صف

صف

Arabic

Etymology 1

Of the root ص ف ف‎ (ṣ-f-f). Potentially an Aramaic borrowing, doublet of ضَفَّ‎ (ḍaffa, “to push, to throng, to jam, to collect together”), the cognate of which is attested in the passive participle as Jewish Babylonian Aramaic צְפִיפ‎ (ṣəp̄īp̄, “crowded, pushed into”), while the noun is also found as Jewish Babylonian Aramaic צַפָּא‎ (ṣappā, “row”), a relative of which would be Jewish Palestinian Aramaic צפד‎ (ṣfd, “to weave”), as this meaning is present in Arabic in an extended root Arabic ضَفَرَ‎ (ḍafara, “to weave, to plait”), though the example of عَصًا‎ (ʿaṣan) shows that rarely Proto-Semitic *ṣ́ inherited as Arabic ص (ṣ) is possible. Compare the suspicious term صَفَد‎ (ṣafad, “fetter, shackle”), as well as رَفّ‎ (raff, “shelf, a part of furniture where one rows things into”), and صُفَّة‎ (ṣuffa, “bench”) is also a borrowing and possibly related to the root.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sˤaff/

Noun

صَفّ • (ṣaff) m (plural صُفُوف‎ (ṣufūf))

1. row, line (sequence of people or objects)
2. battle order (arrangement of soldiers in battle)
3. setting in type
4. year, grade, form
5. class

Declension

Declension of noun صَفّ (ṣaff)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	صَفّ ṣaff	الصَّفّ‎ aṣ-ṣaff	صَفّ ṣaff
Nominative	صَفٌّ ṣaffun	الصَّفُّ‎ aṣ-ṣaffu	صَفُّ ṣaffu
Accusative	صَفًّا‎ ṣaffan	الصَّفَّ‎ aṣ-ṣaffa	صَفَّ ṣaffa
Genitive	صَفٍّ ṣaffin	الصَّفِّ‎ aṣ-ṣaffi	صَفِّ ṣaffi
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	صَفَّيْن‎ ṣaffayn	الصَّفَّيْن‎ aṣ-ṣaffayn	صَفَّيْ‎ ṣaffay
Nominative	صَفَّانِ‎ ṣaffāni	الصَّفَّانِ‎ aṣ-ṣaffāni	صَفَّا‎ ṣaffā
Accusative	صَفَّيْنِ‎ ṣaffayni	الصَّفَّيْنِ‎ aṣ-ṣaffayni	صَفَّيْ‎ ṣaffay
Genitive	صَفَّيْنِ‎ ṣaffayni	الصَّفَّيْنِ‎ aṣ-ṣaffayni	صَفَّيْ‎ ṣaffay
Plural	basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	صُفُوف‎ ṣufūf	الصُّفُوف‎ aṣ-ṣufūf	صُفُوف‎ ṣufūf
Nominative	صُفُوفٌ‎ ṣufūfun	الصُّفُوفُ‎ aṣ-ṣufūfu	صُفُوفُ‎ ṣufūfu
Accusative	صُفُوفًا‎ ṣufūfan	الصُّفُوفَ‎ aṣ-ṣufūfa	صُفُوفَ‎ ṣufūfa
Genitive	صُفُوفٍ‎ ṣufūfin	الصُّفُوفِ‎ aṣ-ṣufūfi	صُفُوفِ‎ ṣufūfi

Verb

صَفَّ • (ṣaffa) I, non-past يَصُفُّ‎‎ (yaṣuffu)

1. to line up, align
2. to compose, classify
3. to park (a car)

