Arabic verbs

Arabic verbs (‫ ﻓِﻌْﻞ‬fiʿl; pl. ‫ أَﻓْﻌَﺎل‬afʿāl), like the verbs in other Semitic languages, and the entire vocabulary in those languages, are based
on a set of two, three, four and also five (but mainly three) consonants called a root (triliteral or quadriliteral according to the number of
consonants). The root communicates the basic meaning of the verb, e.g. ‫ ﻛﺘﺐ‬k-t-b 'write', ‫ ﻗﺮء‬q-r-ʾ 'read', ‫ أﻛﻞ‬ʾ-k-l 'eat'. Changes to the
vowels in between the consonants, along with prefixes or suffixes, specify grammatical functions such as person, gender, number, tense,
mood, and voice.

Various categories are marked on verbs:

Three tenses (present, past; future tense is indicated by the prefix sa- or the particle sawfa and the present tense).
Two voices (active, passive)
Two genders (masculine, feminine)
Three persons (first, second, third)
Three numbers (singular, dual, plural)
Six moods in the non-past only (indicative, subjunctive, jussive, imperative, and short and long energetics)
Nineteen forms, the derivational systems indicating derivative concepts such as intensive, causative, reciprocal, reflexive,
frequentative etc. For each form, there is also an active and a passive participle (both adjectives, declined through the full
paradigm of gender, number, case and state) and a verbal noun (declined for case; also, when lexicalized, may be declined
for number).
Weakness is an inherent property of a given verb determined by the particular consonants of the verb root (corresponding to a verb
conjugation in Classical Latin and other European languages), with five main types of weakness and two or three subtypes of each type.

Arabic grammarians typically use the root ‫ ﻓﻌﻞ‬f-ʿ-l to indicate the particular shape of any given element of a verbal paradigm. As an
example, the form ‫ ﻳﺘﻜﺎﺗﺐ‬yutakātabu 'he is corresponded (with)' would be listed generically as ‫ ﻳﺘﻔﺎﻋﻞ‬yutafāʿalu, specifying the generic
shape of a strong Form VI passive verb, third-person masculine singular present indicative.

The maximum possible total number of verb forms derivable from a root — not counting participles and verbal nouns — is approximately
13 person/number/gender forms; times 9 tense/mood combinations, counting the sa- future (since the moods are active only in the present
tense, and the imperative has only 5 of the 13 paradigmatic forms); times 17 form/voice combinations (since forms IX, XI–XV exist only
for a small number of stative roots, and form VII cannot normally form a passive), for a total of 1,989. Each of these has its own stem form,
and each of these stem forms itself comes in numerous varieties, according to the weakness (or lack thereof) of the underlying root.

Contents
Inflectional categories
Tense
Mood
Voice
Participle
Verbal noun (maṣdar)
Derivational categories, conjugations
Conjugation
Regular verb conjugation for person-number, tense-aspect-mood, and participles
Weak roots
Assimilated (first-weak) roots
Hollow (second-weak) roots
Defective (third-weak) roots
‫ ﻓﻌﻰ ﻳﻔﻌﻲ‬faʿā (yafʿī)
(‫ ﻓﻌﺎ )ﻳﻔﻌﻮ‬faʿā (yafʿū)
‫ ﻓﻌﻲ ﻳﻔﻌﻰ‬faʿiya (yafʿā)
Doubled roots
Formation of derived stems ("forms")
Sound verbs
Form VIII assimilations
Defective (third-weak) verbs
Hollow (second-weak) verbs
Assimilated (first-weak) verbs
 Doubled verbs
Hamzated verbs
Doubly weak verbs
Summary of vowels
Verbs in colloquial Arabic
Negation
References

Inflectional categories
Each particular lexical verb is specified by four stems, two each for the active and passive voices. In a particular voice, one stem (the past
stem) is used for the past tense, and the other (the non-past stem) is used for the present and future tenses, along with non-indicative moods,
e.g. subjunctive and imperative. The past and non-past stems are sometimes also called the perfective stem and imperfective stem,
respectively, based on a traditional misinterpretation of Arabic stems as representing grammatical aspect rather than grammatical tense.
(Although there is still some disagreement about the interpretation of the stems as tense or aspect, the dominant current view is that the
stems simply represent tense, sometimes of a relative rather than absolute nature. There are some unusual usages of the stems in certain
contexts that were once interpreted as indicating aspectual distinctions, but are now thought to simply be idiosyncratic constructions that do
not neatly fit into any aspectual paradigm.)

To the past stem, suffixes are added to mark the verb for person, number and gender, while to the non-past stem, a combination of prefixes
and suffixes are added. (Very approximately, the prefixes specify the person and the suffixes indicate number and gender.) A total of 13
forms exist for each of the two stems, specifying person (first, second or third); number (singular, dual or plural); and gender (masculine or
feminine).

There are six separate moods in the non-past: indicative, imperative, subjunctive, jussive, short energetic and long energetic. The moods are
generally marked by suffixes. When no number suffix is present, the endings are -u for indicative, -a for subjunctive, no ending for
imperative and jussive, ‫ﹷﻦ‬
ْ -an for shorter energetic, ‫ ﹷﻦ‬-anna for longer energetic. When number suffixes are present, the moods are either
distinguished by different forms of the suffixes (e.g. ‫ن‬ َ ‫ ﹹﻮ‬-ūna for masculine plural indicative vs. ‫ ﹹﻮ‬-ū for masculine plural
subjunctive/imperative/jussive), or not distinguished at all. The imperative exists only in the second person and is distinguished from the
jussive by the lack of the normal second-person prefix ‫ ـﺖ‬ta-/tu-.

The third person masculine singular past tense form serves as the "dictionary form" used to identify a verb, similar to the infinitive in
English. (Arabic has no infinitive.) For example, the verb meaning 'write' is often specified as ‫ﺐ‬ َ َ ‫ ﻛَﺘ‬kataba, which actually means 'he wrote'.
This indicates that the past-tense stem is ‫ ﻛَﺘَﺒْـ‬katab-; the corresponding non-past stem is ‫ ـﻜْﺘُﺒْـ‬-ktub-, as in ‫ﺐ‬ُ ُ ‫ ﻳَﻜْﺘ‬yaktubu 'he writes'.

Tense
There are three tenses in Arabic: the past tense (‫ اَﻟْﻤَﺎﺿِﻲ‬al-māḍī), the present tense (‫ اَﻟْﻤُﻀَﺎرِع‬al-muḍāriʿ) and the future tense. The future
tense in Classical Arabic is formed by adding either the prefix ‫ﺳـ‬ َ sa- or the separate word ‫ف‬
َ ْ‫ﺳﻮ‬ َ sawfa onto the beginning of the present
ُ ُ ‫ﺳﻴَﻜْﺘ‬
tense verb, e.g. ‫ﺐ‬ ُ ُ ‫ف ﻳَﻜْﺘ‬
َ sa-yaktubu or ‫ﺐ‬ َ ْ‫ﺳﻮ‬
َ sawfa yaktubu 'he will write'.

In some contexts, the tenses represent aspectual distinctions rather than tense distinctions. The usage of Arabic tenses is as follows:

The past tense often (but not always) specifically has the meaning of a past perfective, i.e. it expresses the concept of 'he
did' as opposed to 'he was doing'. The latter can be expressed using the combination of the past tense of the verb ‫ن‬ َ ‫ﻛَﺎ‬
kāna 'to be' with the present tense or active participle, e.g. ‫ﺐ‬ ُ ُ ‫ن ﻳَﻜْﺘ‬
َ ‫ ﻛَﺎ‬kāna yaktubu or ‫ﺐ‬
ٌ ِ ‫ن ﻛَﺎﺗ‬
َ ‫ ﻛَﺎ‬kāna kātibun 'he was
writing'. There are some special verbs known as "compound verbs" that can express many grammatical aspects such as
Inchoative, Durative etc., for example ‫ﻈﺮ‬ ُ ِ‫ ﺑَﺪَأ ﻳُﻠْﻔ‬badā' yulfitu n-nażara means "It started to attract attention" which badā'
َ َ ‫ﺖ اﻟﻨ‬
conveys the meaning of "to start doing something (in the past)"
The two tenses can be used to express relative tense (or in an alternative view, grammatical aspect) when following other
verbs in a serial verb construction. In such a construction, the present tense indicates time simultaneous with the main
verb, while the past tense indicates time prior to the main verb. (Or alternatively, the present tense indicates the
imperfective aspect while the past tense indicates the perfective aspect.)
In all but Form I, there is only one possible shape for each of the past and non-past stems for a given root. In Form I, however, different
verbs have different shapes. Examples:

‫ﺐ‬ ُ ُ ‫ﺐ ﻳَﻜْﺘ‬ َ َ ‫ ﻛَﺘ‬kataba yaktubu 'write'

‫ﺐ‬ ُ ‫ﺴ‬ ْ
ِ ‫ﺐ ﻳَﻜ‬ َ ‫ﺴ‬ِ َ ‫ ﻛ‬kasaba yaksibu 'earn'
ُ ‫ ﻗَﺮأ َ ﻳﻘْﺮأ‬qaraʾa yaqraʾu 'read'
َ َ َ
‫م‬ ُ َ ‫م ﻳَﻘْﺪ‬َ ‫ﺪ‬ ِ َ‫ ﻗ‬qadima yaqdamu 'turn'
ْ َ
‫ ﻛﺒ ُ َﺮ ﻳَﻜﺒ ُ ُﺮ‬kabura yakburu 'become big, grow up'
Notice that the second vowel can be any of a i u in both past and non-past stems. The vowel a occurs in most past stems, while i occurs in
some (especially intransitive) and u occurs only in a few stative verbs (i.e. whose meaning is 'be X' or 'become X' where X is an adjective).
The most common patterns are:

past: a; non-past: u or i
past: a, non-past: a (when the second or third root consonant is a "guttural," i.e. one of ʾ ʿ h ḥ)
past: i; non-past: a
past: u; non-past: u

Mood
There are three moods (‫ﺎﻻت‬ َ ‫ﺣ‬
َ ḥālāt, a word that also means "cases"; sg. ‫ﺣﺎﻟَﺔ‬ َ ḥālah), whose forms are derived from the imperfective stem:
the indicative mood (‫ﻣ ْﺮﻓُﻮع‬
َ marfū ʿ ), usually ending in u; the subjunctive ( ‫ﻮب‬ ‫ﺼ‬ َ manṣūb), usually ending in a; and the jussive (‫ﺠ ُﺰوم‬
ُ ْ ‫ﻣﻨ‬ ْ ‫ﻣ‬
َ
majzūm), with no ending. In less formal Arabic and in spoken dialects, the final vowels of the indicative and subjunctive are not
pronounced, making them identical to jussive.

The imperative (‫ ﺻِﻴﻐَﺔ ا َ ْﻷَﻣْﺮ‬ṣīghat al-amr) (positive, only 2nd person) is formed by dropping the verbal prefix from the imperfective
jussive stem, e.g. ‫ ﻗَﺪم‬qaddim 'present!'. If the result starts with two consonants followed by a vowel (a or i), an elidible alif is added to the
beginning of the word, usually pronounced as "i", e.g. ‫ﻞ‬ ِ ْ‫ اِﻏ‬ighsil 'wash!' or ‫ اِﻓْﻌَﻞ‬ifʿal 'do!' if the present form vowel is u, then the alif is
ْ ‫ﺴ‬
ْ ُ
also pronounced as u, e.g. ‫ أﻛﺘُﺐ‬uktub 'write!'. Negative imperatives are formed from the jussive.

The exception to the above rule is the form (or stem) IV verbs. In these verbs a non-elidible alif pronounced as a- is always prefixed to the
imperfect jussive form, e.g. ‫ أرﺳﻞ‬arsil "send!", ‫[ أﺿﻒ‬1]aḍif 'add!'.

The subjunctive is used in subordinate clauses after certain conjunctions. The jussive is used in negation, in negative imperatives, and in the
hortative la+jussive. For example: 2. sg. m.:

imperfect indicative ‫ﻞ‬ ُ ‫ ﺗﻔﻌ‬tafʿalu 'you are doing'

subjunctive ‫ﻞ‬َ ‫ ﺗﻔﻌ‬an tafʿala 'that you do'
ْ ‫ ﻻ ﺗﻔﻌ‬lā tafʿal its meaning is dependent upon the prefix which attaches to it; in this case, it means 'may you do not
jussive ‫ﻞ‬
do!'
short energetic ‫ﺗﻔﻌﻠﻦ‬
ْ tafʿalan its meaning is dependent upon the prefix which attaches to it; if the prefix is "la" it means 'you
should do'
long energetic ‫ ﺗﻔﻌﻠﻦ‬tafʿalanna it has more emphasis than the short energetic, its meaning is dependent upon the prefix
which attaches to it; if the prefix is "la" it means 'you must do'
imperative ‫ اﻓﻌﻞ‬ifʿal 'do!'.

