Arabic uses one pattern, af3al, for both "bigger" and "the biggest". It doesn't change for gender or number.
Making the comparative
Take the three root letters of the adjective and put them into a_ _a_:
| Adjective | Comparative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| كبير kibiir | أكبر akbar | bigger |
| صغير sughayyar | أصغر asghar | smaller |
| حلو 7ilw | أحلى a7la | nicer, sweeter |
| كويس kwayyis | أحسن a7san | better |
| غالي ghaali | أغلى aghla | more expensive |
| رخيص rikhiis | أرخص arkhas | cheaper |
| بعيد bi3iid | أبعد ab3ad | further |
kwayyis (good) takes a7san, from a different root.
"Than" is min
- القاهرة أكبر من إسكندريةil-qaahira akbar min iskindiriyyaCairo is bigger than Alexandria.
- هي أطول منهhiyya atwal minnuShe's taller than him.
- ده أرخص من دهda arkhas min daThis one is cheaper than that one.
The comparative doesn't change for hiyya: hiyya akbar, not kubra.
The superlative: before the noun
Put the comparative before a noun to mean "the most":
- أكبر بيتakbar beetthe biggest house
- أحسن مطعم في البلدa7san mat3am fil-baladthe best restaurant in town
Or use it on its own with il-:
- هو الأحسنhuwwa il-a7sanHe's the best.
Adjectives without the pattern
Longer adjectives and participles use aktar (more) after the adjective:
- مبسوط أكترmabsuut aktarhappier
- مشغولة أكتر منيmashghuula aktar minnibusier than me (f)