كيف

See also: کیف‎

Arabic

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kaj.fa/

• Audio

  (file)

Adverb

كَيْفَ • (kayfa)

1. (interrogative) how
2. however (in whatever way or state)
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 3:6:

     ‏هُوَ ٱلَّذِي يُصَوِّرُكُمْ فِي ٱلْأَرْحَامِ كَيْفَ يَشَاءُ‎

     huwa llaḏī yuṣawwirukum fī l-ʾarḥāmi kayfa yašāʾu

     It is He who forms you in the wombs however He wills.

Derived terms

• كَيْفَمَا‎ (kayfamā)

Descendants

• Maltese: kif
• Hijazi Arabic: كيف‎ (kēf)
• Moroccan Arabic: كيف‎ (kīf)
• North Levantine Arabic: كيف‎ (kīf)
• South Levantine Arabic: كيف‎ (kīf)

Etymology 2

From the root ك ي ف‎ (k-y-f).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kajf/

Noun

كَيْف • (kayf) m (plural كُيُوف‎ (kuyūf))

1. condition, state
2. mood
3. will
4. pleasure, well-being, good humor, enjoyment, carouse, excitement from opium
5. opiate, narcotic, cannabis

Declension

Declension of noun كَيْف (kayf)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	كَيْف kayf	الْكَيْف‎ al-kayf	كَيْف kayf
Nominative	كَيْفٌ kayfun	الْكَيْفُ‎ al-kayfu	كَيْفُ kayfu
Accusative	كَيْفًا‎ kayfan	الْكَيْفَ‎ al-kayfa	كَيْفَ kayfa
Genitive	كَيْفٍ kayfin	الْكَيْفِ‎ al-kayfi	كَيْفِ kayfi
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	كَيْفَيْن‎ kayfayn	الْكَيْفَيْن‎ al-kayfayn	كَيْفَيْ‎ kayfay
Nominative	كَيْفَانِ‎ kayfāni	الْكَيْفَانِ‎ al-kayfāni	كَيْفَا‎ kayfā
Accusative	كَيْفَيْنِ‎ kayfayni	الْكَيْفَيْنِ‎ al-kayfayni	كَيْفَيْ‎ kayfay
Genitive	كَيْفَيْنِ‎ kayfayni	الْكَيْفَيْنِ‎ al-kayfayni	كَيْفَيْ‎ kayfay
Plural	basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	كُيُوف‎ kuyūf	الْكُيُوف‎ al-kuyūf	كُيُوف‎ kuyūf
Nominative	كُيُوفٌ‎ kuyūfun	الْكُيُوفُ‎ al-kuyūfu	كُيُوفُ‎ kuyūfu
Accusative	كُيُوفًا‎ kuyūfan	الْكُيُوفَ‎ al-kuyūfa	كُيُوفَ‎ kuyūfa
Genitive	كُيُوفٍ‎ kuyūfin	الْكُيُوفِ‎ al-kuyūfi	كُيُوفِ‎ kuyūfi

Descendants

• Maltese: kif
• Moroccan Arabic: كيف‎ (kīf)
  • → English: kif
  • → French: kif, kiffer
  • → German: kiffen, Kiffer
• → Azerbaijani: kef
• → Armenian: քեֆ (kʿef)
• → Hebrew: כֵּיף‎ (keif)
• → Ottoman Turkish: كیف‎ (keyf)
  • Turkish: keyif
  • → Romanian: chef
  • → Albanian: qejf
  • → Greek: κέφι (kéfi)
• → Persian: کیف‎ (keyf)
  • → Azerbaijani: kif
• → Russian: кайф (kajf), кейф (kejf)
  • → Armenian: կայֆ (kayf)
  • → Azerbaijani: kayf
  • → Georgian: კაიფი (ḳaipi)

Etymology 3

In most of its senses, denominal from كَيْف‎ (kayf). In the sense “to cut off entirely”, intensive of كَافَ‎ (kāfa, “to cut off”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kaj.ja.fa/

Verb

كَيَّفَ • (kayyafa) II, non-past يُكَيِّفُ‎‎ (yukayyifu)

1. to cut off entirely
2. to regulate
3. to form, to mold; to adapt, to fit, to modify, to qualify
4. (modern) to bring one into good humor, to amuse one well
5. (modern) to make one tipsy, to intoxicate

