The Diminutive Noun (اِسْمُ التَّصْغِيرِ)

The Diminutive Noun (اِسْمُ التَّصْغِيرِ) in Arabic is a derived noun that carries a sense of smallness and conveys softness or endearment.

For example, book → booklet, duck → duckling.

The diminutive noun (اِسْمُ التَّصْغِيرِ) adorns speech and is good to use in family and close relationships.

How the diminutive noun is formed

The diminutive is formed from a noun according to patterns. The base noun can have three, four or five letters.

🍀 Three-letter noun (فُعَيْلٌ)

The simplest way to form a diminutive noun is to form it from a three-letter noun using the pattern فُعَيْلٌ

وَلَدٌ: وُلَـيْدٌ Little boy, lad

جَبَلٌ: جُبَـيْلٌ Hillock

نَـهْرٌ: نُـهَيْـرٌ Rivulet

سَهْــلٌ: سُـهَـيْـلٌ Nice and easy

🍀 Four-letter noun (فُعَيْعِلٌ)

If the word consists of 4 letters, the diminutive noun is formed using the pattern فُعَيْعِلٌ

أُرَيْــنِبٌ مِن أَرنَبٌ Bunny

جُعَـيْـفِــرٌ مِن جَعْــفَرٌ Brooklet

فُـنَـيْدِقٌ مِن فُنْدُقٌ Small hotel

كُتَـيِّبٌ مِن كِتَابٌ Booklet

شُدَيِّدٌ مِن شَدِيْدٌ Little strongman

🍀 Five-letter noun (فُعَيْعِيل)

From a five-letter noun, the diminutive noun is formed using the pattern فُعَيْعِيلٌ

مُفَيْـتِيحٌ مِن مِفْتاحٌ Little key

فُـنَـيْجِينٌ مِن فِـنْجانٌ Little cup