كيف

See also: کیف and كیف

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-ʔarḥāmi kayfa yašāʔu

     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)
• Tunisian Arabic: كِيفْ (kīf) ("however", "like" and regional for "how?")

Etymology 2

Root
ك ي ف (k y f)
5 terms

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
5. carouse
6. excitement from opium
7. 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
• Tunisian Arabic: كيف (kīf)
• → Classical Persian: کَیْف (kayf)
  • → Bashkir: кәйеф (kəjef)
  • → Chagatai: کیف (kyf /⁠käyf⁠/)
    • Uyghur: كەيپ (keyp)
    • Uzbek: kayf
  • → Turkmen: keýp
• → Hebrew: כֵּיף (kēf)
• → Old Anatolian Turkish: کَیْف (keyf)
  • Azerbaijani: kef
  • Gagauz: kef
  • Ottoman Turkish: كیف (keyf), քէյֆ (keyf), քէֆ (kef) — Armeno-Turkish
    • Turkish: keyif
    • → Albanian: qejf
    • → Armenian: քեֆ (kʻef), քեփ (kʻepʻ) (Karabakh), քեյֆ (kʻeyf)
    • → Bulgarian: кеф (kef)
    • → Georgian: ქეიფი (keipi) (or from Persian)
    • → Greek: κέφι (kéfi)
    • → Macedonian: ќеф (ḱef)
    • → Romanian: chef
    • → Serbo-Croatian:

      Cyrillic script: ћѐиф

      Latin script: ćèif

    • → Ukrainian: кайф (kajf)
• → Russian: кайф (kajf), кейф (kejf) — before the 2nd half of the 19th century
  • → Armenian: կայֆ (kayf)
  • → Azerbaijani: kayf
  • → Georgian: კაიფი (ḳaipi)
  • → Lithuanian: kaifas

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), verbal noun تَكْيِيف (takyīf))

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

Conjugation

Conjugation of كَيَّفَ (II, sound, full passive, verbal noun تَكْيِيف)

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 ʔukayyifu	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 ʔukayyifa	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 ʔukayyif	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 ʔukayyafu	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 ʔukayyafa	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 ʔukayyaf	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

Hijazi Arabic

Root
ك ي ف
2 terms

Etymology

Inherited from Arabic كَيْفَ (kayfa).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /keːf/, [ke̞ːf]

Adverb

كيف • (kēf)

1. how

Moroccan Arabic

Root
ك ي ف
1 term

Etymology 1

Inherited from Arabic كَيْفَ (kayfa). Compare Maltese kif.

Pronunciation

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

Adverb

كيف • (kīf)

2. (interrogative) how

   Synonym: كيفاش (kīfāš)

   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.”)

3. 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

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

   ما كاين حد كيفنا. ― ma kāyin ḥadd kīfna. ― There is no one like us.

Etymology 2

Inherited from Arabic كَيْف (kayf).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kiːf/

Noun

كيف • (kīf) m (usually uncountable)

2. cannabis

   Synonym: حشيش (ḥšīš)

   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.

Descendants

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

North Levantine Arabic

Etymology 1

Inherited from Arabic كَيْفَ (kayfa).

Adverb

كيف • (kīf)

1. how?

   Synonym: (Syria) شلون (šlōn)

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

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

3. (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) come again?

Usage notes

• Etymology 1, adverb sense 2 is a polite alternative to شُو (šū, “what?”) and its variants.

Derived terms

• كِفْتَا (kifta, “how come?”)

Particle

كِيف • (kīf)

1. (rhetorical) like how; you know how...?

   كيف بيك بيشخّر؟ صايرة عم ضل إسمع شخير من عندك

   kīf bayyak bišaḵḵir? ṣāyra ʕam ḍall ʔismaʕ šaḵīr min ʕindak

   You know how your dad snores? I keep hearing snoring from your room lately.

Usage notes

• This is presumably the same usage that precipitated e.g. Moroccan Arabic كيف (kīf, “like, as”), but in Levantine dialects it has not yet become a conjunction or preposition, cannot take object pronouns, etc.

Etymology 2

From Arabic كَيْف (kayf). The verb is denominal from the noun.

Verb

كَيَّف • (kayyaf) II (non-past يْكَيِّف (ykayyif), active participle مْكَيَّف (mkayyaf) or مْكَيِّف (mkayyif))

1. to get excited

Noun

كيف • (kayf, kēf) m

1. (formal or idiomatic) joy

   كِرْش مَلَان، كيف تَمَام (proverb)

   kirš malān, kēf tamām

   (literally, “a full stomach [means] total joy”)

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology

Inherited 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?”)

Tunisian Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic كَيْف (kayf)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kiːf]

Noun

كِيف (kīf)

1. pleasure, ecstasy

   كوَيِّس تِاي بِاللُّوز يَعمِل سِتَّة وسِتِّين كِيف

   kwayyes tēy b-llūz yaʕmel setta w-settīn kīf

   An almond tea cup would be all it needs

   (literally, “a cup of almond tea that would cause sixty-six pleasures”)

   Synonym: مِستكُوزيَة (mestkūzyə)

Adverb

كِيف (kīf)

1. (regional) how?

   Synonym: كِيفَاش (kīfēš)

Preposition

كِيف (kīf)

1. like
2. (followed by مَا) as, however

   كِيف مَا تحِبّ ― kīf mə tḥebb ― As you like

   Synonym: كِيمَا (kīmə)

Conjunction

كِيف (kīf)

1. when, as soon as

   Synonym: كِي (ki)

Adverb

كِيف (kīf)

1. (repeated twice) likewise

Adjective

كِيف (kīf)

1. (repeated twice) alike, similar

   View: كِيف كِيف (kīf kīf)

Descendants

• → French: kif-kif