Learn Arabic › B2 › بَضْع
بَضْع
a few (of), several (an indefinite number between three and nine) /ˈbɑdˤʕ/
nounB2#4301 most common
Also: some (used before a plural noun to mean an unspecified small number), a handful of
Example sentences
سَافَرْتُ إلى القَاهِرَةِ قَبْلَ بِضْعَةِ أَيّامٍ.
I traveled to Cairo a few days ago.
سَأَبْقَى هُنَا بِضْعَةَ أَسَابِيعَ.
I will stay here for a few weeks.
مَرَّتْ بِضْعُ سَنَوَاتٍ مُنْذُ تَخَرُّجِي.
A few years have passed since my graduation.
اِشْتَرَيْتُ بِضْعَ قِطَعٍ مِنَ القُمَاشِ.
I bought a few pieces of cloth.
يَحْتَاجُ المَشْرُوعُ إلى بِضْعَةِ أَشْهُرٍ لِيَكْتَمِلَ.
The project needs a few months to be completed.
تَحَدَّثَ الوَزِيرُ لِبِضْعِ دَقَائِقَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُغَادِرَ القَاعَةَ فَجْأَةً.
The minister spoke for a few minutes before suddenly leaving the hall.
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | بَضْعٌ | None |
| Genitive | بَضْعٍ | None |
| Accusative | بَضْعًا | None |
| Vocative | None | None |
Word family
بِضَاعَةmerchandise, goods
بِضْعَةa piece or fragment; also the feminine form of the numeral
مِبْضَعscalpel, surgical blade
تَبَضَّعَto go shopping, to buy goods
Etymology
بَضْع comes from the Semitic root ب-ض-ع, tied to the idea of cutting or dividing off a portion. As a numeral it originally marked an unspecified small remainder past a round number, which is why it settled into the sense of 'a few, between three and nine.' The same root gives Arabic words for merchandise and for a surgical blade, both built on the notion of a cut-off piece or share.
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