Expressing Sufficiency with (كفى)
To state that something is "enough" or "sufficient", Arabic frequently uses the verb (كفى). In this special and highly common structure, the thing that is sufficient (the logical subject) is directly preceded by the preposition (بـ).
Although this (بـ) forces the following noun into the genitive case, in meaning it acts as an emphasis and is considered "redundant" (it does not translate to "in" or "with"). Finally, the sentence is completed with an indefinite noun in the accusative case (ending in ـاً). This accusative noun specifies how or in what capacity the subject is sufficient.
Contentment and Inner Peace
Because this structure highlights what is truly valuable, it frequently appears in literature, poetry, and daily expressions to convey contentment, serenity, and an appreciation for life's basic necessities. Notice how the accusative noun at the end of the clause clarifies the specific role (like a blessing, a helper, or peace of mind).
Attaching (بـ) to Pronouns
Just like any other preposition, the (بـ) following (كفى) can attach directly to a pronoun if the subject has already been mentioned. The structure remains exactly the same, pointing back to the subject and finishing with the accusative noun of specification.
Seeing the endings
This course writes Arabic the way books and newspapers print it, without the short-vowel marks, so the ending this lesson is about is usually something you hear in the audio but cannot see in the drills. Here are some of them with every vowel written out:
| as written | fully vocalized | meaning |
|---|
| نحن لا نحتاج إلى الكثير، كفى بالخبز قوتا وكفى بالماء بركة. | نَحْنُ لَا نَحْتَاجُ إِلَى الكَثِيرِ، كَفَى بِالخُبْزِ قُوتًا وَكَفَى بِالمَاءِ بَرَكَةً. | We do not need much; bread suffices as sustenance and water suffices as a blessing. |
| يعيش الرجل مبتسما، كفى بالقناعة ثراء. | يَعِيشُ الرَّجُلُ مُبْتَسِمًا، كَفَى بِالقَنَاعَةِ ثَرَاءً. | The man lives smiling; contentment suffices as wealth. |
| السكينة في القلب، وكفى بالإيمان طمأنينة. | السَّكِينَةُ فِي القَلْبِ، وَكَفَى بِالإِيمَانِ طُمَأْنِينَةً. | Serenity is in the heart, and faith suffices as peace of mind. |
The noun after بـ is genitive, though it is the thing that suffices: بِالخُبْزِ, بِالقَنَاعَةِ, بِالإِيمَانِ. The noun at the end is indefinite and accusative. You see it as an alif on قُوتًا, but on بَرَكَةً, طُمَأْنِينَةً and ثَرَاءً it is only heard, because a word ending in ة, or in ء after an alif, takes no written alif.
