 | Chapter 15 - Adjectives - Specificities |
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We have already seen several basic adjectives in Chapter 14. Here are some more:
| Somali Adjective | Translation |
|---|---|
| bisil | = ripe |
| cabsi | = dangerous, scary |
| ceedhiin | = unripe |
| dhan | = complete |
| foojig | = alert, cautious |
| la' | = without |
| le'eg | = equal (in size) |
| madhan / maran | = empty |
| nadiif | = clean |
| moog | = ignorant, deficient |
| neceb | = hated |
| nool | = alive |
| nugul | = delicate, weak |
| roon | = very good, better |
| raqiis | = cheap |
| san | = good |
| shilis | = big, fat (animals) |
| ugub | = virginal |
| xariif | = intelligent |
Adjectives Associated with the Verb "yahay" in the Present Tense
Forms of the General Present tense are suffixed to common adjectives like wanaagsan = good, well; fiican = well; dheer = tall; xun = bad; ladan = good, better (after an illness); etc..
This process attributes a quality to a person or thing.
Examples:
| Adjective | Adjective + ahay | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Wanaagsan (good, well) | Waan wanaagsanahay | I am well |
| Wanaagsan (good, well) | Waanu wanaagsannahay | We are well |
| Fiican (well) | Waad fiicantahay | You are well |
| Ladan (better) | Wuu ladanyahay | He is better |
| Harradsan (thirsty) | Waanu harradsannahay | We are thirsty |
| Gajaysan (hungry) | Waydiin gajaysantihiin | You are hungry |
| Buuran (fat) | Wiilka yari wuu buranyahay | This young boy is fat |
| Buuran (fat) | Wiilasha yaryari way buranyihiin | These young boys are fat |
| Xun (bad) | Hawaadu way xuntahay | The weather is bad |
| Fiican (good) | Hawaadu way fiicantahay | The weather is good |
| Kuluul (hot) | Cadceedu way kuluushahay | The sun is hot |
| Weyn (big, large) | Miisku wuu weynyahay | The table is large |
Adjectives in a negative sentence
Common adjectives are suffixed with the negative present verb endings of yahay.
Examples:
| Adjective | Adjective + a | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Wanaagsan (good, well) | Ma wanaagsana | I am not well |
| Wanaagsan (good, well) | Anagu ma wanaagsanin | We are not well |
| Fiican (well) | Adigu ma fiicanid | You are not well |
| Buuran (big) | Wiilkan ma buurna | This boy is not big |
| Buuran (big) | Wiilashani ma buurbuurna | These boys are not big |
| Xun (bad) | Hawaadu ma xuma | The weather is not bad |
| Kulul (hot) | Cadceedu ma kulula | The sun is not hot |
| Weyn (big, large) | Miisku ma weyna | The table is not large |
Adjectives formed with a noun + ah
Nouns can be made to become a kind of adjective by the addition of the word "ah" (a relative form of the verb ahaan or yahay = to be).
They take the place of an adjective and thus qualify the noun that precedes them in the sentence.
Examples:
| Wiil geesi ah | = a brave boy (a boy who is brave) |
| Gabadh geesiyad ah | = a brave girl (a girl who is brave) |
| Wiil ferid ah | = an intelligent boy |
| Gabadh feridad ah | = an intelligent girl |
| Wiil doqon ah | = a simple-minded boy |
| Gabadh doqon(ad) ah | = a simple-minded girl |
Adjectives of colour:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| madow | cad | cawolan | buluug | cagaar, cagaaran |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| hurud, jaalle | guduud | cas, casan | basal | bunni, kafee |
As in English, adjectives of colour can also be nouns in Somali.
| Af Soomaali | English | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Bisada yar oo madow. |
= the little black cat. | conjunction oo = and, between 2 adjectives. |
| Bisada cad iyo madow. |
= the white and black cat. | conjunction iyo = and, between 2 nouns. |
| Timahaygu waa madowyihiin. |
= my hair is (are) black. | -yihiin suffixed to madow-> adjective. |
| Casanku mahaa midabka aan jeclahay. |
= red is not a colour I like. | -ku suffixed to casan -> noun subject. |
Comparative:
To compare 2 people or 2 things, we use the word ka = "more than", placed before the adjective.
| Af Soomaali | English | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Maxamed Cali wuu ka dheer yahay. or Maxamed wuu ka dheer yahay Cali. |
= Mohamed is taller than Ali. | (Mohamed Ali he taller than is) (Mohamed he taller than is Ali) |
| Fadumo Casho way ka dheer tahay. or Fadumo way ka dheer tahay Casho. |
= Fatuma is taller than Aïcha. | (Fatuma Aïcha she taller than is) (Fatuma she taller than is Aïcha) |
| Casho way ka gaban tahay Fadumo. | = Aïcha is shorter than Fatuma. | (Aïcha she shorter than is Fatuma) |
| Sonkortu way ka badan tahay bariiska. | = There is more sugar than rice. | (Sugar it more than much is rice) |
| Bariiska wuu ka yar yahay sonkorta | = There is less rice than sugar. | (Rice it more than little is sugar) |
| Basashu toonta way ka badan tahay | = There are more onions than garlic. | (Onion garlic it more than much is) |
| Koobkaani kaan kale wuu ka weyn yahay or Koobkaani wuu ka weyn yahay kaan kale |
= This cup is bigger than the other one. | (cup-this this other it more than small is) (Cup-this it more than big is this other) |
The Superlative:
The superlative is used to compare a person or thing to a group of people or things: for example, the tallest boy in his entire class, or in the whole school, or in the entire village, etc.
We use the word ugu = "the most", placed before the adjective.
Example 1: Maxamed wuu ugu dheer yahay kalaska = Mohamed is the tallest in the class.
Example 2: Maxamed waa ka ugu dheer kalaska = Mohamed, he is the one the tallest in the class.
Intensity with duplication:
The duplication of the adjective, usually used with a plural noun, can be used in a small number of cases with a singular noun to intensify the sense carried by the adjective, or sometimes modify it. Two syllable adjectives can also be repeated.
Examples:
| Singular Noun + Simple Adj |
Translation | Singular Noun + Duplicated Adj |
Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nin adag | a strong man | Nin adadag | a brave man (or stingy man!) |
| Guri jaban | a broken house | Guri jajaban | a house in ruins |
| Meel fog | a distant place | Meel fog fog | a far away place |
| Nin dheer | a tall man | Nin dheer dheer | a very tall man |
| Naag buuran | a big woman | Naag buuran buuran | an obese woman |
| Roob badan | Much rain | Roob badan badan | A lot of rain |
Intensity with "AAD U" (= very):
Examples:
| Noun + Adj | Translation | Noun + aad u + Adj | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nin weyn | a big man | Nin aad u weyn | a mature man, an old man |
| Waan fiicanahay | I am well | Aad baan u fiicanahay | I am very well |
| Gabar qurux badan | a beautiful girl | Gabar aad u qurux badan | a very beautiful girl |
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