Conjugation

Conjugation of

صَفَّ

(form-I geminate, verbal noun صَفّ)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						صَفّ ṣaff
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						صَافّ‎ ṣāff
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مَصْفُوف‎ maṣfūf
active voice الْفِعْل الْمَعْلُوم
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	صَفَفْتُ‎ ṣafaftu	صَفَفْتَ‎ ṣafafta	صَفَّ ṣaffa		صَفَفْتُمَا‎ ṣafaftumā	صَفَّا‎ ṣaffā		صَفَفْنَا‎ ṣafafnā	صَفَفْتُمْ‎ ṣafaftum	صَفُّوا‎ ṣaffū
	f		صَفَفْتِ‎ ṣafafti	صَفَّتْ‎ ṣaffat			صَفَّتَا‎ ṣaffatā			صَفَفْتُنَّ‎ ṣafaftunna	صَفَفْنَ‎ ṣafafna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَصُفُّ‎ ʾaṣuffu	تَصُفُّ‎ taṣuffu	يَصُفُّ‎ yaṣuffu		تَصُفَّانِ‎ taṣuffāni	يَصُفَّانِ‎ yaṣuffāni		نَصُفُّ‎ naṣuffu	تَصُفُّونَ‎ taṣuffūna	يَصُفُّونَ‎ yaṣuffūna
	f		تَصُفِّينَ‎ taṣuffīna	تَصُفُّ‎ taṣuffu			تَصُفَّانِ‎ taṣuffāni			تَصْفُفْنَ‎ taṣfufna	يَصْفُفْنَ‎ yaṣfufna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَصُفَّ‎ ʾaṣuffa	تَصُفَّ‎ taṣuffa	يَصُفَّ‎ yaṣuffa		تَصُفَّا‎ taṣuffā	يَصُفَّا‎ yaṣuffā		نَصُفَّ‎ naṣuffa	تَصُفُّوا‎ taṣuffū	يَصُفُّوا‎ yaṣuffū
	f		تَصُفِّي‎ taṣuffī	تَصُفَّ‎ taṣuffa			تَصُفَّا‎ taṣuffā			تَصْفُفْنَ‎ taṣfufna	يَصْفُفْنَ‎ yaṣfufna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَصُفَّ‎ or أَصُفِّ‎ or أَصْفُفْ‎ ʾaṣuffa or ʾaṣuffi or ʾaṣfuf	تَصُفَّ‎ or تَصُفِّ‎ or تَصْفُفْ‎ taṣuffa or taṣuffi or taṣfuf	يَصُفَّ‎ or يَصُفِّ‎ or يَصْفُفْ‎ yaṣuffa or yaṣuffi or yaṣfuf		تَصُفَّا‎ taṣuffā	يَصُفَّا‎ yaṣuffā		نَصُفَّ‎ or نَصُفِّ‎ or نَصْفُفْ‎ naṣuffa or naṣuffi or naṣfuf	تَصُفُّوا‎ taṣuffū	يَصُفُّوا‎ yaṣuffū
	f		تَصُفِّي‎ taṣuffī	تَصُفَّ‎ or تَصُفِّ‎ or تَصْفُفْ‎ taṣuffa or taṣuffi or taṣfuf			تَصُفَّا‎ taṣuffā			تَصْفُفْنَ‎ taṣfufna	يَصْفُفْنَ‎ yaṣfufna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		صُفَّ or صُفِّ or اُصْفُفْ‎ ṣuffa or ṣuffi or uṣfuf			صُفَّا‎ ṣuffā				صُفُّوا‎ ṣuffū
	f		صُفِّي‎ ṣuffī							اُصْفُفْنَ‎ uṣfufna
passive voice الْفِعْل الْمَجْهُول
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	صُفِفْتُ‎ ṣufiftu	صُفِفْتَ‎ ṣufifta	صُفَّ ṣuffa		صُفِفْتُمَا‎ ṣufiftumā	صُفَّا‎ ṣuffā		صُفِفْنَا‎ ṣufifnā	صُفِفْتُمْ‎ ṣufiftum	صُفُّوا‎ ṣuffū
	f		صُفِفْتِ‎ ṣufifti	صُفَّتْ‎ ṣuffat			صُفَّتَا‎ ṣuffatā			صُفِفْتُنَّ‎ ṣufiftunna	صُفِفْنَ‎ ṣufifna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُصَفُّ‎ ʾuṣaffu	تُصَفُّ‎ tuṣaffu	يُصَفُّ‎ yuṣaffu		تُصَفَّانِ‎ tuṣaffāni	يُصَفَّانِ‎ yuṣaffāni		نُصَفُّ‎ nuṣaffu	تُصَفُّونَ‎ tuṣaffūna	يُصَفُّونَ‎ yuṣaffūna
	f		تُصَفِّينَ‎ tuṣaffīna	تُصَفُّ‎ tuṣaffu			تُصَفَّانِ‎ tuṣaffāni			تُصْفَفْنَ‎ tuṣfafna	يُصْفَفْنَ‎ yuṣfafna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُصَفَّ‎ ʾuṣaffa	تُصَفَّ‎ tuṣaffa	يُصَفَّ‎ yuṣaffa		تُصَفَّا‎ tuṣaffā	يُصَفَّا‎ yuṣaffā		نُصَفَّ‎ nuṣaffa	تُصَفُّوا‎ tuṣaffū	يُصَفُّوا‎ yuṣaffū
	f		تُصَفِّي‎ tuṣaffī	تُصَفَّ‎ tuṣaffa			تُصَفَّا‎ tuṣaffā			تُصْفَفْنَ‎ tuṣfafna	يُصْفَفْنَ‎ yuṣfafna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُصَفَّ‎ or أُصَفِّ‎ or أُصْفَفْ‎ ʾuṣaffa or ʾuṣaffi or ʾuṣfaf	تُصَفَّ‎ or تُصَفِّ‎ or تُصْفَفْ‎ tuṣaffa or tuṣaffi or tuṣfaf	يُصَفَّ‎ or يُصَفِّ‎ or يُصْفَفْ‎ yuṣaffa or yuṣaffi or yuṣfaf		تُصَفَّا‎ tuṣaffā	يُصَفَّا‎ yuṣaffā		نُصَفَّ‎ or نُصَفِّ‎ or نُصْفَفْ‎ nuṣaffa or nuṣaffi or nuṣfaf	تُصَفُّوا‎ tuṣaffū	يُصَفُّوا‎ yuṣaffū
	f		تُصَفِّي‎ tuṣaffī	تُصَفَّ‎ or تُصَفِّ‎ or تُصْفَفْ‎ tuṣaffa or tuṣaffi or tuṣfaf			تُصَفَّا‎ tuṣaffā			تُصْفَفْنَ‎ tuṣfafna	يُصْفَفْنَ‎ yuṣfafna