Conjugation

Conjugation of

كَيَّفَ

(form-II sound)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						تَكْيِيف‎ takyīf
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						مُكَيِّف‎ mukayyif
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مُكَيَّف‎ mukayyaf
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	كَيَّفْتُ‎ kayyaftu	كَيَّفْتَ‎ kayyafta	كَيَّفَ kayyafa		كَيَّفْتُمَا‎ kayyaftumā	كَيَّفَا‎ kayyafā		كَيَّفْنَا‎ kayyafnā	كَيَّفْتُمْ‎ kayyaftum	كَيَّفُوا‎ kayyafū
	f		كَيَّفْتِ‎ kayyafti	كَيَّفَتْ‎ kayyafat			كَيَّفَتَا‎ kayyafatā			كَيَّفْتُنَّ‎ kayyaftunna	كَيَّفْنَ‎ kayyafna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُكَيِّفُ‎ ʾukayyifu	تُكَيِّفُ‎ tukayyifu	يُكَيِّفُ‎ yukayyifu		تُكَيِّفَانِ‎ tukayyifāni	يُكَيِّفَانِ‎ yukayyifāni		نُكَيِّفُ‎ nukayyifu	تُكَيِّفُونَ‎ tukayyifūna	يُكَيِّفُونَ‎ yukayyifūna
	f		تُكَيِّفِينَ‎ tukayyifīna	تُكَيِّفُ‎ tukayyifu			تُكَيِّفَانِ‎ tukayyifāni			تُكَيِّفْنَ‎ tukayyifna	يُكَيِّفْنَ‎ yukayyifna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُكَيِّفَ‎ ʾukayyifa	تُكَيِّفَ‎ tukayyifa	يُكَيِّفَ‎ yukayyifa		تُكَيِّفَا‎ tukayyifā	يُكَيِّفَا‎ yukayyifā		نُكَيِّفَ‎ nukayyifa	تُكَيِّفُوا‎ tukayyifū	يُكَيِّفُوا‎ yukayyifū
	f		تُكَيِّفِي‎ tukayyifī	تُكَيِّفَ‎ tukayyifa			تُكَيِّفَا‎ tukayyifā			تُكَيِّفْنَ‎ tukayyifna	يُكَيِّفْنَ‎ yukayyifna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُكَيِّفْ‎ ʾukayyif	تُكَيِّفْ‎ tukayyif	يُكَيِّفْ‎ yukayyif		تُكَيِّفَا‎ tukayyifā	يُكَيِّفَا‎ yukayyifā		نُكَيِّفْ‎ nukayyif	تُكَيِّفُوا‎ tukayyifū	يُكَيِّفُوا‎ yukayyifū
	f		تُكَيِّفِي‎ tukayyifī	تُكَيِّفْ‎ tukayyif			تُكَيِّفَا‎ tukayyifā			تُكَيِّفْنَ‎ tukayyifna	يُكَيِّفْنَ‎ yukayyifna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		كَيِّفْ kayyif			كَيِّفَا‎ kayyifā				كَيِّفُوا‎ kayyifū
	f		كَيِّفِي‎ kayyifī							كَيِّفْنَ‎ kayyifna
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	كُيِّفْتُ‎ kuyyiftu	كُيِّفْتَ‎ kuyyifta	كُيِّفَ kuyyifa		كُيِّفْتُمَا‎ kuyyiftumā	كُيِّفَا‎ kuyyifā		كُيِّفْنَا‎ kuyyifnā	كُيِّفْتُمْ‎ kuyyiftum	كُيِّفُوا‎ kuyyifū
	f		كُيِّفْتِ‎ kuyyifti	كُيِّفَتْ‎ kuyyifat			كُيِّفَتَا‎ kuyyifatā			كُيِّفْتُنَّ‎ kuyyiftunna	كُيِّفْنَ‎ kuyyifna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُكَيَّفُ‎ ʾukayyafu	تُكَيَّفُ‎ tukayyafu	يُكَيَّفُ‎ yukayyafu		تُكَيَّفَانِ‎ tukayyafāni	يُكَيَّفَانِ‎ yukayyafāni		نُكَيَّفُ‎ nukayyafu	تُكَيَّفُونَ‎ tukayyafūna	يُكَيَّفُونَ‎ yukayyafūna
	f		تُكَيَّفِينَ‎ tukayyafīna	تُكَيَّفُ‎ tukayyafu			تُكَيَّفَانِ‎ tukayyafāni			تُكَيَّفْنَ‎ tukayyafna	يُكَيَّفْنَ‎ yukayyafna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُكَيَّفَ‎ ʾukayyafa	تُكَيَّفَ‎ tukayyafa	يُكَيَّفَ‎ yukayyafa		تُكَيَّفَا‎ tukayyafā	يُكَيَّفَا‎ yukayyafā		نُكَيَّفَ‎ nukayyafa	تُكَيَّفُوا‎ tukayyafū	يُكَيَّفُوا‎ yukayyafū
	f		تُكَيَّفِي‎ tukayyafī	تُكَيَّفَ‎ tukayyafa			تُكَيَّفَا‎ tukayyafā			تُكَيَّفْنَ‎ tukayyafna	يُكَيَّفْنَ‎ yukayyafna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُكَيَّفْ‎ ʾukayyaf	تُكَيَّفْ‎ tukayyaf	يُكَيَّفْ‎ yukayyaf		تُكَيَّفَا‎ tukayyafā	يُكَيَّفَا‎ yukayyafā		نُكَيَّفْ‎ nukayyaf	تُكَيَّفُوا‎ tukayyafū	يُكَيَّفُوا‎ yukayyafū
	f		تُكَيَّفِي‎ tukayyafī	تُكَيَّفْ‎ tukayyaf			تُكَيَّفَا‎ tukayyafā			تُكَيَّفْنَ‎ tukayyafna	يُكَيَّفْنَ‎ yukayyafna