Voice
Arabic has two verbal voices (‫ ﺻِﻴﻐَﺎت‬sīghāt "forms", sg. ‫ ﺻِﻴﻐَﺔ‬sīghah), active (‫ ﺻِﻴﻐَﺔ اَﻟْﻤَﻌْﻠُﻮم‬ṣīghat al-maʿlūm), and passive (‫ﺻِﻴﻐَﺔ‬
ْ َ‫ اَﻟْﻤ‬ṣīghat al-majhūl). The passive voice is expressed by a change in vocalization. For example:
‫ﺠﻬُﻮل‬

َ َ‫ ﻓَﻌ‬faʿala 'he did', ‫ﻞ‬

active ‫ﻞ‬ ُ َ‫ ﻳَﻔْﻌ‬yafʿalu 'he is doing'
passive ‫ﻞ‬ َ ِ‫ ﻓُﻌ‬fuʿila 'it was done', ‫ﻞ‬ ُ ‫ ﻳُﻔْ َﻌ‬yufʿalu 'it is being done'
Thus, the active and passive forms are spelled identically in Arabic; only their vowel markings differ.

Participle
Every verb has a corresponding active participle, and most have passive participles. E.g. ‫ ﻣﻌﻠﻢ‬muʿallim 'teacher' is the active participle to
stem II. of the root ‫ ﻋﻠﻢ‬ʿ-l-m ('know').

The active participle to Stem I is ‫ ﻓﺎﻋﻞ‬fāʿil, and the passive participle is ‫ ﻣﻔﻌﻮل‬mafʿūl.
Stems II–X take prefix ‫ ﻣـ‬mu- and nominal endings for both the participles, active and passive. The difference between the
two participles is only in the vowel between the last two root letters, which is -i- for active and -a- for passive (e.g. II. active
‫ ﻣﻔﻌﻞ‬mu-faʿʿil, and passive ‫ ﻣﻔﻌﻞ‬mu-faʿʿal).

Verbal noun (maṣdar)

In addition to a participle, there is a verbal noun (in Arabic, ‫ ﻣَﺼْﺪَر‬maṣdar, pl. ‫ ﻣَﺼَﺎدِر‬maṣādir, literally meaning 'source'), sometimes
called a gerund, which is similar to English gerunds and verb-derived nouns of various sorts (e.g. "running" and "a run" from "to run";
"objection" from "to object"). As shown by the English examples, its meaning refers both to the act of doing something and (by frequent
semantic extension) to its result. One of its syntactic functions is as a verbal complement of another verb, and this usage it corresponds to
the English gerund or infinitive (He prevented me from running or He began to run).
 verbal noun formation to stem I is irregular.
the verbal noun to stem II is ‫ ﺗﻔﻌﻴﻞ‬tafʿīl. For example: ‫ ﺗﺤﻀﻴﺮ‬taḥḍīr 'preparation' is the verbal noun to stem II. of ḥ-ḍ-r ('to
be present').
stem III often forms its verbal noun with the feminine form of the passive participle, so for ‫ ﺳﺎﻋﺪ‬sāʿada, 'he helped',
produces the verbal noun ‫ ﻣﺴﺎﻋﺪة‬musāʿadah. There are also some verbal nouns of the form ‫ ﻓﻌﺎل‬fiʿāl: ‫ ﺟﺎﻫﺪ‬jāhada, 'he
strove', yields jihād ‫' ﺟﻬﺎد‬striving' (for a cause or purpose).
Some well-known examples of verbal nouns are ‫ ﻓﺘﺢ‬fatḥ (see Fatah) (Form I), ‫ ﺗﻨﻈﻴﻢ‬tanẓīm (Form II), ‫ ﺟﻬﺎد‬jihād (Form III), ‫ إﺳﻼم‬islām
(Form IV), ‫ اﻧﺘﻔﺎﺿﺔ‬intifāḍah (feminine of Form VIII verbal noun), and ‫ اﺳﺘﻘﻼل‬istiqlāl (Form X).

Derivational categories, conjugations

The system of verb conjugations in Arabic is quite complicated, and is formed along two axes. One axis, known as the form (described as
"Form I", "Form II", etc.), is used to specify grammatical concepts such as causative, intensive, reciprocal, passive or reflexive, and
involves varying the stem form. The other axis, known as the weakness, is determined by the particular consonants making up the root. For
example, defective (or third-weak) verbs have a ‫ و‬w or ‫ ي‬y as the last root consonant (e.g. ‫ رﻣﻲ‬r-m-y 'throw', ‫ دﻋﻮ‬d-ʿ-w 'call'), and doubled
verbs have the second and third consonants the same (e.g. ‫ ﻣﺪد‬m-d-d 'extend'). These "weaknesses" have the effect of inducing various
irregularities in the stems and endings of the associated verbs.

Examples of the different forms of a sound verb (i.e. with no root weaknesses), from the root ‫ ﻛﺘﺐ‬k-t-b 'write' (using ‫ ﺣﻤﺮ‬ḥ-m-r 'red' for
Form IX, which is limited to colors and physical defects):

Form Past Meaning Non-past Meaning

kataba yaktubu
I 'he wrote' 'he writes'
َ َ ‫ﻛَﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ُ ُ ‫ﻳَﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬
kattaba yukattibu
II 'he made (someone) write' 'he makes (someone) write'
َ ‫ﻛَﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ُ ‫ﻳُﻜَﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬
kātaba yukātibu
III 'he corresponded with, wrote to (someone)' '"he corresponds with, writes to (someone)'
‫ﺐ‬
َ َ ‫ﻛﺎﺗ‬ ‫ﺐ‬
ُ ِ ‫ﻳُﻜﺎﺗ‬
ʾaktaba yuktibu
IV َ 'he dictated' 'he dictates'
‫ﺐ‬َ َ ‫أﻛْﺘ‬ ُ ِ ‫ﻳُﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬
takattaba yatakattabu
V nonexistent nonexistent
‫ﺐ‬َ ‫ﺗَﻜَﺘ‬ ُ ‫ﻳَﺘَﻜَﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬
takātaba yatakātabu
VI 'he corresponded (with someone, esp. mutually)' 'he corresponds (with someone, esp. mutually)'
‫ﺐ‬َ َ ‫ﺗَﻜَﺎﺗ‬ َ َ ‫ﻳَﺘَﻜَﺎﺗ‬
‫ﺐ‬
inkataba yankatibu
VII 'he subscribed' 'he subscribes'
‫ﺐ‬َ َ ‫اِﻧْﻜَﺘ‬ ُ ِ ‫ﻳَﻨْﻜَﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬
iktataba yaktatibu
VIII 'he copied' 'he copies'
‫ﺐ‬َ َ ‫اِﻛْﺘَﺘ‬ ُ ِ ‫ﻳَﻜْﺘَﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬
iḥmarra yaḥmarru
IX 'he turned red' 'he turns red'
‫ﺣﻤَﺮ‬
ْ ِ‫ا‬ ‫ﺤﻤَﺮ‬
ْ َ‫ﻳ‬
istaktaba yastaktibu
X 'he asked (someone) to write' 'he asks (someone) to write'
‫ﺐ‬َ َ ‫ﺳﺘَﻜْﺘ‬
ْ ِ‫ا‬ ُ ِ ‫ﺴﺘَﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ْ َ‫ﻳ‬

The main types of weakness are as follows:

Main weakness varieties for Form I, with verbs in the active indicative
Past Past Present Present
Weakness Root
3rd sg. masc. 1st sg. 3rd sg. masc. 3pl. fem.

Sound (Non-Weak)
‫ﻛﺘﺐ‬ َ َ ‫ﻛَﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ُ ْ ‫ﻛَﺘَﺒ‬
‫ﺖ‬ ُ ُ ‫ﻳَﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬
k-t-b 'to write' kataba katabtu yaktubu yaktubna
‫وﺟﺪ‬ َ ‫ﺟﺪ‬
َ ‫َو‬ ‫ت‬
ُ ْ ‫ﺟﺪ‬
َ ‫َو‬ ُ ‫ﺠﺪ‬
ِ َ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ْ ‫ﺠﺪ‬
ِ َ‫ﻳ‬
Assimilated (First-Weak), W
w-j-d 'to find' wajada wajadtu yajidu yajidna
‫ﻳﺒﺲ‬ ‫ﺲ‬
َ ِ ‫ﻳَﺒ‬ ‫ﺖ‬
ُ ‫ﺴ‬
ْ ِ ‫ﻳَﺒ‬ ‫ﺲ‬
ُ َ ‫ﻳَﻴْﺒ‬ ‫ﻦ‬
َ ‫ﺴ‬
ْ َ ‫ﻳَﻴْﺒ‬
Assimilated (First-Weak), Y
y-b-s 'to dry' yabisa yabistu yaybasu yaybasna

Hollow (Second-Weak), W
‫ﻗﻮل‬ َ ‫ﻗﺎ‬
‫ل‬ ُ ْ ‫ﻗُﻠ‬
‫ﺖ‬ ُ ‫ﻳَﻘُﻮ‬
‫ل‬ َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻘُﻠ‬
‫ﻦ‬
q-w-l 'to say' qāla qultu yaqūlu yaqulna
‫ﺳﻴﺮ‬ ‫ﺳﺎر‬
َ ‫ت‬
ُ ‫ﺳ ْﺮ‬
ِ ‫ﻴﺮ‬
ُ ‫ﺴ‬ِ َ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ﺴ ْﺮ‬
ِ َ‫ﻳ‬
Hollow (Second-Weak), Y
s-y-r 'to travel, go' sāra sirtu yasīru yasirna
‫دﻋﻮ‬ ‫دَﻋﺎ‬ ‫ت‬
ُ ‫َﻮ‬
ْ ‫دَﻋ‬ ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋُﻮ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋُﻮ‬
Defective (Third-Weak), W
d-ʿ-w 'to call' daʿā daʿawtu yadʿū yadʿūna
‫رﻣﻲ‬ ‫ﻣﻰ‬َ ‫َر‬ ‫ﺖ‬ُ ْ ‫ﻣﻴ‬
َ ‫َر‬ ‫ﻣﻲ‬ِ ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮ‬ ‫ﻴﻦ‬
َ ‫ﻣ‬
ِ ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮ‬
Defective (Third-Weak), Y
r-m-y 'to throw' ramā ramaytu yarmī yarmīna
‫ﻣﺪد‬ ‫ﻣﺪ‬
َ ‫ت‬
ُ ْ ‫ﻣﺪَد‬
َ ‫ﻤﺪ‬
ُ َ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ْ ‫ﻤﺪُد‬
ْ َ‫ﻳ‬
Doubled
m-d-d 'to extend' madda madadtu yamuddu yamdudna
Conjugation

Regular verb conjugation for person-number, tense-aspect-mood, and participles

In Arabic the grammatical person and number as well as the mood are designated by a variety of prefixes and suffixes. The following table
shows the paradigm of a regular sound Form I verb, kataba (‫' )ﻛﺘﺐ‬to write'. Most of the final short vowels are often omitted in speech,
except the vowel of the feminine plural ending -na, and normally the vowel of the past tense second person feminine singular ending -ti.
 Paradigm of a regular Form I Arabic verb, (‫ ﻳﻜﺘﺐ( ﻛﺘﺐ‬kataba (yaktubu) 'to write'
Present Long Short
Past Subjunctive Jussive Imperative
Indicative Energetic Energetic
Singular

katab-tu a-ktub-u a-ktub-a a-ktub a-ktub-anna a-ktub-an –

1st
َ َ َ ‫أَﻛْﺘُﺒَﻦ‬ َ
ُ ْ ‫ﻛَﺘَﺒ‬
‫ﺖ‬ ُ ُ ‫أﻛْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ َ ُ ‫أﻛْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ْ ُ ‫أﻛْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ْ َ ‫أﻛْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ –
katab-ta ta-ktub-u ta-ktub-a ta-ktub ta-ktub-anna ta-ktub-an u-ktub
masc.
َ ْ ‫ﻛَﺘَﺒ‬
‫ﺖ‬ ُ ُ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ َ ُ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ْ ُ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒَﻦ‬ ْ َ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ ْ ُ ‫اُﻛْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬
2nd
katab-ti ta-ktub-īna ta-ktub-ī ta-ktub-ī ta-ktub-inna ta-ktub-in u-ktub-ī
fem.
ِ ْ ‫ﻛَﺘَﺒ‬
‫ﺖ‬ َ ِ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻴﻦ‬ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒِﻲ‬ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒِﻲ‬ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒِﻦ‬ ْ ِ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ ‫اُﻛْﺘُﺒِﻲ‬
katab-a ya-ktub-u ya-ktub-a ya-ktub ya-ktub-anna ya-ktub-an –
masc.
َ َ ‫ﻛَﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ُ ُ ‫ﻳ َﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ َ ُ ‫ﻳ َﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ْ ُ ‫ﻳ َﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ‫ﻳ َﻜْﺘُﺒَﻦ‬ ْ َ ‫ﻳ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ –
3rd
katab-at ta-ktub-u ta-ktub-a ta-ktub ta-ktub-anna ta-ktub-an –
fem.
ْ َ ‫ﻛَﺘَﺒ‬
‫ﺖ‬ ُ ُ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ َ ُ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ْ ُ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒَﻦ‬ ْ َ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ –
Dual

katab-tumā ta-ktub-āni ta-ktub-ā ta-ktub-ā ta-ktub-ānni – u-ktub-ā

2nd
َ ُ ‫ﻛَﺘَﺒْﺘ‬
‫ﻤﺎ‬ ِ َ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﺎن‬ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒَﺎ‬ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒَﺎ‬ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒَﺎن‬ – ‫اُﻛْﺘُﺒَﺎ‬

