soft
gb/sˈɔft/ us/sˈɔft/
A1
Kiingereza
~ 1500
Maana
maana 0
adjective
A1
property
1
Smooth to the touch
Not hard or rough; easy and nice to touch.
Muundo wa matumizi:
[something] is soft
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes confuse 'soft' with 'smooth'. 'Smooth' means no roughness, while 'soft' means easy to press or bend.
Visawe
smooth (Emphasizes the absence of roughness, not necessarily yielding.)
Vinyume
hard (Firm and solid, opposite of yielding or gentle to the touch.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
soft pillow
|soft fabric
|soft skin
|soft blanket
Mada
daily life
|senses
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- The baby's skin felt incredibly soft.
- This blanket is so soft and warm.
- I prefer soft towels after a shower.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- The bed is soft.
- Her hair is soft.
- This chair is soft.
adjective
A2
property
2
Quiet or gentle in sound
Not loud; quiet and gentle in sound.
Muundo wa matumizi:
[something] is soft
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may use 'quiet' when they mean 'soft' to suggest gentleness of tone.
Visawe
quiet (General term for low volume, without implying gentleness.)
Vinyume
loud (High in volume, opposite of quiet or gentle in sound.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
soft voice
|soft music
|soft whisper
Mada
music
|daily life
|communication
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- She spoke in a soft voice so as not to wake the baby.
- Soft music was playing in the background.
- His tone was soft and calming.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- The music is soft.
- He has a soft voice.
- She talks soft.
adjective
B1
property
3
Kind and gentle nature
Kind and gentle; not harsh or strict.
Muundo wa matumizi:
[someone] is soft (with [someone/something])
Kosa la kawaida:
Some learners misunderstand 'soft' here as lacking strength rather than being kind.
Visawe
gentle (Emphasizes mildness and care in behavior.)
Vinyume
harsh (Severe or unkind in manner, opposite of gentle.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
soft heart
|soft approach
|soft touch
Mada
emotions
|personality
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- He has a soft heart and always helps others.
- Her soft approach made the child feel safe.
- Don't be too soft on them—they need discipline.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- My teacher is very soft.
- He is soft with children.
- She has a soft heart.
adjective
A2
property
4
Gently toned color or light
Not bright; gentle and easy on the eyes.
Muundo wa matumizi:
[something] is soft (color/light)
Visawe
muted (Specifically refers to subdued colors, not necessarily light.)
Vinyume
bright (Strong and intense in light or color.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
soft light
|soft colors
|soft glow
Mada
art
|design
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- The room was lit by soft candlelight.
- She wore a dress in soft pastel shades.
- Morning brought a soft glow over the hills.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- The light is soft.
- Her dress is a soft blue.
- The room has soft colors.
adjective
A2
property
5
Easily shaped when pressed
Easy to press, bend, or shape; not hard.
Muundo wa matumizi:
[something] is soft (material)
Visawe
pliable (Emphasizes flexibility and ease of shaping.)
Vinyume
rigid (Stiff and not easily bent.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
soft clay
|soft bread
|soft soil
Mada
materials
|daily life
|science
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- The clay should be soft before you start modeling it.
- Soft bread is best for making sandwiches.
- After the rain, the ground was soft underfoot.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- The bread is soft.
- The ground is soft after rain.
- This clay is soft.
Sarufi
Umbo la kamusi
soft
IPA
GB/sˈɔft/
US/sˈɔft/
Silabi na mkazo
soft (silabi 1)
Stress on 1st syllable (soft)
Maumbo ya neno
Adjective
- Base: soft
- Comparative: softer
- Superlative: softest
Familia ya neno
Semi
go soft on [someone/something]
1/ɡˈoʊ sˈɔft ˈɔn sˈoʊmˈoʊnsəmˈɛθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
informal
Be less strict with someone/something
To stop being strict with someone or something; to be too kind or forgiving.
Mifano
- The teacher went soft on the class after the holiday break.
- Don’t go soft on him—he needs to learn from his mistakes.
in soft focus
1/ˈɪn sˈɔft fˈoʊkəs/
fixed phrase
Blurry photographic effect for gentleness
In photography or film, showing an image that is slightly blurred to make it look gentle or romantic.
Mifano
- The portrait was taken in soft focus for a dreamy effect.
- Old films often have romantic scenes shot in soft focus.
soft spot for [someone/something]
1/sˈɔft spˈɑt fɚ sˈoʊmˈoʊnsəmˈɛθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
informal
Special affection for someone/something
To like someone or something very much, often more than others.
Mifano
- I have a soft spot for old movies from the 80s.
- I’ve always had a soft spot for old movies.
- She’s tough at work but has a soft spot for her cat.
- She has a soft spot for stray cats.