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Weak
ضعيف (ḍa'īf) is an Arabic adjective meaning 'weak' or 'feeble.' It describes someone or something lacking in strength, power, or ability. The word is commonly used in both literal physical contexts and figurative contexts such as weak arguments, weak health, or weak performance.
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هذا الشخص ضعيف جداً ولا يستطيع حمل الأشياء الثقيلة.
Hādhā ash-shakhs ḍa'īf jiddan wa lā yastaṭī' hamul al-ashyā' ath-thaqīlah.
This person is very weak and cannot carry heavy things.
الاتصال الإنترنت ضعيف في هذا المكان.
Al-ittiṣāl al-intarnit ḍa'īf fī hādhā al-makān.
The internet connection is weak in this place.
حجته ضعيفة جداً ولم تقنعني.
Ḥujjatuh ḍa'īfah jiddan wa lam tuqni'nī.
His argument is very weak and did not convince me.
صوته ضعيف لكنني سمعت كلامه.
Ṣawtuh ḍa'īf lākinnanī sami't kalāmah.
His voice is weak but I heard what he said.
النبات ضعيف لأنه لم يحصل على كمية كافية من الماء.
An-nabāt ḍa'īf li-annahu lam yaḥṣul 'alā kammiyyah kāfiyah min al-mā'.
The plant is weak because it did not receive enough water.
In Arabic culture and Islamic tradition, weakness is often contrasted with strength and resilience. The Quran frequently uses ضعيف to describe spiritual or moral weakness, emphasizing the importance of developing strength through faith and good deeds. The phrase 'الضعفاء' (the weak) appears throughout classical Arabic literature and religious texts, often referring to those in need of protection and support in society.
Remember that ضعيف agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies—use ضعيف for masculine singular, ضعيفة for feminine singular, and ضعفاء or ضعاف for plural forms. The word works with both 'to be' constructions (هو ضعيف - he is weak) and as a predicate adjective. Pay attention to context: while it can describe physical weakness, it's equally common in describing abstract concepts like weak arguments, weak signals, or weak performance.
The Arabic word ضعيف (ḍa'īf) is a fundamental adjective meaning 'weak,' 'feeble,' or 'frail.' It represents the absence or insufficiency of strength, power, ability, or intensity. This word is widely used in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and all Arabic dialects to describe physical weakness, emotional frailty, intellectual deficiency, or the quality of being unconvincing or inadequate.
ضعيف is an adjective that must agree with the noun it modifies in both gender and number. The forms include:
When used in a sentence, ضعيف can function as a predicate adjective after the verb 'to be' (كان or هو) or as an attributive adjective directly modifying a noun.
While ضعيف primarily denotes physical weakness—such as a person lacking muscular strength or an animal being feeble—it extends to numerous abstract applications. You'll encounter it describing weak arguments (حجة ضعيفة), weak connections (اتصال ضعيف), weak passwords (كلمة مرور ضعيفة), weak health (صحة ضعيفة), and weak performance (أداء ضعيفة).
In Islamic and Arabic classical literature, ضعيف carries significant weight. The Qur'an uses this word to refer to spiritual and moral weakness, particularly in contexts of oppression and vulnerability. Islamic jurisprudence also employs ضعيف to classify weak hadith (ḥadīth ḍa'īf), which are traditions of uncertain reliability. In modern Arabic media and literature, the word appears frequently in discussions of economics, politics, health, and education.
The word frequently appears in specific phrases and contexts. "بصحة ضعيفة" (in weak health) is a common expression, as is "صوت ضعيف" (weak voice) and "نقطة ضعيفة" (weak point). In technology and modern usage, you'll see "إشارة ضعيفة" (weak signal) and "باتصال ضعيف" (with a weak connection).
The primary antonym of ضعيف is قوي (strong), which represents the opposite end of the spectrum. Other contrasting words include شديد (intense, severe, strong) and قوية (strong in feminine form). Understanding these contrasts helps deepen comprehension of the semantic field.
When using ضعيف in conversation or writing, remember that it must agree with its subject. Never say "البنت ضعيف" but rather "البنت ضعيفة." Additionally, the word appears naturally in both formal written Arabic and everyday speech, making it essential vocabulary for all proficiency levels. Practice using it with various nouns and in different grammatical positions to develop natural fluency.
Beyond literal meanings, ضعيف frequently appears in metaphorical contexts. A weak person might be described as someone easily influenced or lacking courage. A weak economy is one struggling with growth and stability. A weak student is one who struggles academically. These metaphorical extensions make the word invaluable for expressing nuanced meanings across different domains.