Learn Arabic › A1 › نَفْس
نَفْس
self /ˈnafs/
nounA1#65 most common
Also: soul, same (as), psyche / ego
Example sentences
هٰذا نَفْسُ الكِتابِ.
This is the same book.
أُحِبُّ نَفْسي.
I love myself.
اِعْتَمِدْ عَلى نَفْسِكَ.
Rely on yourself.
حَدَّثَ نَفْسَهُ بِصَوْتٍ خافِتٍ.
He talked to himself in a low voice.
مَنْ جاهَدَ نَفْسَهُ نالَ السَّكينَةَ.
Whoever strives against his own ego attains serenity.
تَطْمَئِنُّ النُّفوسُ حينَ تَجِدُ السَّلامَ الدّاخِلِيَّ.
Souls grow tranquil when they find inner peace.
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | نَفْسٌ | نُفوسٌ |
| Genitive | نَفْسٍ | نُفوسٍ |
| Accusative | نَفْساً | نُفوساً |
| Vocative | يا نَفْسُ | يا نُفوسُ |
Word family
نَفَسbreath
تَنَفَّسَto breathe
نَفْسِيّpsychological, mentalنَفيسprecious, valuable
مُنافَسةcompetition, rivalry
Etymology
نَفْس derives from the common Semitic triliteral root ن-ف-س (n-f-s), whose core sense is 'breath, breathing.' From the breath that animates a living being the meaning extended to 'life,' then to the inner 'self, soul, psyche.' The same breath-to-soul development is seen across the Semitic family.
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