Active
katab-ā ya-ktub-āni ya-ktub-ā ya-ktub-ā ya-ktub-ānni – –
masc.
‫ﻛَﺘَﺒَﺎ‬ ِ َ ‫ﻳ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﺎن‬ ‫ﻳ َﻜْﺘُﺒَﺎ‬ ‫ﻳ َﻜْﺘُﺒَﺎ‬ ‫ﻳ َﻜْﺘُﺒَﺎن‬ – –
3rd
katab-atā ta-ktub-āni ta-ktub-ā ta-ktub-ā ta-ktub-ānni – –
fem.
‫ﻛَﺘَﺒَﺘَﺎ‬ ِ َ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﺎن‬ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒَﺎ‬ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒَﺎ‬ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒَﺎن‬ – –
Plural

katab-nā na-ktub-u na-ktub-a na-ktub na-ktub-anna na-ktub-an –

1st
‫ﻛَﺘَﺒْﻨَﺎ‬ ُ ُ ‫ﻧ َﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ َ ُ ‫ﻧ َﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ْ ُ ‫ﻧ َﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ‫ﻧ َﻜْﺘُﺒَﻦ‬ ْ َ ‫ﻧ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ –
katab-tum ta-ktub-ūna ta-ktub-ū ta-ktub-ū ta-ktub-unna ta-ktub-un u-ktub-ū
masc.
ْ ُ ‫ﻛَﺘَﺒْﺘ‬
‫ﻢ‬ َ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒُﻮ‬
‫ن‬ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒُﻮا‬ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒُﻮا‬ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒُﻦ‬ ْ ُ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ ‫اُﻛْﺘُﺒُﻮا‬
2nd
katab-tunna ta-ktub-na ta-ktub-na ta-ktub-na ta-ktub-nānni – u-ktub-na
fem.
‫ﻛَﺘَﺒْﺘُﻦ‬ َ ْ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ َ ْ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ َ ْ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒْﻨَﺎن‬ – َ ْ ‫اُﻛْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬
katab-ū ya-ktub-ūna ya-ktub-ū ya-ktub-ū ya-ktub-unna ya-ktub-un –
masc.
‫ﻛَﺘَﺒُﻮا‬ َ ‫ﻳ َﻜْﺘُﺒُﻮ‬
‫ن‬ ‫ﻳ َﻜْﺘُﺒُﻮا‬ ‫ﻳ َﻜْﺘُﺒُﻮا‬ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒُﻦ‬ ْ ُ ‫ﺗ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ –
3rd
katab-na ya-ktub-na ya-ktub-na ya-ktub-na ya-ktub-nānni – –
fem.
َ ْ ‫ﻛَﺘَﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ َ ْ ‫ﻳ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ َ ْ ‫ﻳ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ َ ْ ‫ﻳ َﻜْﺘُﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻳ َﻜْﺘُﺒْﻨَﺎن‬ – –
Singular

kutib-tu u-ktab-u u-ktab-a u-ktab u-ktab-anna u-ktab-an –

1st
ُ ُ ُ ‫أُﻛْﺘَﺒَﻦ‬ ُ
ُ ْ ‫ﻛُﺘِﺒ‬
‫ﺖ‬ ُ َ ‫أﻛْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ َ َ ‫أﻛْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ْ َ ‫أﻛْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ْ َ ‫أﻛْﺘَﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ –
kutib-ta tu-ktab-u tu-ktab-a tu-ktab tu-ktab-anna tu-ktab-an –
Passive masc.
َ ْ ‫ﻛُﺘِﺒ‬
‫ﺖ‬ ُ َ ‫ﺗ ُﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ َ َ ‫ﺗ ُﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ْ َ ‫ﺗ ُﻜْﺘ‬
‫ﺐ‬ ‫ﺗ ُﻜْﺘَﺒَﻦ‬ ْ َ ‫ﺗ ُﻜْﺘَﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ –
2nd
kutib-ti tu-ktab-īna tu-ktab-ī tu-ktab-ī tu-ktab-inna tu-ktab-in –
fem.
ِ ْ ‫ﻛُﺘِﺒ‬
‫ﺖ‬ َ ِ ‫ﺗ ُﻜْﺘَﺒ‬
‫ﻴﻦ‬ ‫ﺗ ُﻜْﺘَﺒِﻲ‬ ‫ﺗ ُﻜْﺘَﺒِﻲ‬ ‫ﺗ ُﻜْﺘَﺒِﻦ‬ ْ ِ ‫ﺗ ُﻜْﺘَﺒ‬
‫ﻦ‬ –
etc.
Nominal Active Participle Passive Participle Verbal Noun
 kātib maktūb katb, kitbah, kitābah

‫ﻛَﺎﺗ ِﺐ‬ ‫ﻣَ ﻜْﺘُﻮب‬ ‫ ﻛِﺘَﺎﺑَﺔ‬،‫ ﻛِﺘْﺒَﺔ‬،‫ﻛَﺘ ْﺐ‬

The initial vowel in the imperative (which is elidable) varies from verb to verb, as follows:

The initial vowel is u if the stem begins with two consonants and the next vowel is u or ū.
The initial vowel is i if the stem begins with two consonants and the next vowel is anything else.
There is no initial vowel if the stem begins with one consonant.
In unvocalised Arabic, katabtu, katabta, katabti and katabat are all written the same: ‫ﻛﺘﺒﺖ‬. Forms katabtu and katabta (and sometimes
even katabti) can be abbreviated to katabt in spoken Arabic and in pausa, making them also sound the same.

‫( ا‬alif) in final ‫( ﹹﻮا‬-ū) is silent.

Weak roots
Roots containing one or two of the radicals ‫ و‬w (wāw), ‫ ي‬y (yāʾ ) or ‫ ء‬ʾ (hamzah) often lead to verbs with special phonological rules
because these radicals can be influenced by their surroundings. Such verbs are called "weak" (verba infirma, 'weak verbs') and their
paradigms must be given special attention. In the case of hamzah, these peculiarities are mainly orthographical, since hamzah is not subject
to elision (the orthography of ‫ ء‬hamzah and ‫ ا‬alif is unsystematic due to confusion in early Islamic times). According to the position of the
weak radical in the root, the root can be classified into four classes: first weak, second weak, third weak and doubled, where both the second
and third radicals are identical. Some roots fall into more than one category at once.

Assimilated (first-weak) roots

Most first-weak verbs have a ‫ و‬w as their first radical. These verbs are entirely regular in the past tense. In the non-past, the w drops out,
leading to a shorter stem (e.g. (‫ وﺟﺪ )ﻳﺠﺪ‬wajada (yajidu) 'to find'), where the stem is ‫ ـﺠﺪـ‬-jid- in place of a longer stem like ‫ ـﺠﻠﺪـ‬-jlid-
from the verb (‫ ﺟﻠﺪ )ﻳﺠﻠﺪ‬jalada (yajlidu) 'to whip, flog'. This same stem is used throughout, and there are no other irregularities except for
the imperative, which has no initial vowel, consistent with the fact that the stem for the imperative begins with only one consonant.

There are various types of assimilated (first-weak) Form I verbs:

Past stem Non-past stem Imperative

Meaning Sound verb parallel
(3rd sg. masc.) (3rd sg. masc.) (masc. sg.)

َ ‫ﺟﺪ‬
َ ‫َو‬ ُ ‫ﺠﺪ‬
ِ َ‫ﻳ‬ ْ ‫ﺟﺪ‬ِ ُ ‫ﻞ )ﻳَﻔْ ِﻌ‬
(‫ﻞ‬ َ ‫ﻓَ َﻌ‬
'to find'
wajad-a yajid-u jid faʿala (yafʿilu)
ُ ِ‫ﻞ )ﻳَﻔْﻌ‬
(‫ﻞ‬ َ ِ‫ﻓَﻌ‬
‫ث‬
َ ‫َو ِر‬ ‫ث‬
ُ ‫ﺮ‬
ِ َ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ث‬ْ ‫ِر‬ faʿila (yafʿilu)
'to inherit'
warith-a yarith-u rith (rare normally, but in assimilated verbs,
ُ َ‫ﻞ )ﻳَﻔْﻌ‬
rather more common than faʿila (yafʿalu) (‫ﻞ‬ َ ِ‫)ﻓَﻌ‬

‫ﻊ‬
َ ‫ﺿ‬
َ ‫َو‬ ‫ﻊ‬
ُ ‫ﻀ‬
َ َ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﻊ‬
ْ ‫ﺿ‬
َ ُ ‫ﻞ )ﻳَﻔْ َﻌ‬
(‫ﻞ‬ َ ‫ﻓَ َﻌ‬
'to put'
waḍaʿ-a yaḍaʿ-u ḍaʿ faʿala (yafʿalu)
ُ َ‫ﻞ )ﻳَﻔْﻌ‬
(‫ﻞ‬ َ ِ‫ﻓَﻌ‬
َ ‫ﺟ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ِ ‫َو‬ ُ ‫ﺟ‬
‫ﻞ‬ َ ‫ﻮ‬
ْ َ‫ﻳ‬ ْ ‫ﺠ‬
‫ﻞ‬ َ ‫إﻳ‬ faʿila (yafʿalu)
'to be scared'
wajil-a yawjal-u ījal (rare case where w ‫ و‬is preserved
in non-past)
ُ ‫ﻞ )ﻳَﻔْ ِﻌ‬
(‫ﻞ‬ َ ‫ﻓَ َﻌ‬
‫ﺴ َﺮ‬
َ َ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﺴ ُﺮ‬
ِ ْ ‫ﻳَﻴ‬ ‫ﺴ ْﺮ‬
ِ ‫إﻳ‬ faʿala (yafʿilu)
'to be simple'
yasar-a yaysir-u īsir (y ‫ ي‬is normally preserved
in non-past)
ُ َ‫ﻞ )ﻳَﻔْﻌ‬
(‫ﻞ‬ َ ِ‫ﻓَﻌ‬
‫ﺲ‬
َ ِ ‫ﻳَﺒ‬ ‫ﺲ‬
ُ َ ‫ﻳَﻴْﺒ‬ ‫ﺲ‬
ْ َ ‫إﻳﺒ‬ faʿila (yafʿalu)
'to be/become dry'
yabis-a yaybas-u ības (y ‫ ي‬is normally preserved
in non-past)
ُ َ‫ﻞ )ﻳَﻔْﻌ‬
(‫ﻞ‬ َ ِ‫ﻓَﻌ‬
(‫ت‬
ُ ْ ‫وَد )وَدِد‬ ‫ﻳَﺪ‬ ْ ‫إﻳﺪَد‬
'to want to; to love' faʿila (yafʿalu)
wadd-a (wadid-tu) yadd-u īdad
(also a doubled verb)
ُ ِ‫ﻞ )ﻳَﻔْﻌ‬
(‫ﻞ‬ َ ِ‫ﻓَﻌ‬
‫ﻲ‬
َ ِ ‫وَﻟ‬ ‫ﻳَﻠِﻲ‬ ‫ل‬
ِ 'to protect' faʿila (yafʿilu)
waliy-a yalī li
(also a defective verb)

