Learn Arabic › A2 › بَسِيط
بَسِيط
simple /baˈsiːtˤ/
adjectiveA2#748 most common
Also: easy, plain, modest, minor
Example sentences
هٰذَا سُؤَالٌ بَسِيطٌ.
This is a simple question.
المُشْكِلَةُ بَسِيطَةٌ، لَا تَقْلَقْ.
The problem is simple, don't worry.
أُحِبُّ الحَيَاةَ البَسِيطَةَ فِي القَرْيَةِ.
I like the simple life in the village.
دَفَعْتُ مَبْلَغًا بَسِيطًا مُقَابِلَ هٰذِهِ الخِدْمَةِ.
I paid a modest amount for this service.
رَغْمَ مَظْهَرِهِ البَسِيطِ، يَحْمِلُ الجِهَازُ تِقْنِيَةً مُعَقَّدَةً.
Despite its simple appearance, the device carries complex technology.
يُفَضِّلُ الفَلَاسِفَةُ تَفْسِيرَ الظَّوَاهِرِ بِرَدِّهَا إِلَى عَنَاصِرَ بَسِيطَةٍ لَا تَقْبَلُ التَّجْزِئَةَ.
Philosophers prefer to explain phenomena by reducing them to simple elements that cannot be divided.
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | بَسِيطٌ (basīṭun) | بُسَطاءُ (busaṭāʾu) |
| Genitive | بَسِيطٍ (basīṭin) | بُسَطاءَ (busaṭāʾa) |
| Accusative | بَسِيطًا (basīṭan) | بُسَطاءَ (busaṭāʾa) |
| Vocative | يا بَسِيطُ (yā basīṭu) | يا بُسَطاءُ (yā busaṭāʾu) |
Word family
بَسَطَ (basaṭa)to spread out, extend
بَساطة (basāṭa)simplicity
تَبْسيط (tabsīṭ)simplification
مَبْسوط (mabsūṭ)spread out; (colloquial) happy, well
بِساط (bisāṭ)carpet, rug
Etymology
بَسِيط comes from the triliteral root ب-س-ط, meaning to spread out or flatten. On the faʿīl adjective pattern it first described something level and extended, then shifted to the sense of plain and uncomplicated. The same root gives بَسَطَ, to spread, and بِساط, a carpet. The metaphor is direct: what lies flat and open is easy to grasp.
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