2D Shapes
Describing objects by their shape is highly useful. You will often encounter common two-dimensional shapes like a circle (دائرة), a triangle (مثلث), and a rectangle (مستطيل). Notice how adjectives modifying these shapes agree with their gender.
| The student drew a large circle. | رسمت الطالبة دائرة كبيرة.rasamati t-tâlibatu dâ'iratan kabîratan |
| No one saw the blue triangle. | لا أحد رأى المثلث الأزرق.lâ ahada ra'â al-muthallatha al-azraqa |
| Is the playground a rectangle or a square? | هل الملعب مستطيل أو مربع؟hal al-mal'abu mustatîlun aw murabba' |
3D Shapes
For three-dimensional objects, use terms like cube (مكعب) and cylinder (أسطوانة).
| I bought a wooden cube for the child. | اشتريت مكعبا من الخشب للطفل.ishtaraytu mukaaban mina al-khashabi littifli |
| Nothing is in the empty cylinder. | لا شيء في الأسطوانة الفارغة.lā shay'a fī al-usṭuwānati al-fārighah |
Surfaces and Shape Adjectives
To describe the physical characteristics of objects, you can talk about a surface (سطح) and whether it is flat (مسطح). You can also use adjectives derived from shape names. For example, you can form the adjective circular (دائري) from the noun for circle.
| The phone has a flat screen. | للهاتف شاشة مسطحة.lilhâtifi shâshatun musattahatun |
| The surface of the table is clean. | سطح الطاولة نظيف.sat-hu ttâwilati nazhîfun |
| The plate is circular, not square. | الطبق دائري، ليس مربعا.at-tabaqu dâ'iriyyun, laysa murabba'an |
Dimensions
When describing spaces, you will need to specify dimensions. Terms like area (مساحة) and length (طول) are frequently used in possessive phrases to ask about or state the size of a location or an object.
| What is the area of this garden? | ما مساحة هذه الحديقة؟mâ misâhatu hâdhihil hadîqah |
| What is the length of this street? | ما طول هذا الشارع؟mâ tûlu hâdhâ ash-shâri'i؟ |
