ضئيل
da'il
The English word 'tiny' is translated into Arabic as ضئيل (da'il).
To emphasize how small something is, you can say ضئيل جداً to mean 'very tiny'.
Meaning: very small (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective changes to the feminine form ضئيلة when you are describing a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
da'il
Did you know?
- Arabic has a unique 'diminutive' noun pattern that can make any noun 'tiny' without using an adjective, by changing the internal vowels of the word itself.
- Unlike English, where 'tiny' is often considered cute or endearing, using ضئيل in Arabic remains strictly descriptive and lacks that inherent 'cuteness' factor.
- In Arabic, the root of ضئيل relates to the idea of something being 'diminished' or 'fading', suggesting a sense of something losing its substance or presence.
Examples in context
- كان الربح ضئيلًا جدًا هذا الشهر.kana al-ribḥu ḍa'īlan jiddan hadha al-shahr.The profit was very tiny this month.
- هناك احتمال ضئيل لحدوث ذلك.hunāka iḥtimāl ḍa'īl li-ḥudūth dhālika.There is a tiny possibility of that happening.
- بقي لنا قدر ضئيل من الوقت.baqiya lanā qadrun ḍa'īl min al-waqt.We have a tiny amount of time left.
Example conversation
Mariam and Omar are discussing a business project's progress.
- مريم Maryamهل حققنا أرباحًا جيدة يا عمر؟hal ḥaqqaqnā arbāḥan jayyidah yā 'umar?Did we make good profits, Omar?
- عمر Omarللأسف، الربح كان ضئيلًا هذا العام.lil-asaf, al-ribḥ kana ḍa'īlan hadha al-'ām.Unfortunately, the profit was tiny this year.
- مريم Maryamهل هناك أمل في تحسن الوضع؟hal hunāka amal fī taḥassun al-waḍ'?Is there hope for the situation to improve?
- عمر Omarهناك احتمال ضئيل، لكننا سنحاول.hunāka iḥtimāl ḍa'īl, lakin-nā sanuḥāwil.There is a tiny possibility, but we will try.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ضئيل, CC BY-SA 4.0.
