Menu
Menu

Moroccan Arabic Grammar: Adjectives

  1. Home > 
  2. Grammar > 
  3. Adjectives

Adjective endings

As in French, for example, Moroccan Arabic (Darija) adjectives have different endings when used to describe nouns that are masculine, feminine, plural and feminine plural.

Here are the rules for the two types of adjective:

Adjective typemfplfpl
Regular–+a [ة]+een [ين]+aat [ات]
Irregular (vowel = ee)–+a [ة]replace ee by aa [ا]

Examples:

Regular adjective: m frHaan, f frHaana, pl frHaaneen, fpl frHaanaat

Irregular adjective: m kbeer, f kbeera, pl kbaar

Using adjectives in the present tense

The rule: pronoun + adjective (without using the verb “to be”)

EnglishMoroccan Arabic
I’m happy‘anaa frHaan(a)
You (m,s) are happyntaa frHaan
You (f, s) are happyntee frHaana
He is happyhowa frHaan
She is happyheeya frHaana
We are happyHnaa frHaaneen / frHaanaat
You (pl) are happyntomaa frHaaneen / frHaanaat
They are happyhomaa frHaanin
They (f, pl) are happyhomaa frHaanaat

If you click on an advert and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more >

Using adjectives in the past tense

The rule: the verb “to be” (kaan) in past tense + adjective

EnglishMoroccan Arabic
I was happyknt frHaan(a)
You (s) were happykntee frHaan(a)
He was happykaan frHaan
She was happykaant frHaana
We were happyknnaa frHaaneen / frHaanaat
You (pl) were happykntoo frHaaneen / frHaanaat
They were happykaanoo frHaaneen
They (f, pl) were happykaanoo frHaanaat

Using adjectives in the future tense

The rule: the verb “to be” (kaan) in the future tense + adjective

EnglishMoroccan Arabic
I will be happyghaadee nkoon frHaan(a)
You (m) will be happyghaadee tkoon frHaan
You (f) will be happyghaadee tkoonee frHaana
He will be happyghaadee eekoon frHaan
She will be happyghaadee tkoon frHaana
We will be happyghaadee nkoonoo frHaaneen / frHaanaat
You (pl) will be happyghaadee tkoonoo frHaaneen / frHaanaat
They will be happyghaadee eekoonoo frHaaneen
They (f, pl) will be happyghaadee eekoonoo frHaanaat