Hollow (second-weak) roots

The following shows a paradigm of a typical Form I hollow (second-weak) verb (‫ ﻳﻘﻮل‬،‫ ﻗﺎل )ﻗﻠﺖ‬qāla (qultu, yaqūlu) 'to say', parallel to
verbs of the (‫ ﻓﻌﻞ )ﻳﻔﻌﻞ‬faʿala (yafʿulu) type. See notes following the table for explanation.
 Paradigm of a hollow (second-weak) Arabic verb, (‫ ﻳﻘﻮل‬،‫ ﻗﺎل )ﻗﻠﺖ‬qāla (qultu, yaqūlu) 'to say'
Present Long Short
Past Subjunctive Jussive Imperative
Indicative Energetic Energetic
Singular

qul-tu a-qūl-u a-qūl-a a-qul a-qūl-anna a-qūl-an –

1st
ُ ْ ‫ﻗُﻠ‬
‫ﺖ‬ ُ ‫أَﻗُﻮ‬
‫ل‬ َ ‫أَﻗُﻮ‬
‫ل‬ ْ ُ‫أَﻗ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ‫أَﻗُﻮﻟَﻦ‬ َ
ْ َ ‫أﻗُﻮﻟ‬
‫ﻦ‬ –
qul-ta ta-qūl-u ta-qūl-a ta-qul ta-qūl-anna ta-qūl-an qul
masc.
َ ْ ‫ﻗُﻠ‬
‫ﺖ‬ ُ ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮ‬
‫ل‬ َ ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮ‬
‫ل‬ ْ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻞ‬ ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮﻟَﻦ‬ ْ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮﻟَﻦ‬ ْ ُ‫ﻗ‬
‫ﻞ‬
2nd
qul-ti ta-qūl-īna ta-qūl-ī ta-qūl-ī ta-qūl-inna ta-qūl-in qūl-ī
fem.
ِ ْ ‫ﻗُﻠ‬
‫ﺖ‬ ‫ﻴﻦ‬
َ ِ ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮﻟ‬ ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮﻟِﻲ‬ ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮﻟِﻲ‬ ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮﻟِﻦ‬ ْ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮﻟِﻦ‬ ‫ﻗُﻮﻟِﻲ‬

qāl-a ya-qūl-u ya-qūl-a ya-qul ya-qūl-anna ya-qūl-an –

masc.
َ ‫ﻗَﺎ‬
‫ل‬ ُ‫ﻳ َﻘُﻮل‬ َ‫ﻳ َﻘُﻮل‬ ْ‫ﻳ َﻘُﻞ‬ ‫ﻳ َﻘُﻮﻟَﻦ‬ ْ‫ﻳ َﻘُﻮﻟَﻦ‬ –
3rd
qāl-at ta-qūl-u ta-qūl-a ta-qul ta-qūl-anna ta-qūl-an –
fem.
ْ َ ‫ﻗَﺎﻟ‬
‫ﺖ‬ ُ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮل‬ َ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮل‬ ْ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻞ‬ ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮﻟَﻦ‬ ْ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮﻟَﻦ‬ –
Dual

qul-tumā ta-qūl-āni ta-qūl-ā ta-qūl-ā ta-qūl-ānni – qūl-ā

2nd
‫ﻗُﻠْﺘُﻤَﺎ‬ ‫ن‬ َ ‫ﺗ َﻘ‬
ِ ‫ُﻮﻻ‬ َ ‫ﺗ َﻘ‬
‫ُﻮﻻ‬ َ ‫ﺗ َﻘ‬
‫ُﻮﻻ‬ َ ‫ﺗ َﻘ‬
‫ُﻮﻻن‬ – َ ُ‫ﻗ‬
‫ﻮﻻ‬

qāl-ā ya-qūl-āni ya-qūl-ā ya-qūl-ā ya-qūl-ānni – –

masc.
َ َ‫ﻗ‬
‫ﺎﻻ‬ ‫ن‬ َ ‫ﻳ َﻘ‬
ِ ‫ُﻮﻻ‬ َ ‫ﻳ َﻘ‬
‫ُﻮﻻ‬ َ ‫ﻳ َﻘ‬
‫ُﻮﻻ‬ َ ‫ﻳ َﻘ‬
‫ُﻮﻻن‬ – –
3rd
qāl-atā ta-qūl-āni ta-qūl-ā ta-qūl-ā ta-qūl-ānni – –
fem.
‫ﻗَﺎﻟَﺘَﺎ‬ ‫ن‬ َ ‫ﺗ َﻘ‬
ِ ‫ُﻮﻻ‬ َ ‫ﺗ َﻘ‬
‫ُﻮﻻ‬ َ ‫ﺗ َﻘ‬
‫ُﻮﻻ‬ َ ‫ﺗ َﻘ‬
‫ُﻮﻻن‬ – –
Plural

qul-nā na-qūl-u na-qūl-a na-qul na-qūl-anna na-qūl-an –

1st
‫ﻗُﻠْﻨَﺎ‬ ُ‫ﻧ َﻘُﻮل‬ َ‫ﻧ َﻘُﻮل‬ ْ‫ﻧ َﻘُﻞ‬ ‫ﻧ َﻘُﻮﻟَﻦ‬ ْ‫ﻧ َﻘُﻮﻟَﻦ‬ –
qul-tum ta-qūl-ūna ta-qūl-ū ta-qūl-ū ta-qūl-unna ta-qūl-un qūl-ū
masc.
ْ ُ ‫ﻗُﻠْﺘ‬
‫ﻢ‬ َ ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮﻟُﻮ‬
‫ن‬ ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮﻟُﻮا‬ ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮﻟُﻮا‬ ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮﻟُﻦ‬ ْ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻮﻟُﻦ‬ ‫ﻗُﻮﻟُﻮا‬
2nd
qul-tunna ta-qul-na ta-qul-na ta-qul-na ta-qul-nānni – qul-na
fem.
‫ﻗُﻠْﺘُﻦ‬ َ ْ ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻠ‬
‫ﻦ‬ َ ْ ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻠ‬
‫ﻦ‬ َ ْ ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻠ‬
‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﺗ َﻘُﻠْﻨَﺎن‬ – َ ْ ‫ﻗُﻠ‬
‫ﻦ‬

qāl-ū ya-qūl-ūna ya-qūl-ū ya-qūl-ū ya-qūl-unna ya-qūl-un –

masc.
‫ﻗَﺎﻟُﻮا‬ َ ‫ﻳ َﻘُﻮﻟُﻮ‬
‫ن‬ ‫ﻳ َﻘُﻮﻟُﻮا‬ ‫ﻳ َﻘُﻮﻟُﻮا‬ ‫ﻳ َﻘُﻮﻟُﻦ‬ ْ‫ﻳ َﻘُﻮﻟُﻦ‬ –
3rd
qul-na ya-qul-na ya-qul-na ya-qul-na ya-qul-nānni – –
fem.

َ ْ ‫ﻗُﻠ‬
‫ﻦ‬ َ ْ ‫ﻳ َﻘُﻠ‬
‫ﻦ‬ َ ْ ‫ﻳ َﻘُﻠ‬
‫ﻦ‬ َ ْ ‫ﻳ َﻘُﻠ‬
‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻳ َﻘُﻠْﻨَﺎن‬ – –

All hollow (second-weak) verbs are conjugated in a parallel fashion. The endings are identical to strong verbs, but there are two stems (a
longer and a shorter) in each of the past and non-past. The longer stem is consistently used whenever the ending begins with a vowel, and
the shorter stem is used in all other circumstances. The longer stems end in a long vowel plus consonant, while the shorter stems end in a
short vowel plus consonant. The shorter stem is formed simply by shortening the vowel of the long stem in all paradigms other than the
active past of Form I verbs. In the active past paradigms of Form I, however, the longer stem always has an ā vowel, while the shorter stem
has a vowel u or i corresponding to the actual second root consonant of the verb.

No initial vowel is needed in the imperative forms because the non-past stem does not begin with two consonants.

There are various types of Form I hollow verbs:

(‫ ﻗﺎل ﻗﻠﻦ )ﻳﻘﻮل ﻳﻘﻠﻦ‬qāla qulna (yaqūlu yaqulna) 'to say', formed from verbs with ‫ و‬w as their second root consonant and
parallel to verbs of the (‫ ﻓﻌﻞ )ﻳﻔﻌﻞ‬faʿala (yafʿulu) type
(‫ ﺳﺎر ﺳﺮن )ﻳﺴﻴﺮ ﻳﺴﺮن‬sāra sirna (yasīru yasirna) 'to get going, to travel', formed from verbs with ‫ ي‬y as their second root
consonant and parallel to verbs of the faʿala (yafʿilu) type
(‫ ﺧﺎف ﺧﻔﻦ )ﻳﺨﺎف ﻳﺨﻔﻦ‬khāfa khufna (yakhāfu yakhafna) 'to fear', formed from verbs with ‫ و‬w as their second root
consonant and parallel to verbs of the (‫ ﻓﻌﻞ )ﻳﻔﻌﻞ‬faʿila (yafʿalu) type
(‫ ﻧﺎم ﻧﻤﻦ )ﻳﻨﺎم ﻳﻨﻤﻦ‬nāma nimna (yanāmu yanamna) 'to sleep', formed from verbs with ‫ ي‬y as their second root consonant
and parallel to verbs of the (‫ ﻓﻌﻞ )ﻳﻔﻌﻞ‬faʿila (yafʿalu) type
The passive paradigm of all Form I hollow verbs is as follows:

(‫ ﻗﻴﻞ ﻗﻠﻦ )ﻳﻘﺎل ﻳﻘﻠﻦ‬qīla qilna (yuqālu yuqalna) 'to be said'

Defective (third-weak) roots

‫ ﻓﻌﻰ ﻳﻔﻌﻲ‬faʿā (yafʿī)

The following shows a paradigm of a typical Form I defective (third-weak) verb (‫ رﻣﻰ )ﻳﺮﻣﻲ‬ramā (yarmī) 'to throw', parallel to verbs of
the (‫ ﻓﻌﻞ )ﻳﻔﻌﻞ‬faʿala (yafʿilu) type. See notes following the table for explanation.
 Paradigm of a defective (third-weak) ‫ ي‬y Arabic verb, (‫ رﻣﻰ )ﻳﺮﻣﻲ‬ramā (yarmī) 'to throw'
Present Long Short
Past Subjunctive Jussive Imperative
Indicative Energetic Energetic
Singular

ramay-tu a-rmī a-rmiy-a a-rmi a-rmiy-anna a-rmiy-an –

1st
‫ﺖ‬
ُ ْ ‫َرﻣَﻴ‬ ‫أ َ ْرﻣِﻲ‬ َ‫أ َ ْرﻣِﻲ‬ َ
ِ ‫أ ْرم‬ َ‫أ َ ْرﻣِﻴَﻦ‬ ْ‫أ َ ْرﻣِﻴَﻦ‬ –
ramay-ta ta-rmī ta-rmiy-a ta-rmi ta-rmiy-anna ta-rmiy-an i-rmi
masc.
‫ﺖ‬
َ ْ ‫َرﻣَﻴ‬ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮﻣِﻲ‬ َ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮﻣِﻲ‬ ِ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮم‬ َ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮﻣِﻴَﻦ‬ ْ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮﻣِﻴَﻦ‬ ِ ‫ا ِ ْرم‬
2nd
ramay-ti ta-rm-īna ta-rm-ī ta-rm-ī ta-rm-inna ta-rm-in i-rm-ī
fem.
‫ﺖ‬
ِ ْ ‫ﻣﻴ‬
َ ‫َر‬ ‫ﻴﻦ‬
َ ‫ﻣ‬ِ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﻲ‬
ِ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﻲ‬
ِ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮ‬ َ‫ﻣﻦ‬
ِ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮ‬ ْ‫ﻣﻦ‬
ِ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﻲ‬
ِ ‫ا ِ ْر‬

ram-ā ya-rmī ya-rmiy-a ya-rmi ya-rmiy-anna ya-rmiy-an –

masc.
‫َرﻣَﯽ‬ ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣِﻲ‬ َ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣِﻲ‬ ِ ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮم‬ َ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣِﻴَﻦ‬ ْ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣِﻴَﻦ‬ –
3rd
ram-at ta-rmī ta-rmiy-a ta-rmi ta-rmiy-anna ta-rmiy-an –
fem.
‫ﺖ‬
ْ َ‫َرﻣ‬ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮﻣِﻲ‬ َ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮﻣِﻲ‬ ِ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮم‬ َ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮﻣِﻴَﻦ‬ ْ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮﻣِﻴَﻦ‬ –
Dual

ramay-tumā ta-rmiy-āni ta-rmiy-ā ta-rmiy-ā ta-rmiy-ānni – i-rmiy-ā

2nd
‫َرﻣَﻴْﺘُﻤَﺎ‬ ‫ﺎن‬
ِ َ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮﻣِﻴ‬ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮﻣِﻴَﺎ‬ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮﻣِﻴَﺎ‬ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮﻣِﻴَﺎن‬ – ‫ا ِ ْرﻣِﻴَﺎ‬

ramay-ā ya-rmiy-āni ya-rmiy-ā ya-rmiy-ā ya-rmiy-ānni – –

masc.
‫ﻣﻴَﺎ‬
َ ‫َر‬ ‫ﺎن‬
ِ َ ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣِﻴ‬ ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣِﻴَﺎ‬ ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣِﻴَﺎ‬ ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣِﻴَﺎن‬ – –
3rd
ram-atā ta-rmiy-āni ta-rmiy-ā ta-rmiy-ā ta-rmiy-ānni – –
fem.
‫ﻣﺘَﺎ‬
َ ‫َر‬ ‫ﺎن‬
ِ َ ‫ﻣﻴ‬
ِ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﻴَﺎ‬
ِ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﻴَﺎ‬
ِ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﻴَﺎن‬
ِ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮ‬ – –
Plural

