Arabic vocabulary
كَفَىsufficient in Arabic
كَفَى is how you say “sufficient” in Arabic. Hear it pronounced and see it used in real example sentences from classical texts below.
Root ك ف ي (k-f-y)verb (form I)Pronounced kafā
Meaning of sufficient in Arabic
- to suffice, be enough, satisfy a need — the basic sense; it/he stood in place of another thing
- to serve as, count as — e.g. kafānī shahīdan, "he sufficed me as a witness"
- to ward off, spare someone from — e.g. kafāhu ash-sharra, "he warded evil off from him"
Sometimes takes a redundant بِ before its subject, as in the classical construction كَفَى بِاللهِ ("God suffices"); can also govern an accusative of specification, as in كَفَانِي شَهِيدًا ("he sufficed me as a witness").
Words from the same root
- اِكْتَفَىto be content, satisfied with something
- كِفَايَةٌa sufficiency, enough to meet a need
- أَكْفَىmore sufficing, more satisfying
Common questions
- How do you say "sufficient" in Arabic?
- The verb كَفَى (kafā), literally "it sufficed," expresses this — used like "that suffices" or "X is enough."
- What does اِكْتَفَى mean?
- From the same root, it means "to be satisfied or content with something," i.e. to regard it as enough.
Definitions synthesised from Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon (E. W. Lane, 1863–1893).
Example sentences
كفى بك عزّا أَنَّك لَهُ عبد،
Sufficient for you as honor that you are His servant,
كَفَى — sufficient. kafa = 'it suffices, is enough', past-tense 'he/it' form.
From: Seeds and Streams of Deeds →وكفى بك فخرا أَنه لَك رب
And sufficient for you as pride that He is your Lord.
وَكَفَى — and sufficient. wa- = 'and'; kafa = 'it suffices, is enough', past-tense 'he/it' form.
From: Seeds and Streams of Deeds →وَكَفَى بِهَذِهِ الأَوْصَافِ فَضِيلَةً
And these descriptions are enough to show its virtue.
وَكَفَى — and it suffices. 'wa-' = 'and'; past-tense verb, subject built in.
Related words
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