Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| صغير | ṣuḡayyar | /sˤa.ɣiːr/ | Egyptian Arabic |
| صَغِير | ṣaḡīr | ||
| زغير | zḡīr | South Levantine Arabic |
Use صغير to describe physical size, but use قليل to describe a small quantity or amount.
Which one should you use?
While صغير refers to physical size, the related word قليل is used to express that there is a small quantity or amount of something.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word قليل is a formal term for "little" in Arabic. In Egyptian Arabic, the word شوية is used in Egyptian Arabic to mean "a little" or "a bit."
Is it said differently in some regions?
The pronunciation ṣuḡayyar is a common way to say 'little' in Egyptian Arabic dialect. In South-Levantine Arabic, the form زغير is used.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective صغير must agree with the gender of the noun it describes, so use the feminine form صغيرة for feminine nouns. When describing non-human plurals, the adjective صغير is typically used in its singular feminine form صغيرة. The feminine singular form of قليل is قليلة.
How do you pronounce it?
ṣuḡayyar
Did you know?
- The Arabic word صغير is a distant relative of the Biblical Hebrew word צָעִיר, both descending from a Proto-Semitic root meaning 'small' or 'young'.
- Arabic has a specific grammatical system called the 'diminutive' that can transform صغير into an even 'smaller' or 'cuter' sounding version of the word.
- The word صغير can also mean 'young' in many contexts, such as referring to a 'little' person or a 'small' child.
Examples in context
- كان زيري صغير الحجم.Ziri was little.This sentence shows the use of صغير to describe Ziri's size.Tatoeba #10228975 by Amastan, translation #10204469 by Amastan
- كان لزيري مشكل صغير.Ziri had a little problem.This sentence uses صغير to describe a problem.Tatoeba #10259652 by Amghar, translation #10216299 by Amastan
- كان زيري طفلا صغيرا.Ziri was a little boy.This sentence uses صغير to describe a boy.Tatoeba #11976429 by dididodo, translation #10225682 by Amastan
- لدي قليل من الوقت لإكمال المهمة.I have little time to complete the task.
- لدي قطعة صغيرة من الكعك.I have a small piece of cake.
- ولد صغير يلعب في الحديقة.A little boy is playing in the garden.
- عندي شوية فلوس جاهزة.I have some money ready.
- شاركتنا شوية من القصة.She shared a bit of the story with us.
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sara and Ziad are looking at an apartment for rent.
- سارة Saraالشقة دي صغيرة أوي يا زياد.Esh-shaqqa dee saghira awy ya Ziad.This apartment is very small, Ziad.
- زياد Ziadبس سعرها كويس عشان هي صغيرة.Bas se'ra kwayes ashan heyya saghira.But its price is good because it is small.
- سارة Saraبس المطبخ صغير جداً.Bas el-matbakh saghir geddan.But the kitchen is very small.
- زياد Ziadممكن نشتري عفش صغير هنا.Momken neshtari afsh saghir hena.We can buy small furniture here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “little” translations and entries صغير, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries صغير, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