ramay-nā na-rmī na-rmiy-a na-rmi na-rmiy-anna na-rmiy-an –

1st
‫ﻣﻴْﻨَﺎ‬
َ ‫َر‬ ‫ﻣﻲ‬
ِ ‫ﻧ َ ْﺮ‬ َ‫ﻣﻲ‬
ِ ‫ﻧ َ ْﺮ‬ ِ ‫ﻧ َ ْﺮم‬ َ‫ﻣﻴَﻦ‬
ِ ‫ﻧ َ ْﺮ‬ ْ‫ﻣﻴَﻦ‬
ِ ‫ﻧ َ ْﺮ‬ –
ramay-tum ta-rm-ūna ta-rm-ū ta-rm-ū ta-rm-unna ta-rm-un i-rm-ū
masc.
‫ﻢ‬
ْ ُ ‫ﻣﻴْﺘ‬
َ ‫َر‬ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ﻣﻮ‬
ُ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﻮا‬
ُ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﻮا‬
ُ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮ‬ َ‫ﻣﻦ‬
ُ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮ‬ ْ‫ﻣﻦ‬
ُ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﻮا‬
ُ ‫ا ِ ْر‬
2nd
ramay-tunna ta-rmī-na ta-rmī-na ta-rmī-na ta-rmī-nānni – i-rmī-na
fem.
‫َرﻣَﻴْﺘُﻦ‬ ‫ﻴﻦ‬
َ ِ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮﻣ‬ ‫ﻴﻦ‬
َ ِ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮﻣ‬ ‫ﻴﻦ‬
َ ِ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮﻣ‬ ‫ﺗ َ ْﺮﻣِﻴﻨَﺎن‬ – ‫ﻴﻦ‬
َ ِ‫ا ِ ْرﻣ‬
ram-aw ya-rm-ūna ya-rm-ū ya-rm-ū ya-rm-unna ya-rm-un –
masc.
‫َرﻣَﻮْا‬ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣُﻮ‬ ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣُﻮا‬ ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣُﻮا‬ َ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣُﻦ‬ ْ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣُﻦ‬ –
3rd
ramay-na ya-rmī-na ya-rmī-na ya-rmī-na ya-rmī-nānni – –
fem.
‫ﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫َرﻣَﻴ‬ ‫ﻴﻦ‬
َ ِ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣ‬ ‫ﻴﻦ‬
َ ِ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣ‬ ‫ﻴﻦ‬
َ ِ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣ‬ ‫ﻳ َ ْﺮﻣِﻴﻨَﺎن‬ – –

Two stems each

Each of the two main stems (past and non-past) comes in two variants, a full and a shortened. For the past stem, the full is ‫ رﻣﻴـ‬ramay-,
shortened to ‫ رﻣـ‬ram- in much of the third person (i.e. before vowels, in most cases). For the non-past stem, the full is rmiy-, shortened to
rm- before -ū -ī. The full non-past stem ‫ ـﺮﻣﻴـ‬rmiy- appears as ‫ ـﺮﻣﻴـ‬rmī- when not before a vowel; this is an automatic alternation in
Classical Arabic. The places where the shortened stems occur are indicated by silver (past), gold (non-past).

Irregular endings

The endings are actually mostly regular. But some endings are irregular, in boldface:

Some of the third-person past endings are irregular, in particular those in ‫ رﻣﻰ‬ram-ā 'he threw', ‫ رﻣﻮا‬ram-aw 'they (masc.)
threw'. These simply have to be memorized.
Two kinds of non-past endings are irregular, both in the "suffixless" parts of the paradigm (largely referring to singular
masculine or singular combined-gender). In the indicative, the full stem ‫ ـﺮﻣﻲ‬-rmī actually appears normally; what is
irregular is the lack of the -u normally marking the indicative. In the jussive, on the other hand, the stem actually assumes a
unique shortened form ‫ ـﺮﻣـ‬-rmi, with a short vowel that is not represented by a letter in the Arabic.

(‫ ﻓﻌﺎ )ﻳﻔﻌﻮ‬faʿā (yafʿū)

The following shows a paradigm of a typical Form I defective (third-weak) verb (‫ دﻋﺎ )ﻳﺪﻋﻮ‬daʿā (yadʿū) 'to call', parallel to verbs of the
(‫ ﻓﻌﻞ )ﻳﻔﻌﻞ‬faʿala (yafʿulu) type. Verbs of this sort are entirely parallel to verbs of the (‫ ﻓﻌﺎ )ﻳﻔﻌﻲ‬faʿā (yafʿī) type, although the exact forms
can still be tricky. See notes following the table for explanation.
 Paradigm of a defective (third-weak) ‫ و‬w Arabic verb, (‫ دﻋﺎ )ﻳﺪﻋﻮ‬daʿā (yadʿū) 'to call'
Present Long Short
Past Subjunctive Jussive Imperative
Indicative Energetic Energetic
Singular

daʿaw-tu a-dʿū a-dʿuw-a a-dʿu a-dʿuw-anna a-dʿuw-an –

1st
‫ت‬
ُ ْ‫دَﻋ َﻮ‬ ‫أَدْﻋ ُﻮ‬ َ‫أَدْﻋُﻮ‬ ُ ‫أَدْع‬ َ‫أَدْﻋ ُﻮَن‬ ْ‫أَدْﻋ ُﻮَن‬ –
daʿaw-ta ta-dʿū ta-dʿuw-a ta-dʿu ta-dʿuw-anna ta-dʿuw-an u-dʿu
masc.
‫ت‬
َ ْ‫دَﻋ َﻮ‬ ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ ُﻮ‬ َ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋُﻮ‬ ُ ‫ﺗَﺪْع‬ َ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ ُﻮَن‬ ْ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ ُﻮَن‬ ُ ‫اُدْع‬
2nd
daʿaw-ti ta-dʿ-īna ta-dʿ-ī ta-dʿ-ī ta-dʿ-inna ta-dʿ-in u-dʿ-ī
fem.
‫ت‬
ِ ‫دَﻋ َْﻮ‬ ‫ﻴﻦ‬
َ ‫ﻋ‬ِ ْ ‫ﺗَﺪ‬ ‫ﻋﻲ‬
ِ ْ ‫ﺗَﺪ‬ ‫ﻋﻲ‬
ِ ْ ‫ﺗَﺪ‬ َ‫ﻋﻦ‬
ِ ْ ‫ﺗَﺪ‬ ْ‫ﻋﻦ‬
ِ ْ ‫ﺗَﺪ‬ ِ ْ ‫اُد‬
‫ﻋﻲ‬

daʿ-ā ya-dʿū ya-dʿuw-a ya-dʿu ya-dʿuw-anna ya-dʿuw-an –

masc.
‫دَﻋ َﺎ‬ ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋ ُﻮ‬ َ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋُﻮ‬ ُ ‫ﻳَﺪْع‬ َ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋ ُﻮَن‬ ْ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋ ُﻮَن‬ –
3rd
daʿ-at ta-dʿū ta-dʿuw-a ta-dʿu ta-dʿuw-anna ta-dʿuw-an –
fem.
‫َﺖ‬
ْ ‫دَﻋ‬ ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ ُﻮ‬ َ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋُﻮ‬ ُ ‫ﺗَﺪْع‬ َ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ َُﻮن‬ ْ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ َُﻮن‬ –
Dual

daʿaw-tumā ta-dʿuw-āni ta-dʿuw-ā ta-dʿuw-ā ta-dʿuw-ānni – u-dʿuw-ā

2nd
‫دَﻋ َﻮْﺗُﻤَﺎ‬ ‫ان‬
ِ َ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ ُﻮ‬ ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ ُﻮَا‬ ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ ُﻮَا‬ ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ ُﻮَان‬ – ‫اُدْﻋ ُﻮَا‬

daʿaw-ā ya-dʿuw-āni ya-dʿuw-ā ya-dʿuw-ā ya-dʿuw-ānni – –

masc.
‫دَﻋ ََﻮا‬ ‫ان‬
ِ ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋ َُﻮ‬ ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋ َُﻮا‬ ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋ َُﻮا‬ ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋ َُﻮان‬ – –
3rd
daʿ-atā ta-dʿuw-āni ta-dʿuw-ā ta-dʿuw-ā ta-dʿuw-ānni – –
fem.
‫دَﻋ َﺘَﺎ‬ ‫ان‬
ِ ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ َُﻮ‬ ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ َُﻮا‬ ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ َُﻮا‬ ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ َُﻮان‬ – –
Plural

daʿaw-nā na-dʿū na-dʿuw-a na-dʿu na-dʿuw-anna na-dʿuw-an –

1st
‫دَﻋ َْﻮﻧَﺎ‬ ‫ﻧَﺪْﻋ ُﻮ‬ َ‫ﻧَﺪْﻋُﻮ‬ ُ ‫ﻧَﺪْع‬ َ‫ﻧَﺪْﻋ َُﻮن‬ ْ‫ﻧَﺪْﻋ َُﻮن‬ –
daʿaw-tum ta-dʿ-ūna ta-dʿ-ū ta-dʿ-ū ta-dʿ-unna ta-dʿ-un u-dʿ-ū
masc.
‫ﻢ‬
ْ ُ ‫دَﻋ َْﻮﺗ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ ُﻮ‬ ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ ُﻮا‬ ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ ُﻮا‬ َ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ ُﻦ‬ ْ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋُﻦ‬ ‫اُدْﻋ ُﻮا‬
2nd
daʿaw-tunna ta-dʿū-na ta-dʿū-na ta-dʿū-na ta-dʿū-nānni – u-dʿū-na
fem.
‫دَﻋ َﻮْﺗُﻦ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ ُﻮ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ ُﻮ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ ُﻮ‬ ‫ﺗَﺪْﻋ ُﻮﻧَﺎن‬ – َ ‫اُدْﻋ ُﻮ‬
‫ن‬

daʿ-aw ya-dʿ-ūna ya-dʿ-ū ya-dʿ-ū ya-dʿ-unna ya-dʿ-un –

masc.
‫دَﻋ َﻮْا‬ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋ ُﻮ‬ ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋ ُﻮا‬ ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋ ُﻮا‬ َ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋ ُﻦ‬ ْ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋُﻦ‬ –
3rd
daʿaw-na ya-dʿū-na ya-dʿū-na ya-dʿū-na ya-dʿū-nānni – –
fem.
‫ن‬
َ ‫دَﻋ َْﻮ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋ ُﻮ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋ ُﻮ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋ ُﻮ‬ ‫ﻳَﺪْﻋ ُﻮﻧَﺎن‬ – –

Verbs of this sort are work nearly identically to verbs of the (‫ ﻓﻌﻰ )ﻳﻔﻌﻲ‬faʿā (yafʿī) type. There are the same irregular endings in the same
places, and again two stems in each of the past and non-past tenses, with the same stems used in the same places:

In the past, the full stem is ‫ دﻋﻮـ‬daʿaw-, shortened to ‫ دﻋـ‬daʿ-.

 In the non-past, the full stem is ‫ دﻋﻮـ‬dʿuw-, rendered as ‫ دﻋﻮـ‬dʿū- when not before a vowel and shortened to ‫ دﻋـ‬dʿ- before
‫ ﹻﻲ‬،‫ ﹹﻮ‬-ū -ī.
The Arabic spelling has the following rules:

In the third person masculine singular past, regular ‫ ا‬alif appears instead of alif maqṣūrah: hence ‫ دَﻋَﺎ‬not *‫دَﻋَﻰ‬.
The otiose final alif appears only after the final wāw of the plural, not elsewhere: hence ‫' ﺗَﺪْﻋُﻮ‬you (masc. sg.) call (ind.)' but
‫' ﺗَﺪْﻋُﻮا‬you (masc. pl.) call (subj.)', even though they are both pronounced ‫ ﺗﺪﻋﻮ‬tadʿū.

