Learn Arabic › A1 › خائِف
خائِف
afraid /ˈxaː.ʔif/
adjectiveA1#455 most common
Also: scared, frightened, fearful
Example sentences
أنا خائِف.
I am afraid.
هي خائِفة من الكلب.
She is afraid of the dog.
الأطفال خائِفون من الظلام.
The children are afraid of the dark.
كان خائِفًا من أن يفشل في الامتحان.
He was afraid of failing the exam.
بدا خائِفًا رغم محاولته إخفاء قلقه.
He seemed afraid despite trying to hide his anxiety.
لم يكن خائِفًا من الموت بقدر ما كان خائِفًا من أن يُنسى.
He was not so much afraid of death as he was afraid of being forgotten.
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | خائِفٌ | خائِفونَ |
| Genitive | خائِفٍ | خائِفينَ |
| Accusative | خائِفًا | خائِفينَ |
| Vocative | يا خائِفُ | يا خائِفونَ |
Word family
خَوْفfear, fright
خَافَto fear, be afraid
مَخَافةfear, dread
مُخِيفfrightening, scaryخائِفةafraid (feminine)
Etymology
خائِف is the active participle of the verb خاف, 'to fear.' Both come from the triliteral root خ-و-ف, which carries the sense of fear and dread throughout Arabic. The medial weak letter و surfaces as a hamza in the participle, giving خائِف. The root is common Semitic, though the everyday word for fear in some sister languages comes from a different root.
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