# المدن الكبرى al-mudun al-kubraa



## Anatoli

Hi,

Please explain the reading and the meaning of the highlighted word:

لعدد من المدن اليمنية الكنرى مثل صنعاء وعدن​

... to a number of _major _Yemeni cities like San`aa and `Adan...

Thank you 

​


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## DrLindenbrock

The highlighted word is al-kubrà, the biggest.
Al-kubrà is the feminine of al-akbar.
It is used as a plural object with inanimated objects.

I would translate as follows:
...to a number of the largest Yemeni cities, like Sanaa and Aden.

or, less literally,
...to some of Yemen's largest cities, like Sanaa and Aden.


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## Anatoli

Thank you vey much, DrLindenbrock! 

I haven't this bit of grammar yet - feminine forms of comparative/superlative forms. Are they all irregular or is there a rule? 
kabiir (m) - kabiira (f) -> akbar (m) - kubraa (f)

Would I need to know a rule or just memorise like irregular adjectives (eg. abyaD (m) - bayDaa' (f) "white") if I need to make a feminine form from "arkhaS" (cheaper/cheapest from "rakhiiS" - cheap).


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## elroy

Anatoli, I do not think that there is a separate feminine superlative for every adjective.  In fact, I can only think of a few off the top of my head - كبرى، صغرى، قصوى، عظمى - which seem to follow the same pattern.

For the vast majority of adjectives, you will use the masculine form.


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## abusaf

Elroy: Don't forget the best one: فصحى


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## cherine

Anatoli said:


> I haven't this bit of grammar yet - feminine forms of comparative/superlative forms. Are they all irregular or is there a rule?
> kabiir (m) - kabiira (f) -> akbar (m) - kubraa (f)


This pattern works fine فَعيلة-فُعْلَى 
But we can also use the masculine superlative : الفتاة الطويلة the tall girls, becomes الفتاة الأطول .
Or الفتاة السعيدة happy girl -> الفتاة الأسعد the happiest. Actually in this one, I never heard as-su3daa, so the rule has exceptions -just like any rule 


> Would I need to know a rule or just memorise like irregular adjectives (eg. abyaD (m) - bayDaa' (f) "white")


The superlative of such adjectives is formed generally according to the pattern : akthar+maSdar :
بيضاء -> أكثر بيضاء
حمراء -> أكثر حَمارًا


> if I need to make a feminine form from "arkhaS" (cheaper/cheapest from "rakhiiS" - cheap).


Again, you'd use the masculine form أرخص which will work as a "neutral" form in such contexts.


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## Abu Bishr

cherine said:


> The superlative of such adjectives is formed generally according to the pattern : akthar+maSdar :
> بيضاء -> أكثر بيضاء
> حمراء -> أكثر حَمارًا


 
... as well as:

أكثر بياضًا
أكثر حمرةً


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## cherine

You're right. I did it wrong, أكثر بيضاء doesn't even exist 
Also أكثر حُمرة is much better than حمارة (I even doubt of it now  )

Thanks Abu Bishr for noticing this. And sorry if I mislead anyone.


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## Anatoli

Thanks, Abusaf, AbuBishr and Cherine.

Could you please provide romanisation for these form?:

فصحى 
Which ajective is this from?

Some explanations went over my head, sorry, since I don't know the original form of these adjectives (masculine/feminine) to compare with the comparative/superlative (masculine/feminine) forms.


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## abusaf

فصيح = Elegant

أفصح = More elegant (masculine)

فصحى = More elegant (feminine)


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## Anatoli

Thanks, Abusaf, by romanisation I meant the pronunciation of the words  but thanks for providing all the forms. I have just looked up فصيح - faSiiH.

I can only guess how to pronounce أفصح and فصحى. Is it afSaH and fuSHaa?


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## abusaf

No you're thinking about the letter ضاد , the letter here is ص (Saa)

So:

فصيح = Elegant = FaSee7

 أفصح = More elegant (masculine) AfSa7

 فصحى = More elegant (feminine) FuS7aa


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## Anatoli

Thanks, Abusaf!  I edited my post


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## Mery_Dian

abusaf said:


> فصيح = Elegant = FaSee7



Hello Abusaf,

Just a little comment: Although فصيح is translated sometimes as _elegant_, I would rather suggest _eloquent _or _fluent _to be more accurate.


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## abusaf

Yes you're right, I was thinking of eloquent.


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## zooz

abusaf said:


> أفصح = More elegant (masculine)
> 
> فصحى = More elegant (feminine)



I believe أفصح is used for both masculine and feminine. It doesn't sound correct to hear: سلمى فُصحى من ليلى

 سلمى أفصحُ من ليلي sounds about the good one, at least to my ears.


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## abusaf

Zooz

You may be correct when it comes to comparing things i.e أفصح من.... but we all know "اللغة العربية الفصحى"


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## zooz

abusaf said:


> .... but we all know "اللغة العربية الفصحى"



Then you reply should be:

أفصح = More eloquent (masculine + feminine)

الأفصح = The *Most* eloquent (masculine)

الفصحى = The *Most* eloquent (feminine)

Or not?


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## elroy

You are right, Zooz.  Abusaf must have been typing too fast.

Positive: فصيح (masculine); فصيحة (feminine)
Comparative: أفصح (for both)
Superlative: الأفصح (masculine); الفصحى (feminine) 

Transliterations: _faSii7, faSii7a, afSa7, al-afSa7, al-fuS7aa_


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## Anatoli

elroy said:


> You are right, Zooz.  Abusaf must have been typing too fast.
> 
> Positive: فصيح (masculine); فصيحة (feminine)
> Comparative: أفصح (for both)
> Superlative: الأفصح (masculine); الفصحى (feminine)
> 
> Transliterations: _faSii7, faSii7a, afSa7, al-afSa7, al-fuS7aa_


Interesting, thanks, Elroy.

So superlative and comparative forms can be different as in your example? Will it also apply to kabiir, kabiira; akbar; al-akbar, al-kubra. Meaning that akbar can be used for both m. and f. but superlative forms are different. Sorry, if it's a silly question.


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## elroy

Anatoli said:


> So superlative and comparative forms can be different as in your example? Will it also apply to kabiir, kabiira; akbar; al-akbar, al-kubra. Meaning that akbar can be used for both m. and f. but superlative forms are different. Sorry, if it's a silly question.


 The masculine superlative form is always the same as the comparative + الـ (like in French and Spanish).  The feminine superlative form is either identical to the masculine form or different for some adjectives.

There is never a separate form for the feminine in the comparative.

I hope that answers your (not silly) question. 

(The forms of كبير that you listed are correct.)


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## Anatoli

Thanks a lot Elroy and everybody else for your replies 
It is clear now. I will check textbooks and dictionaries if they demonstrate when the feminine superlative  form is different.


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