Arabic vocabulary
خَفِيفlight in Arabic
خَفِيف is how you say “light” in Arabic. Hear it pronounced and see it used in real example sentences from classical texts below.
Root خ ف ف (kh-f-f)adjective (participial/intensive adjective, faʿīl pattern)Pronounced khafīf
Meaning of light in Arabic
- light (in weight) — said of a thing that is light of body or material substance; the opposite of ثقيل 'heavy'.
- brisk, agile, active, quick — tropical use: prompt and lively in work or service, e.g. of someone who is obedient and quick to respond.
- light-witted, fickle, unsteady — tropical use describing lightness of intellect or temperament — easily swayed, irresolute.
- quick-witted, sharp, clever — an alternate tropical nuance of the same 'light in intellect' idea, taken in a positive sense.
خفيف is the standard opposite of ثقيل ('heavy') and is used both literally, for physical weight, and tropically, for character (brisk, agile, quick to obey) or intellect (light-witted/fickle, or, in a more positive sense, sharp and clever). The related verb خفّف underlies the Qur'anic term تخفيف ('alleviation', Q2:174), used for the easing of a burden or a religious rule.
Words from the same root
- خَفَّto be or become light (of weight; also tropically, of conduct, work, or intellect)
- خَفَّفَto make light, lighten, alleviate (e.g. a burden or a rule)
- خِفَّةٌlightness (the verbal noun of خَفَّ, used both literally and figuratively)
Common questions
- How do you say "light" in Arabic?
- خَفِيف (khafīf).
- What is the root of خفيف?
- The geminate root خ ف ف (kh-f-f), the same root behind خَفَّ 'to be light' and خِفَّة 'lightness'.
Definitions synthesised from Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon (E. W. Lane, 1863–1893).
Example sentences
كلمتان خفيفتان على اللِّسَان ثقيلتان فِي الْمِيزَان حبيبتان إِلَى الرَّحْمَن سُبْحَانَ الله وَبِحَمْدِهِ سُبْحَانَ الله الْعَظِيم
"Two words light on the tongue, heavy on the scale, beloved to the Most Merciful: Glory be to Allah and with His praise, Glory be to Allah the Great."
خَفِيفَتَانِ — two light. 'two light ones', adjective on 'two words', in the DUAL to agree — both the number and the -ani dual ending match. Arabic makes the adjective copy the dual just as the noun has it.
From: The Declaration of Faith →كلمتان خفيفتان على اللِّسَان ثقيلتان فِي الْمِيزَان حبيبتان إِلَى الرَّحْمَن سُبْحَانَ الله وَبِحَمْدِهِ سُبْحَانَ الله الْعَظِيم
"Two phrases that are light on the tongue, heavy on the balance, and beloved to the Most Merciful: 'Glory be to Allah and His is the praise, Glory be to Allah, the Most Great.'"
— two light. 'two light ones', adjective on 'two words', in the DUAL to agree — number and the -ani ending both match.
Related words
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