‫ ﻓﻌﻲ ﻳﻔﻌﻰ‬faʿiya (yafʿā)

The following shows a paradigm of a typical Form I defective (third-weak) verb nasiya (yansā) 'to forget', parallel to verbs of the (‫ﻓﻌﻞ‬
‫ )ﻳﻔﻌﻞ‬faʿila (yafʿalu) type. These verbs differ in a number of significant respects from either of the above types.
 Paradigm of a defective (third-weak) a Arabic verb, (‫ ﻧﺴﻲ )ﻳﻨﺴﻰ‬nasiya (yansā) 'to forget'
Present Long Short
Past Subjunctive Jussive Imperative
Indicative Energetic Energetic
Singular

nasī-tu a-nsā a-nsā a-nsa a-nsay-anna a-nsay-an –

1st
‫ﻴﺖ‬ َ َ َ َ َ
ُ ‫ﺴ‬ِ َ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ﺴﻰ‬
َ ْ ‫أﻧ‬ ‫ﺴﻰ‬
َ ْ ‫أﻧ‬ ‫ﺲ‬
َ ْ ‫أﻧ‬ َ‫ﺴﻴَﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫أﻧ‬ ْ‫ﺴﻴَﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫أﻧ‬ –
nasī-ta ta-nsā ta-nsā ta-nsa ta-nsay-anna ta-nsay-an i-nsa
masc.
‫ﻴﺖ‬
َ ‫ﺴ‬ِ َ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ﺴﻰ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻰ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﺲ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ َ‫ﺴﻴَﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ْ‫ﺴﻴَﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﺲ‬
َ ْ ‫اِﻧ‬
2nd
nasī-ti ta-nsa-yna ta-nsa-y ta-nsa-y ta-nsa-yinna ta-nsa-yin i-nsa-y
fem.
‫ﻴﺖ‬
ِ ‫ﺴ‬ِ َ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺴﻴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﻲ‬
ْ ‫ﺴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﻲ‬
ْ ‫ﺴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ َ‫ﺴﻴِﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ْ‫ﺴﻴِﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﻲ‬
ْ ‫ﺴ‬
َ ْ ‫اِﻧ‬

nasiy-a ya-nsā ya-nsā ya-nsa ya-nsay-anna ya-nsay-an –

masc.
‫ﻲ‬
َ ‫ﺴ‬
ِ َ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ﺴﻰ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻰ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ ‫ﺲ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ َ‫ﺴﻴَﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ ْ‫ﺴﻴَﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ –
3rd
nasiy-at ta-nsā ta-nsā ta-nsa ta-nsay-anna ta-nsay-an –
fem.
‫ﺖ‬
ْ َ ‫ﺴﻴ‬
ِ َ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ﺴﻰ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻰ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﺲ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ َ‫ﺴﻴَﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ْ‫ﺴﻴَﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ –
Dual

nasī-tumā ta-nsay-āni ta-nsay-ā ta-nsay-ā ta-nsay-ānni – i-nsay-ā

2nd
‫ﺴﻴﺘُﻤَﺎ‬
ِ َ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ﺎن‬
ِ َ ‫ﺴﻴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻴَﺎ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻴَﺎ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻴَﺎن‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ – ‫ﺴﻴَﺎ‬
َ ْ ‫اِﻧ‬

nasiy-ā ya-nsay-āni ya-nsay-ā ya-nsay-ā ya-nsay-ānni – –

masc.
‫ﺴﻴَﺎ‬
ِ َ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ﺎن‬
ِ َ ‫ﺴﻴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻴَﺎ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻴَﺎ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻴَﺎن‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ – –
3rd
nasiy-atā ta-nsay-āni ta-nsay-ā ta-nsay-ā ta-nsay-ānni – –
fem.
‫ﺴﻴَﺘَﺎ‬
ِ َ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ﺎن‬
ِ َ ‫ﺴﻴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻴَﺎ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻴَﺎ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻴَﺎن‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ – –
Plural

nasī-nā na-nsā na-nsā na-nsa na-nsay-anna na-nsay-an –

1st
‫ﺴﻴﻨَﺎ‬
ِ َ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ﺴﻰ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻧَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻰ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻧَﻨ‬ ‫ﺲ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻧَﻨ‬ َ‫ﺴﻴَﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻧَﻨ‬ ْ‫ﺴﻴَﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻧَﻨ‬ –
nasī-tum ta-nsa-wna ta-nsa-w ta-nsa-w ta-nsa-wunna ta-nsa-wun i-nsa-w
masc.
‫ﻢ‬
ْ ُ ‫ﺴﻴﺘ‬
ِ َ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ﻮ‬
ْ ‫ﺴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﻮا‬
ْ ‫ﺴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﻮا‬
ْ ‫ﺴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ َ‫ﻮن‬
ُ ‫ﺴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ْ‫ﻮن‬
ُ ‫ﺴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﻮا‬
ْ ‫ﺴ‬
َ ْ ‫اِﻧ‬
2nd
nasī-tunna ta-nsay-na ta-nsay-na ta-nsay-na ta-nsay-nānni – i-nsay-na
fem.
‫ﺴﻴﺘُﻦ‬
ِ َ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺴﻴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺴﻴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺴﻴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻴْﻨَﺎن‬
َ ْ ‫ﺗَﻨ‬ – ‫ﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺴﻴ‬
َ ْ ‫اِﻧ‬

nas-ū ya-nsa-wna ya-nsa-w ya-nsa-w ya-nsa-wunna ya-nsa-wun –

masc.
‫ﺴﻮا‬
ُ َ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ْ‫ﺴﻮ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻮْا‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻮْا‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ َ‫ﺴﻮُن‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ ْ‫ﺴﻮُن‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ –
3rd
nasī-na ya-nsay-na ya-nsay-na ya-nsay-na ya-nsay-nānni – –
fem.
‫ﻴﻦ‬
َ ‫ﺴ‬ِ َ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺴﻴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ ‫ﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺴﻴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ ‫ﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫ﺴﻴ‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ ‫ﺴﻴْﻨَﺎن‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻨ‬ – –

Multiple stems

This variant is somewhat different from the variants with ‫ ﹻﻲ‬-ī or ‫ ﹹﻮ‬-ū in the non-past. As with other third-weak verbs, there are multiple
stems in each of the past and non-past, a full stem composed following the normal rules and one or more shortened stems.
 In this case, only one form in the past uses a shortened stem: ‫ ﻧﺴﻮـ‬nas-ū 'they (masc.) forgot'. All other forms are
constructed regularly, using the full stem ‫ ﻧﺴﻴـ‬nasiy- or its automatic pre-consonant variant ‫ ﻧﺴﻴـ‬nasī-.
In the non-past, however, there are at least three different stems:

1. The full stem ‫ ﻧﺴﻴـ‬-nsay- occurs before -a/ā- or ‫ ـﻨـ‬-n-, that is before dual endings, feminine plural endings and energetic
endings corresponding to forms that are endingless in the jussive.
2. The modified stem ‫ ﻧﺴﺎـ‬-nsā occurs in "endingless" forms (i.e. masculine or common-gender singular, plus 1st plural). As
usual with third-weak verbs, it is shortened to ‫ ﻧﺴـ‬-nsa in the jussive. These forms are marked with red.
3. Before endings normally beginning with -i/ī- or -u/ū-, the stem and endings combine together into a shortened form: e.g.
expected ‫* ﺗﻨﺴﻴﻦ‬ta-nsay-īna 'you (fem. sg.) forget', ‫* ﺗﻨﺴﻴﻮن‬ta-nsay-ūna 'you (masc. pl.) forget' instead become ‫ ﺗﻨﺴﻴﻦ‬ta-
nsayna, ‫ ﺗﻨﺴﻮن‬ta-nsawna respectively. The table above chooses to segment them as ‫ ﺗﻨﺴﻴﻦ‬ta-nsa-yna, ‫ ﺗﻨﺴﻮن‬ta-nsa-wna,
suggesting that a shortened stem ‫ ـﻨﺴـ‬-nsa- combines with irregular (compressed) endings ‫ ـﻴﻦ‬-yna < ‫* ـﻴﻦ‬-īna, ‫ ـﻮن‬-wna <
‫* ـﻮن‬-ūna. Similarly subjunctive/jussive ‫ ﺗﻨﺴﻮا‬ta-nsaw < ‫* ﺗﻨﺴﻴﻮا‬ta-nsay-ū; but note energetic ‫ ﺗﻨﺴﻮن‬ta-nsawunna < ‫ﺗﻨﺴﻴﻦ‬
*ta-nsay-unna, where the original ‫* ـﻴـ‬-yu- has assimilated to ‫ ـﻮـ‬-wu-. Consistent with the above analysis, we analyze this
form as ‫ ﺗﻨﺴﻮن‬ta-nsa-wunna, with an irregular energetic ending ‫ ـﻮن‬-wunna where a glide consonant has developed after
the previous vowel. However, since all moods in this case have a form containing ‫ ـﻨﺴﻮـ‬-nsaw-, an alternative analysis
would consider ‫ ـﻨﺴﻮـ‬-nsaw and ‫ ـﻨﺴﻴـ‬-nsay as stems. These forms are marked with gold.

Irregular endings

The endings are actually mostly regular. But some endings are irregular in the non-past, in boldface:

The non-past endings in the "suffixless" parts of the paradigm (largely referring to singular masculine or singular combined-
gender). In the indicative and subjunctive, the modified stem ‫ ـﻨﺴﺎـ‬-nsā appears, and is shortened to ‫ ـﻨﺴـ‬-nsa in the
jussive. In the forms actually appears normally; what is irregular is the lack of the -u normally marking the indicative. In the
jussive, on the other hand, the stem actually assumes a unique shortened form ‫ ـﻨﺴـ‬-nsa, with a short vowel that is not
represented by a letter in the Arabic script.
In the forms that would normally have suffixes -i/ī- or -u/ū-, the stem and suffix combine to produce ‫ ـﻨﺴﻴـ‬-nsay-, ‫ ـﻨﺴﻮـ‬-
nsaw-. These are analyzed here as consisting of a shortened stem form ‫ ـﻨﺴـ‬-nsa- plus irregular (shortened or assimilated)
endings.

Doubled roots
The following shows a paradigm of a typical Form I doubled verb (‫ ﻣﺪ )ﻳﻤﺪ‬madda (yamuddu) 'to extend', parallel to verbs of the (‫ﻓﻌﻞ‬
‫ )ﻳﻔﻌﻞ‬faʿala (yafʿulu) type. See notes following the table for explanation.
 Paradigm of a form I doubled Arabic verb, madda (yamuddu) "to extend"
Present Long Short
Past Subjunctive Jussive Imperative
Indicative Energetic Energetic
Singular
a-mudd-a,
madad-tu a-mudd-u a-mudd-a ʾa-mudd-i, a-mudd-anna a-mudd-an –
ʾa-mdud

1st ‫أَﻣُﺪ‬,
‫ت‬
ُ ْ ‫ﻣَﺪَد‬ ‫أَﻣُﺪ‬ ‫أَﻣُﺪ‬ ‫أَﻣُﺪ‬, ‫أَﻣُﺪن‬ ‫ن‬ َ
ْ ‫أﻣُﺪ‬ –
َ
ْ ‫أﻣْﺪُد‬
ta-mudd-a, mudd-a,
madad-ta ta-mudd-u ta-mudd-a ta-mudd-i, ta-mudd-anna ta-mudd-an mudd-i,
ta-mdud u-mdud

masc. ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪ‬, ‫ﻣُﺪ‬,

2nd ‫ت‬
َ ْ ‫ﻣَﺪَد‬ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪ‬ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪ‬ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪ‬, ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪن‬ ‫ن‬
ْ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪ‬ ‫ﻣُﺪ‬,
ْ ‫ﺗَﻤْﺪُد‬ ْ ‫اُﻣْﺪُد‬
madad-ti ta-mudd-īna ta-mudd-ī ta-mudd-ī ta-mudd-inna ta-mudd-in mudd-ī
fem.
‫ت‬
ِ ْ ‫ﻣَﺪَد‬ ‫ﻳﻦ‬
َ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪ‬ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪي‬ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪي‬ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪن‬ ‫ن‬
ْ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪ‬ ‫ﻣُﺪي‬
ya-mudd-a,
madd-a ya-mudd-u ya-mudd-a ya-mudd-i, ya-mudd-anna ya-mudd-an –
ya-mdud

masc. ‫ﻳَﻤُﺪ‬,
‫ﻣَﺪ‬ ‫ﻳَﻤُﺪ‬ ‫ﻳَﻤُﺪ‬ ‫ﻳَﻤُﺪ‬, ‫ﻳَﻤُﺪن‬ ‫ن‬
ْ ‫ﻳَﻤُﺪ‬ –
ْ ‫ﻳَﻤْﺪُد‬
3rd
ta-mudd-a,
madd-at ta-mudd-u ta-mudd-a ta-mudd-i, ta-mudd-anna ta-mudd-an –
ta-mdud

fem. ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪ‬,
‫ت‬
ْ ‫ﻣَﺪ‬ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪ‬ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪ‬ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪ‬, ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪن‬ ‫ن‬
ْ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪ‬ –
ْ ‫ﺗَﻤْﺪُد‬
Dual

madad-tumā ta-mudd-āni ta-mudd-ā ta-mudd-ā ta-mudd-ānni – mudd-ā

2nd
‫ﻣَﺪَدْﺗُﻤَﺎ‬ ‫ان‬
ِ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪ‬ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪا‬ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪا‬ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪان‬ – ‫ﻣُﺪا‬

madd-ā ya-mudd-āni ya-mudd-ā ya-mudd-ā ya-mudd-ānni – –

masc.
‫ﻣَﺪا‬ ‫ان‬
ِ ‫ﻳَﻤُﺪ‬ ‫ﻳَﻤُﺪا‬ ‫ﻳَﻤُﺪا‬ ‫ﻳَﻤُﺪان‬ – –
3rd
madd-atā ta-mudd-āni ta-mudd-ā ta-mudd-ā ta-mudd-ānni – –
fem.
‫ﻣﺪﺗَﺎ‬
َ ‫ان‬
ِ ‫ﻤﺪ‬
ُ َ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﻤﺪا‬
ُ َ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﻤﺪا‬
ُ َ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﻤﺪان‬
ُ َ‫ﺗ‬ – –
Plural
na-mudd-a,
madad-nā na-mudd-u na-mudd-a na-mudd-i, na-mudd-anna na-mudd-an –
na-mdud