Verb

صِفْ • (ṣif) (form I)

1. second-person masculine singular active imperative of وَصَفَ‎ (waṣafa)

References

• “ṣpp²”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
• “ṣpd”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
• “ṣp²”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
• Steingass, Francis Joseph (1884), “صف”, in The Student's Arabic–English Dictionary‎, London: W.H. Allen
• Wehr, Hans (1979), “صف”, in J. Milton Cowan, editor, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, 4th edition, Ithaca, NY: Spoken Language Services, →ISBN, page 603

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South Levantine Arabic

Root
ص ف ف‎

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sˤaff/, [sˤɑf]

• Audio (al-Lidd)

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Arabic صَفَّ‎ (ṣaffa).

Verb

صفّ • (ṣaff) (form I, present بصفّ‎ (biṣoff))

1. to get in line
2. to park (a vehicle)

   Synonym: ركن‎ (rakan)

Conjugation

Conjugation of صفّّ (ṣaff)
		singular				plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
past	m	صفّّيت (ṣaffēt)	صفّّيت (ṣaffēt)	صفّّ (ṣaff)		صفّّينا (ṣaffēna)	صفّّيتو (ṣaffētu)	صفّّو (ṣaffu)
	f		صفّّيتي (ṣaffēti)	صفّّت (ṣaffat)
present	m	بصفّّ (baṣoff)	بتصفّّ (bitṣoff)	بصفّّ (biṣoff)		منصفّّ (minṣoff)	بتصفّّو (bitṣoffu)	بصفّّو (biṣoffu)
	f		بتصفّّي (bitṣoffi)	بتصفّّ (bitṣoff)
subjunctive	m	اصفّّ (aṣoff)	تصفّّ (tṣoff)	يصفّّ (yṣoff)		نصفّّ (nṣoff)	تصفّّو (tṣoffu)	يصفّّو (yṣoffu)
	f		تصفّّي (tṣoffi)	تصفّّ (tṣoff)
imperative	m		صفّّ (ṣoff)				صفّّو (ṣoffu)
	f		صفّّي (ṣoffi)

Etymology 2

From Arabic صَفّ‎ (ṣaff).

Noun

صفّ • (ṣaff) m (plural صفوف‎ (ṣfūf))

1. line, rank
2. class