ذكي
dhakī
The Arabic word for 'intelligent' is ذكي (dhakī).
ذكي is used to describe someone or something with a high or especially quick cognitive capacity, or to describe someone as bright.
Meaning: of high or especially quick cognitive capacity, bright (adj)
Which one should you use?
While ذكي is the standard term for intelligent, you may use فطن to specifically describe someone who is intelligent and sharp-minded. If you want to describe someone as being highly skilled and intelligent within a specific field, use بارع.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective ذكي changes depending on the noun it describes. To describe a feminine noun, use the feminine form ذكية. To describe multiple people, use the plural form أذكياء. If you want to express that someone is more intelligent or the smartest, use the comparative/superlative form أذكى.
How do you pronounce it?
dhakī
Did you know?
- While ذكي is the standard for intelligence, using it to describe a person's scent might imply they have a very strong or pungent smell.
- In classical Arabic, the term was sometimes used to describe a fire that burns intensely and brightly, mirroring the 'spark' of intelligence.
- The root of ذكي actually relates to the concept of 'sharpness' or 'piercing', much like a blade or a scent that is strong and pungent.
Examples in context
- كان عند زيري حصان ذكي.Ziri had an intelligent horse.This sentence shows how to use ذكي to describe an animal.Tatoeba #12172794 by dididodo, translation #11370244 by Amastan
- في رأي ،الخيول حيوانات ذكية جدا.In my opinion, horses are very intelligent animals.This sentence demonstrates using ذكي to describe animals in general.Tatoeba #7673799 by Rose_qudairi, translation #7669447 by karloelkebekio
- زيري ذكي.Ziri is intelligent.This sentence shows how to use ذكي to describe a person.Tatoeba #10231141 by Amastan, translation #10209303 by Amastan
- البروفيسور أحمد هو شخص ذكي ويتمتع بكثير من المعرفة.Al-Professor Ahmad is an intelligent person and possesses much knowledge.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sara and Omar are discussing a student's performance.
- سارة Saraهل تعتقد أن الطالب الجديد ذكي؟Hal ta'taqid anna al-talib al-jadid dhaki?Do you think the new student is intelligent?
- عمر Omarنعم، هو ذكي جداً في الرياضيات.Na'am, huwa dhaki jiddan fi al-riyadiyyat.Yes, he is very intelligent in mathematics.
- سارة Saraلاحظت ذلك عندما حل المسألة بسرعة.Lahaztu dhalika 'indama halla al-mas'ala bi-sur'ah.I noticed that when he solved the problem quickly.
- عمر Omarبالفعل، يا سارة، إنه طفل موهوب.Bil-fi'l, ya Sara, innahu tifl mawhub.Indeed, Sara, he is a gifted child.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