1st ‫ﻧَﻤُﺪ‬,
‫ﻣَﺪَدْﻧَﺎ‬ ‫ﻧَﻤُﺪ‬ ‫ﻧَﻤُﺪ‬ ‫ﻧَﻤُﺪ‬, ‫ﻧَﻤُﺪن‬ ‫ن‬
ْ ‫ﻧَﻤُﺪ‬ –
ْ ‫ﻧَﻤْﺪُد‬
2nd madad-tum ta-mudd-ūna ta-mudd-ū ta-mudd-ū ta-mudd-unna ta-mudd-un mudd-ū
masc.
‫ﻢ‬
ْ ُ ‫ﻣَﺪَدْﺗ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪو‬ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪوا‬ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪوا‬ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪن‬ ‫ن‬
ْ ‫ﺗَﻤُﺪ‬ ‫ﻣُﺪوا‬
 fem. madad-tunna ta-mdud-na ta-mdud-na ta-mdud-na ta-mdud-nānni umdud-na
–

‫ﻣﺪَدْﺗُﻦ‬
َ ‫ن‬
َ ْ ‫ﻤﺪُد‬
ْ َ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ْ ‫ﻤﺪُد‬
ْ َ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ْ ‫ﻤﺪُد‬
ْ َ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﻤﺪُدْﻧَﺎن‬
ْ َ‫ﺗ‬ – ‫ن‬ ْ ُ‫ا‬
َ ْ ‫ﻣﺪُد‬

madd-ū ya-mudd-ūna ya-mudd-ū ya-mudd-ū ya-mudd-unna ya-mudd-un –

masc.
‫ﻣﺪوا‬
َ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ﻤﺪو‬
ُ َ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﻤﺪوا‬
ُ َ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﻤﺪوا‬
ُ َ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﻤﺪ ن‬
ُ َ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ن‬
ْ ‫ﻤﺪ‬
ُ َ‫ﻳ‬ –
3rd
madad-na ya-mdud-na ya-mdud-na ya-mdud-na ya-mdud-nānni – –
fem.
‫ن‬
َ ْ ‫ﻣَﺪَد‬ ‫ن‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻤْﺪُد‬ ‫ن‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻤْﺪُد‬ ‫ن‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻤْﺪُد‬ ‫ﻳَﻤْﺪُدْﻧَﺎن‬ – –

All doubled verbs are conjugated in a parallel fashion. The endings are for the most part identical to those of strong verbs, but there are two
stems (a regular and a modified) in each of the past and non-past. The regular stems are identical to the stem forms of sound verbs, while
the modified stems have the two identical consonants pulled together into a geminate consonant and the vowel between moved before the
geminate. In the above verb (‫ ﻣﺪ )ﻳﻤﺪ‬madda (yamuddu) 'to extend' (s.th.), the past stems are ‫ ﻣﺪدـ‬madad- (regular), ‫ ﻣﺪـ‬madd- (modified),
and the non-past stems are ‫ ﻣﺪدـ‬mdud- (regular), ‫ ﻣﺪـ‬mudd- (modified). In the table, places where the regular past stem occurs are in silver,
and places where the regular non-past stem occurs are in gold; everywhere else, the modified stem occurs.

No initial vowel is needed in most of the imperative forms because the modified non-past stem does not begin with two consonants.

The concept of having two stems for each tense, one for endings beginning with vowels and one for other endings, occurs throughout the
different kinds of weaknesses.

Following the above rules, endingless jussives would have a form like ‫ ﺗﻤﺪد‬tamdud, while the corresponding indicatives and subjunctives
would have forms like ‫ ﺗﻤﺪ‬tamuddu, ‫ ﺗﻤﺪ‬tamudda. As a result, for the doubled verbs in particular, there is a tendency to harmonize these
forms by adding a vowel to the jussives, usually a, sometimes i. These are the only irregular endings in these paradigms, and have been
indicated in boldface. The masculine singular imperative likewise has multiple forms, based on the multiple forms of the jussive.

The are various types of doubled Form I verbs:

Modified past stem Regular past stem Modified non-past stem Regular non-past stem
Meaning Sound verb parallel
(3rd sg. masc.) (3rd plur. fem.) (3rd sg. masc.) (3rd plur. fem.)
‫ﻣَﺪ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ْ ‫ﻣَﺪَد‬ ‫ﻳَﻤُﺪ‬ ‫ن‬
َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻤْﺪُد‬ ُ ُ‫ﻞ )ﻳَﻔْﻌ‬
(‫ﻞ‬ َ َ‫ﻓَﻌ‬
'to extend'
madd-a madad-na ya-mudd-u ya-mdud-na faʿala (yafʿulu)
‫ﺗَﻢ‬ ‫ﻦ‬
َ ‫ﻤ‬
ْ ‫ﻤ‬
َ َ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﻳَﺘِﻢ‬ ‫ﻦ‬
َ ‫ﻤ‬
ْ ‫ﻤ‬
ِ ْ ‫ﻳَﺘ‬ ُ ‫ﻞ )ﻳَﻔْ ِﻌ‬
(‫ﻞ‬ َ ‫ﻓَ َﻌ‬
'to finish'"
tamm-a tamam-na ya-timm-u ya-tmim-na faʿala (yafʿilu)
‫ﻇَﻞ‬ َ ْ ‫ﻇَﻠِﻠ‬
‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻳَﻈَﻞ‬ َ ْ ‫ﻳَﻈْﻠَﻠ‬
‫ﻦ‬ ُ َ‫ﻞ )ﻳَﻔْﻌ‬
(‫ﻞ‬ َ ِ‫ﻓَﻌ‬
'to remain'
ẓall-a ẓalil-na ya-ẓall-u ya-ẓlal-na faʿila (yafʿalu)

Formation of derived stems ("forms")

Arabic verb morphology includes augmentations of the root, also known as forms, an example of the derived stems found among the
Semitic languages. For a typical verb based on a triliteral root (i.e. a root formed using three root consonants), the basic form is termed
Form I, while the augmented forms are known as Form II, Form III, etc. The forms in normal use are Form I through Form X; Forms XI
through XV exist but are rare and obsolescent. Forms IX and XI are used only with adjectival roots referring to colors and physical defects
(e.g. "red", "blue", "blind", "deaf", etc.), and are stative verbs having the meaning of "be X" or "become X" (e.g. Form IX iḥmarra 'be red,
become red, blush', Form XI iḥmārra with the same meaning). Although the structure that a given root assumes in a particular
augmentation is predictable, its meaning is not (although many augmentations have one or more "usual" or prototypical meanings
associated with them), and not all augmentations exist for any given root. As a result, these augmentations are part of the system of
derivational morphology, not part of the inflectional system.

The construction of a given augmentation is normally indicated using the dummy root f–ʿ–l (‫)ف–ع–ل‬, based on the verb faʿala 'to do'.
Because Arabic has no direct equivalent to the infinitive form of Western languages, the third-person masculine singular past tense is
normally used as the dictionary form of a given verb, i.e. the form by which a verb is identified in a dictionary or grammatical discussion.
Hence, the word faʿala above actually has the meaning of 'he did', but is translated as 'to do' when used as a dictionary form.

Verbs based on quadriliteral roots (roots with four consonants) also exist. There are four augmentations for such verbs, known as Forms Iq,
IIq, IIIq and IVq. These have forms similar to Forms II, V, VII and IX respectively of triliteral verbs. Forms IIIq and IVq are fairly rare.
The construction of such verbs is typically given using the dummy verb faʿlala. However, the choice of this particular verb is somewhat
non-ideal in that the third and fourth consonants of an actual verb are typically not the same, despite the same consonant used for both; this
is a particular problem e.g. for Form IVq. The verb tables below use the dummy verb faʿlaqa instead.
Some grammars, especially of colloquial spoken varieties rather than of Classical Arabic, use other dummy roots. For example, A Short
Reference Grammar of Iraqi Arabic (Wallace M. Erwin) uses ‫ ﻓﻤﻞ‬FaMaLa and ‫ ﻓﺴﺘﻞ‬FaSTaLa for three and four-character roots,
respectively (standing for "First Middle Last" and "First Second Third Last"). Commonly the dummy consonants are given in capital
letters.

