِنْ (min), meaning 'than'.

How It Works

The comparative degree in Modern Standard Arabic is built using the Root and Pattern system.

1. The Pattern:
Take the three root letters of an adjective and slot them into the أَفْعَل (af‘al) template. For example, the root ك-ب-ر (big) becomes أَكْبَر (bigger). This pattern is a diptote, so it never takes tanween.

2. Using 'Min':
To say 'than', use the preposition مِنْ. Because it follows a preposition, the noun being compared must be in the genitive case (majrur).
Example: The house is bigger than the office = البيتُ أكبرُ من المكتبِ.

3. Invariability:
A unique feature of this pattern is that it remains masculine singular even if the subject is feminine or plural. You do not add a Ta Marbuta to it in this construction.

4. Special Cases:

  • Irregular Forms: The words خَيْر (better) and شَرّ (worse) are used instead of 'akhyar' or 'asharr'.
  • Doubled Roots: If the last two letters are the same, they merge: أَجَدّ (newer).
  • Defective Roots: If the root ends in a weak letter, it ends in an Alif Maqsura: أَغْلَى (more expensive).
  • Longer Adjectives & Colors: For adjectives with more than three roots or for colors/defects, use أكثر (akthar - more) or أشدّ (ashadd - more intense) + the Verbal Noun in the accusative case (tamyiz), such as أكثرُ حمرةً (redder).

Examples (5)

  1. الفيلُ أكبرُ من الأسدِ.

    The elephant is bigger than the lion.

    Word by Word: The elephant [is] bigger than the lion.

    Here, the adjective 'kabīr' (big) is transformed into 'akbar' to show comparison.

  2. هذه القصةُ أجملُ من تلكَ.

    This story is more beautiful than that one.

    Word by Word: This the story [is] more beautiful than that.

    Notice that 'ajmal' remains masculine even though 'qissa' (story) is feminine.

  3. أحمدُ أطولُ مني.

    Ahmad is taller than me.

    Word by Word: Ahmad [is] taller than from-me.

    When comparing to a person using a pronoun, 'min' attaches to the pronoun suffix.

  4. المدينةُ أكثرُ ازدحاماً من القريةِ.

    The city is more crowded than the village.

    Word by Word: The city [is] more crowding than the village.

    For longer adjectives, we use 'akthar' followed by the verbal noun in the accusative case (tamyiz).

  5. هذا الكتابُ خيرٌ من ذلكَ.

    This book is better than that one.

    Word by Word: This the book [is] better than that.

    'Khayr' (better) and 'sharr' (worse) are irregular comparatives that drop the initial Alif.

Common Mistakes

  • Applying gender agreement to the comparative adjective.

    البنتُ أطولة من أخيها.
    البنتُ أطولُ من أخيها.

    In the 'af'al + min' construction, the adjective must remain masculine singular regardless of the subject's gender.

  • Using the 'af'al' pattern directly for colors or physical defects.

    هذا القميصُ أحمرُ من ذاكَ.
    هذا القميصُ أكثرُ حمرةً من ذاكَ.

    Adjectives of color and physical defects cannot use the 'af'al' pattern for comparison; instead, use 'akthar' plus the verbal noun in the accusative.

  • Adding nunation (tanween) to the 'af'al' pattern.

    هو أكبرٌ منكَ.
    هو أكبرُ منكَ.

    The 'af'al' pattern is a diptote (mamnu' min al-sarf), meaning it never takes tanween and takes a fatha instead of a kasra in the genitive case.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

أفعل + منLevel 2Bigger than

Learn This First

To use the comparative structure 'أفعل + من', you first need to understand how to form the elative noun (أفعل) from a three-letter root. You also need to be familiar with the preposition 'من' (from/than) and how to structure a basic nominal sentence (Subject and Comment) to state that one thing is 'bigger than' another.

Words in This Pattern

من