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Moroccan Arabic Grammar: 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 type m f pl fpl
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”)

English Moroccan Arabic
I’m happy ‘anaa frHaan(a)
You (m,s) are happy ntaa frHaan
You (f, s) are happy ntee frHaana
He is happy howa frHaan
She is happy heeya frHaana
We are happy Hnaa frHaaneen / frHaanaat
You (pl) are happy ntomaa frHaaneen / frHaanaat
They are happy homaa frHaanin
They (f, pl) are happy homaa frHaanaat

Using adjectives in the past tense

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

English Moroccan Arabic
I was happy knt frHaan(a)
You (s) were happy kntee frHaan(a)
He was happy kaan frHaan
She was happy kaant frHaana
We were happy knnaa frHaaneen / frHaanaat
You (pl) were happy kntoo frHaaneen / frHaanaat
They were happy kaanoo frHaaneen
They (f, pl) were happy kaanoo frHaanaat

Using adjectives in the future tense

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

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