صغير
ṣuḡayyar/sˤa.ɣiːr/Egyptian Arabic
The English word small is expressed in Arabic as صغير (ṣuḡayyar). Wiktionary also lists صَغِير (ṣaḡīr) and زغير (zḡīr).
Meaning: not large (adj)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| صغير | ṣuḡayyar | /sˤa.ɣiːr/ | Egyptian Arabic |
| صَغِير | ṣaḡīr | ||
| زغير | zḡīr | South Levantine Arabic |
The word is an adjective used to describe something or someone that is not large.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, you may use صغير (pronounced ṣuḡayyar). In South Levantine Arabic, the form زغير (pronounced zḡīr) is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
For the feminine plural, the form is صغيرات.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of صغير is /sˤa.ɣiːr/.
Did you know?
- While صغير describes size, the Arabic language has a specific grammatical pattern called the 'diminutive' used to make any noun sound 'small' or 'cute'.
- The word صغير is a cognate of the Biblical Hebrew word צָעִיר meaning 'young'.
- The term can be used metaphorically to describe 'small' thoughts or 'trivial' matters, often carrying a slightly dismissive tone.
Examples in context
- أخي صغير لكنه قوي.My brother is small but strong.This sentence shows how to use صغير to describe a person.Tatoeba #493404 by saeb, translation #278567 by CK
- كان لسامي قارب صغيرSami had a small rowboat.This sentence demonstrates using صغير to describe an object.Tatoeba #6120087 by Feyza, translation #6119302 by OsoHombre
- منزل توم صغير جدّا.Tom's house is very small.This sentence shows how to use صغير to describe a house.Tatoeba #7739577 by MisterBrown, translation #7737884 by CK
- البيت صغير.The house is small.
- ارتكبت خطأً تافهاً.She made a small mistake.
- البكتيريا ضئيلة جدا لا يمكن رؤيتها.The bacteria are too small to be seen.
- الكلب ده صغير جدا.That dog is very small.
- عند الطفل يدين صغيرتين.The baby has small hands.
- 62 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ahmed and Maryam are shopping for a new phone.
- أحمد Ahmedالموبايل ده حجمه صغير.el-mobayel da hagmou soghayar.This phone's size is small.
- مريم Maryamبس شكله شيك يا أحمد.bas shaklou sheek ya Ahmed.But it looks chic, Ahmed.
- أحمد Ahmedبس الشاشة صغيرة جدًا.bas el-shasha soghayara geddan.But the screen is very small.
- مريم Maryamمريم عايزة شاشة كبيرة.Maryam 'ayza shasha kebira.Maryam wants a large screen.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “small” 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.