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Hijazi Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic كَيْفَ‎ (kayfa).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /keːf/, [ke̞ːf]

Adverb

كيف • (kēf)

1. how

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Moroccan Arabic

Root
ك ي ف‎

Etymology 1

From Arabic كَيْفَ‎ (kayfa). Compare Maltese kif.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kiːf/
  • IPA^(key): /kiː/ (in rapid speech)

Adverb

كيف • (kīf)

1. (interrogative) how

   ‏كيف صبحتي اليوم؟ ― صبحت شوية عيان.‎‎

   kīf ṣbaḥti l-yūm? ― ṣbaḥt šwiyya ʕiyyān.

   How did you sleep today? ― I woke up a bit tired.

   (literally, “How did you wake up today? ― I woke up a bit tired.”)

   Synonym: كيفاش‎ (kīfāš)

2. as soon as

   ‏كيف جا، مشيت بحالي.‎‎

   kīf jā, mšīt bḥāli.

   As soon as he came, I've left.

Conjunction

كيف • (kīf)

1. (before nouns and pronouns) as, like

   ‏ما كاين حد كيفنا.‎‎

   ma kāyin ḥadd kīfna.

   There is no one like us.

   Synonym: (before verbal clauses) كيف ما‎ (kīf mā)

Etymology 2

From Arabic كَيْف‎ (kayf).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kiːf/

Noun

كيف • (kīf) m (usually uncountable)

1. cannabis

   ‏غشوني فالكيف اللي شريت ديك النهار.‎‎

   ḡaššūni f-el-kīf elli šrīt dīk en-nhār.

   They scammed me with the cannabis I bought the other day.

   Synonym: حشيش‎ (ḥšīš)

Descendants

• → English: kif
• → French: kif, kiffer
• → German: kiffen, Kiffer

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North Levantine Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic كَيْفَ‎ (kayfa).

Adverb

كيف • (kīf)

1. how?

   ‏كيفك؟‎‎ (to a male) ― kīfak? ― How are you?

   ‏كيفك؟‎‎ (to a female) ― kīfik? ― How are you?

   Synonym: (Syria) شلون‎ (šlōn)

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South Levantine Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic كَيْفَ‎ (kayfa).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kiːf/, [kiːf]

• Audio (Ramallah)

  (file)

Pronoun

كيف • (kīf)

1. how?

Derived terms

• كيفك‎ (kīfak, kīfek, “how are you?”)