ذكي
dhaki
The English word "smart" is translated into Arabic as ذكي (dhaki).
ذكي is used to describe someone or something exhibiting intellectual knowledge, such as that found in books.
Meaning: exhibiting intellectual knowledge, such as that found in books (adj)
Which one should you use?
While ذكي refers to innate intelligence or cleverness, the word فطن is often used to describe someone who is quick-witted or perceptive in a specific moment.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of the adjective is ذكية and the plural form is أذكياء.
How do you pronounce it?
dhaki
Did you know?
- The root of ذكي is shared with the word for 'fragrant' or 'strong-smelling'. In ancient Arabic, a 'smart' person was metaphorically linked to a scent that is sharp and penetrates the air.
- In many Arabic dialects, calling someone ذكي with a certain sarcastic tone can actually be a way of calling them 'slow' or 'oblivious' in a social situation.
- In certain highly formal or classical contexts, the word ذكي can be used to describe the intensity of a scent or a flame, rather than a person's intellect.
Examples in context
- هذا الكلب ذكي جدّا.This dog is very smart.This sentence is useful for using ذكي to describe an animal.Tatoeba #7967333 by OsoHombre, translation #7967334 by OsoHombre
- أصبح زيري ذكيا جدا.Yanni became too smart.This sentence is useful for using ذكي to describe a person becoming smart.Tatoeba #11648041 by dididodo, translation #10185546 by Amastan
- كان سامي حقّا ذكيّا.Sami was really smart.This sentence is useful for using ذكي to describe a person's character in the past.Tatoeba #7183890 by OsoHombre, translation #7165629 by OsoHombre
- تعتبر سارة من النساء الذكيات في مجال علوم الحاسوب.Sarah is considered one of the smart women in the field of computer science.
- ماجد يُعتبر طالبًا متفوقًا بسبب تفوقه العلمي.Majid is considered an outstanding student due to his scientific excellence.
- سامي ذكي جداً، ينجح في كل المواد التي يدرسها.Sami is very smart, he succeeds in all the subjects he studies.
- محمد عبقري في فن الطبخ، يبتكر أطباقًا مذهلة في المطبخ.Mohammed is a genius in the art of cooking, he creates amazing dishes in the kitchen.
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sara and Ziad are discussing a student at their university.
- سارة Saraهل هو طالب ذكي؟hal huwa talib dhaki?Is he a smart student?
- زياد Ziadنعم، هو ذكي للغاية.na'am, huwa dhaki lil-ghaya.Yes, he is extremely smart.
- سارة Saraلقد سمعت عنه الكثير.laqad sami'tu 'anhu al-kathir.I have heard a lot about him.
- زياد Ziadإنه متميز في دراسته.innahu mutamayyiz fi dirasatihi.He is excellent in his studies.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
