Abbreviations
This page explains the abbreviations used in the dictionary
Languages
abbreviation name | Description |
EG Egyptian Arabic | A word that is only used in Egypt |
MS Modern Standard Arabic | A word that is understood in Egypt and used throughout the arabic speaking world |
CL Classical Arabic | |
EN English | |
US American English |
Usages
The usage is a star indicating how frequently the word is used: the options are
- - daily
- - regularly
- - occasionally
- - understood but rarely used
- - not always understood
- no star - unrated
Elements
The element type indicates how a word is used in a sentence. Some words can be used in more than one way: for example 'name' can be either a noun or a verb.
For more information about elements, consult the Egyptian Arabic Grammar pages by following the links in this table.
abbreviation | name | Description | |
expr | expression | a complete phrase, | good morning |
part | participle | a participle is derived from a verb. | active: watching passive: watched |
v | verb | describes what is happening | make, think |
vi | intransitive verb | a verb that does not have a direct object | sleep |
n | noun | a thing or abstract concept | thing: brick concept: equality |
det | determiner | explains which noun you are talking about | a, the, this |
pro | pronoun | something used in place of a noun | I, he, nothing |
adj | adjective | describes or qualifies a noun | big, orange |
adv | adverb | describes a verb or adjective | quickly, very |
prep | preposition | defines the relationship, for example in space or time, between two things | to, with, after |
conj | conjunction | links two phrases together | because, but |
comp | comparative | derived from an adjective, used to compare two things | bigger, smarter |
q | query | turns a sentence into a question | what, why |
modal | modal | qualifies a verb | must, might, could |
Forms
Most words exist in more than one form (for example, knife and knives). The dictionary provides all of the forms necessary to work out the rest.
abbreviation | name | Used with | Usage | Example |
m | masculine | adj | one male person | |
f | feminine | adj | one female person many things | |
s | singular | n,adj,part | one person or thing | |
pl | plural | n,adj,part | many persons or things | |
coll | collective | n | foods and materials | fish, water, cloth |
dual | dual | n | 'a couple of' | minutes |
p | perfect | v | a completed action | |
imp | imperfect | v | an action in progress | |
pair | pair | n | 'a pair of' | shoes |
invar | invariable | adj,part,modal | must | |
part | participle | |||
inf | infinitive | v | in english, preceded by 'to' | |
act | active participle | v | in english, -ing | |
pass | passive participle | v | in english, -ed |