The system of identifying verb augmentations by Roman numerals is an invention by Western scholars. Traditionally, Arabic grammarians
did not number the augmentations at all, instead identifying them by the corresponding dictionary form. For example, Form V would be
called "the tafaʿʿala form".
 Verbs Derived nouns
Active Passive Verbal
Active voice Passive voice Typical
participle participle noun
meanings, Examples
Past Present Imperative Past Present notes
(3rd sg. (3rd sg. (2nd sg. (3rd sg. (3rd sg. sg. masc. nom.
masc.) masc.) masc.) masc.) masc.)
(‫ ﻛﺘﺐ )ﻳﻜﺘﺐ‬kataba
(yaktubu) 'write"; (‫دﺧﻞ‬
‫ )ﻳﺪﺧﻞ‬dakhala
ُ ‫ﻳَﻔْ ُﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ ‫اُﻓْ ُﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ (yadkhulu) 'enter';
yafʿulu ufʿul (‫ درس )ﻳﺪرس‬darasa
(yadrusu) 'study"; (‫ﻗﺘﻞ‬
‫ )ﻳﻘﺘﻞ‬qatala (yaqtulu)
basic verb "kill"
form
(‫ ﺣﻤﻞ )ﻳﺤﻤﻞ‬ḥamala
(yaḥmilu) 'carry'; (‫ﻗﺪر‬
َ ‫ﻓَ َﻌ‬ ُ ‫ﻳَﻔْ ِﻌ‬ ْ ‫اِﻓْ ِﻌ‬ ‫ )ﻳﻘﺪر‬qadara (yaqdiru)
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻞ‬
'be able'; (‫ﻋﺮف )ﻳﻌﺮف‬
faʿala yafʿilu ifʿil
ʿarafa (yaʿrifu) 'know';
(‫ ﺟﻠﺲ )ﻳﺠﻠﺲ‬jalasa
(yajlisu) 'sit'
(‫ ﻗﻄﻊ )ﻳﻘﻄﻊ‬qaṭaʿa
usually with a (yaqṭaʿu) 'cut'; (‫ﻗﺮأ‬
guttural ‫ )ﻳﻘﺮأ‬qaraʾa (yaqraʾu)
consonant (ʾ ʿ "read"; (‫ﻇﻬﺮ )ﻳﻈﻬﺮ‬
h ḥ) in ẓahara (yaẓharu)
second or 'seem'; (‫ﺑﺤﺚ )ﻳﺒﺤﺚ‬
‫ ﻓَ ْﻌﻞ‬faʿl, third position baḥatha (yabḥathu)
ُ َ‫ﻳَﻔْﻌ‬ ْ َ‫اِﻓْﻌ‬ ‫ ﻓُﻌُﻮل‬fuʿūl, 'search'
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻞ‬
‫ ﻓِﻌْﻞ‬fiʿl,
yafʿalu ifʿal (‫ ﻓﻬﻢ )ﻳﻔﻬﻢ‬fahima
(‫ﻓُﻌْﻞ)ة‬
َ ‫ﻓُ ِﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ُ ‫ﻳُﻔْ َﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻋﻞ‬ِ ‫ﻓَﺎ‬ ‫ﻣَﻔْﻌﻮل‬ fuʿl(ah), (yafhamu)
I often stative 'understand'; (‫رﻛﺐ‬
fuʿila yufʿalu fāʿil mafʿūl (‫ﻓَﻌَﺎل)ة‬
faʿāl(ah), verbs ‫ )ﻳﺮﻛﺐ‬rakiba (yarkabu)
(‫ﻓِﻌَﺎل)ة‬ (temporary 'ride'; (‫ﺷﺮب )ﻳﺸﺮب‬
fiʿāl(ah), conditions) shariba (yashrabu)
etc. 'drink'; (‫ﻟﺒﺲ )ﻳﻠﺒﺲ‬
labisa (yalbasu) 'wear'
َ ‫ﻓَ ِﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ often stative
faʿila verbs
(temporary
conditions); (‫ ﺣﺴﺐ )ﻳﺤﺴﺐ‬ḥasiba
ُ ‫ﻳَﻔْ ِﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ ‫اِﻓْ ِﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ rare except (yaḥsibu) 'estimate';
yafʿilu ifʿil with initial ‫ و‬w (‫ وﺛﻖ )ﻳﺜﻖ‬wathiqa
consonant (yathiqu) 'trust'
(which
disappears in
non-past)
(‫ ﻛﺒﺮ )ﻳﻜﺒﺮ‬kabura
(yakburu) 'grow big,
grow old'; (‫ﻛﺜﺮ )ﻳﻜﺜﺮ‬
only with kathura (yakthuru) 'be
َ ‫ﻓَ ُﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ُ ‫ﻳَﻔْ ُﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ ‫اُﻓْ ُﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ stative verbs many, be numerous';
faʿula yafʿulu ufʿul (permanent (‫ ﺑﻌﺪ )ﻳﺒﻌﺪ‬baʿuda
conditions) (yabʿudu) 'be distant
(from)'; (‫ﻛﺮم )ﻳﻜﺮم‬
karuma (yakrumu)
'be/become noble'
‫ ﻛﺘّﺐ‬kattaba 'make
(someone) write
(something)'; ‫دﺧّﻞ‬
dakhkhala 'bring in
causative and
(someone/something)';
intensive;
َ ‫ﻓَﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ُ ‫ﻳُﻔَﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ ‫ﻓَﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ َ ‫ﻓُﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ُ ‫ﻳُﻔَﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔَﻌﻞ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔَﻌﻞ‬ ‫ﺗَﻔْ ِﻌﻴﻞ‬ ‫درس‬ّ darrasa 'teach';
II denominative;
faʿʿala yufaʿʿilu faʿʿil fuʿʿila yufaʿʿalu mufaʿʿil mufaʿʿal tafʿīl ‫ ﻗﺘّﻞ‬qattala 'massacre';
transitive of
‫ ﺣﻤّﻞ‬ḥammala
form 1.
'burden, impose'; ‫ﻋﺮف‬ّ
ʿarrafa 'announce,
inform'; ‫ ﻗﻄّﻊ‬qaṭṭaʿa
"cut into pieces"
III َ َ‫ﻓﺎﻋ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ُ ‫ﻋ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ِ ‫ﻳُﻔَﺎ‬ ْ ‫ﻋ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ِ ‫ﻓَﺎ‬ َ ‫ﻋ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ِ ‫ﻓُﻮ‬ ُ َ‫ﻳُﻔَﺎﻋ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻋﻞ‬
ِ ‫ﻣﻔَﺎ‬
ُ ‫ﻣﻔَﺎﻋَﻞ‬
ُ ،‫ﻣﻔَﺎﻋَﻠﺔ‬ُ the verbs in ‫ ﻛﺎﺗﺐ‬kātaba 'write to,
fāʿala yufāʿilu fāʿil fūʿila yufāʿalu mufāʿil mufāʿal ‫ِﻓ َﻌﺎﻟﺔ‬ this form correspond with
mufāʿalah, need an (someone)'; ‫داﺧﻞ‬
fiʿāl indirect object dākhala 'befall
which is often (someone)'; ‫دارس‬
"with" and dārasa 'study with
sometimes (someone)'; ‫ﻗﺎﺗﻞ‬
"against". qātala 'fight'; ‫ﺟﺎﻟﺲ‬
jālasa 'sit with
(someone), keep
(someone) company';
 ‫ ﻗﺎﻃﻊ‬qāṭaʿa
'disassociate (from),
interrupt, cut off
(someone)'
‫ أﻛﺘﺐ‬aktaba 'dictate';
‫ أدﺧﻞ‬adkhala 'bring in
usually (someone), bring
transitive and about (something)';
َ ‫أَﻓْ َﻌ‬ ُ ‫ﻳُﻔْ ِﻌ‬ ْ ‫أَﻓْ ِﻌ‬ َ ‫أُﻓْ ِﻌ‬ ُ ‫ﻳُﻔْ َﻌ‬ causative of ‫ أﻗﺪر‬aqdara 'enable';
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔْ ِﻌﻞ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔْ َﻌﻞ‬ ‫إِﻓْ َﻌﺎل‬
IV form 1 (this ‫ أﺟﻠﺲ‬ajlasa 'seat';
afʿala yufʿilu afʿil ufʿila yufʿalu mufʿil mufʿal ifʿāl
form has not ‫ أﻗﻄﻊ‬aqṭaʿa 'make
intensive (someone) cut off
meaning). (something), part
company with, bestow
as a fief'
‫ ﺗﺪﺧّﻞ‬tadakhkhala
'interfere, disturb';
‫ﺗﺪرس‬ّ tadarrasa
'learn'; ‫ﺗﺤﻤّﻞ‬
taḥammala 'endure,
usually
َ ‫ﺗَﻔَﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ُ ‫ﻳَﺘَﻔَﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ ‫ﺗَﻔَﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ َ ‫ﺗُﻔُﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ُ ‫ﻳُﺘَﻔَﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻣُﺘَﻔَﻌﻞ‬ ‫ﻣُﺘَﻔَﻌﻞ‬ ‫ﺗَﻔَﻌﻞ‬ undergo'; ‫ﺗﻌﺮف‬ ّ
V reflexive of
tafaʿʿala yatafaʿʿalu tafaʿʿal tufuʿʿila yutafaʿʿalu mutafaʿʿil mutafaʿʿal tafaʿʿul taʿarrafa 'become
Form II.
acquainted (with
someone), meet';
‫ ﺗﻘﻄّﻊ‬taqaṭṭaʿa 'be cut
off, be disrupted, be
intermittent'
‫ ﺗﻜﺎﺗﺐ‬takātaba
'correspond with each
other'; ‫ﺗﺪاﺧﻞ‬
tadākhala 'meddle,
butt in'; ‫ﺗﺪارس‬
tadārasa 'study
carefully with each
other'; ‫ ﺗﻘﺎﺗﻞ‬taqātala
reciprocal of 'fight with one
َ َ‫ﺗَﻔﺎﻋ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ُ َ‫ﻳَﺘَﻔﺎﻋ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ َ‫ﺗَﻔﺎﻋ‬
‫ﻞ‬ َ ‫ﻋ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ِ ‫ﺗُﻔﻮ‬ ُ ‫ﻋ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ِ ‫ﻳُﺘَﻔﺎ‬ ‫ﻋﻞ‬
ِ ‫ﻣُﺘَﻔﺎ‬ ‫ﻣُﺘَﻔَﺎﻋَﻞ‬ ‫ﺗَﻔَﺎﻋُﻞ‬ Form III; and another'; ‫ﺗﺤﺎﻣﻞ‬
VI
tafāʿala yatafāʿalu tafāʿal tufūʿila yutafāʿalu mutafāʿil mutafāʿal tafāʿul even "pretend taḥāmala 'maltreat, be
to X" biased (against)';
‫ ﺗﻌﺎرف‬taʿarrafa
'become mutually
acquainted, come to
know (something)';
‫ ﺗﻘﺎﻃﻊ‬taqāṭaʿa 'part
company, break off
mutual relations,
intersect (of roads)'
‫ اﻧﻜﺘﺐ‬inkataba
anticausative
َ ‫اِﻧْﻔَ َﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ُ ‫ﻳَﻨْﻔَ ِﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ ‫اِﻧْﻔَ ِﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ َ ‫اُﻧْﻔَ ِﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ُ ‫ﻳُﻨْﻔَ َﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻣُﻨْﻔَ ِﻌﻞ‬ ‫ﻣُﻨْﻔَ َﻌﻞ‬ ‫اِﻧْﻔِ َﻌﺎل‬ 'subscribe'; ‫اﻧﻘﻄﻊ‬
VII verb of Form
infaʿala yanfaʿilu infaʿil (unfuʿila) (yunfaʿalu) munfaʿil munfaʿal infiʿāl inqaṭaʿa 'be cut off,
I;
cease, suspend'
‫ اﻛﺘﺘﺐ‬iktataba 'copy
(something), be
recorded'; ‫اﻗﺘﺘﻞ‬
iqtatala 'fight one
reflexive of
another'; ‫اﺣﺘﻤﻞ‬
Form I; often
َ ‫اِﻓْﺘ َ َﻌ‬ ُ ‫ﻳَﻔْﺘ َ ِﻌ‬ ْ ‫اِﻓْﺘ َ ِﻌ‬ َ ِ‫اُﻓْﺘُﻌ‬ ُ ‫ﻳُﻔْﺘ َ َﻌ‬ iḥtamala 'carry away,
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔْﺘ َ ِﻌﻞ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔْﺘ َ َﻌﻞ‬ ‫اِﻓْﺘ ِ َﻌﺎل‬ some
VIII endure, allow'; ‫اﻗﺘﺪر‬
iftaʿala yaftaʿilu iftaʿil uftuʿila yuftaʿalu muftaʿil muftaʿal iftiʿāl unpredictable
iqtadara 'be able';
variation in
iʿtarafa 'confess,
meaning
recognize'; ; ‫اﻗﺘﻄﻊ‬
iqtaṭaʿa 'take a part (of
something), tear
out/off, deduct'
stative verb
‫اﺣﻤﺮ‬
ّ iḥmarra 'turn red,
("be X",
blush'; ّ ‫ اﺳﻮد‬iswadda
"become X"),
'be/become black';
‫اِﻓْ َﻌﻞ‬ ‫ﻳَﻔْ َﻌﻞ‬ ْ ِ ‫اِﻓْﻌَﻠ‬
‫ﻞ‬ (‫)اُﻓْﻌُﻞ‬ (‫)ﻳُﻔْﻌَﻞ‬ ّ ‫ﻣُﻔْ َﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ‫اِﻓْﻌِ َﻼل‬ specially for
IX n/a ‫اﺻﻔﺮ‬
ّ iṣfarra 'turn
ifʿalla yafʿallu ifʿalil (ufʿulla) (yufʿallu) mufʿall ifʿilāl colors (e.g.
yellow, become pale';
"red", "blue") ّ ‫ اﺣﻮ‬iḥwalla 'be cross-
‫ل‬
and physical
eyed, squint'
defects.
X َ ‫ﺳﺘَﻔْ َﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ ِ‫ا‬ ُ ‫ﺴﺘَﻔْ ِﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ َ‫ﻳ‬ ْ ‫ﺳﺘَﻔْ ِﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ ِ‫ا‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ْ ُ‫ا‬
َ ‫ﺳﺘُﻔْ ِﻌ‬ ُ ‫ﺴﺘَﻔْ َﻌ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ ُ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﺴﺘَﻔْ ِﻌﻞ‬
ْ ُ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺴﺘَﻔْ َﻌﻞ‬
ْ ُ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺳﺘِﻔْ َﻌﺎل‬
ْ ِ‫ا‬ "ask to X"; ‫ اﺳﺘﻜﺘﺐ‬istaktaba 'ask
istafʿala yastafʿilu istafʿil ustufʿila yustafʿalu mustafʿil mustafʿal istifʿāl "want to X"; (someone) to write
"consider (something)'; ‫اﺳﺘﻘﺘﻞ‬
(someone) to istaqtala 'risk one's
be X"; life'; ‫ اﺳﺘﻘﺪر‬istaqdara
causative, 'ask (God) for strength
and or ability'; ‫اﺳﺘﻌﺮف‬
sometimes istaʿrafa 'discern,
autocausative recognize'; ‫اﺳﺘﻘﻄﻊ‬
verb; often
 some istaqṭaʿa 'request as a
unpredictable fief'
variation in
meaning
‫اﺣﻤﺎر‬
ّ iḥmārra "turn
rare except in
َ ‫اِﻓْ ِﻌ‬ red, blush"; ‫اﺻﺤﺎب‬
ّ
‫اِﻓْ َﻌﺎل‬ ‫ﻳَﻔْﻌﺎل‬ ْ ِ ‫اِﻓْﻌﺎﻟ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ّ ‫ﻣﻔْ َﻌﺎ‬
‫ل‬ ُ ‫ﻴﻼل‬ poetry; same
XI n/a n/a iṣhābba 'be/become
ifʿālla yafʿāllu ifʿālil mufʿāll ifʿīlāl meaning as
reddish-brown'; ‫ج‬ّ ‫اﻟﻬﺎ‬
Form IX
ilhājja 'curdle'
‫ اﺣﺪودب‬iḥdawdaba 'be
convex, be
hunchbacked'; ‫اﻏﺪودن‬
ighdawdana 'grow
long and luxuriantly (of
َ َ‫ﻮﻋ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ َ‫اِﻓْﻌ‬ ُ ‫ﻋ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ِ ‫ﻮ‬
ْ َ‫ﻳَﻔْﻌ‬ ْ ‫ﻋ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ َ‫اِﻓْﻌ‬
ِ ‫ﻮ‬ ‫ﻞ‬ ِ ‫اُﻓْﻌُﻮ‬
َ ‫ﻋ‬ ُ َ‫ﻮﻋ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ َ‫ﻳُﻔْﻌ‬ ‫ﻋﻞ‬
ِ ‫ﻮ‬
ْ َ‫ﻣُﻔْﻌ‬ ‫ﻮﻋَﻞ‬
ْ َ‫ﻣُﻔْﻌ‬ ‫اِﻓْﻌِﻴ َﻌﺎل‬
XII hair)'; ‫ اﺣﻠﻮﻟﻚ‬iḥlawlaka
ifʿawʿala yafʿawʿilu ifʿawʿil ufʿūʿila yufʿawʿalu mufʿawʿil mufʿawʿal ifʿīʿāl
'be pitch-black';
‫اﺧﺸﻮﺷﻦ‬
ikhshawshana 'be
rough/crude, lead a
rough life'

very rare, ‫ اﻟﺠﻮّذ‬iljawwadha

َ ‫اِﻓْﻌَﻮ‬
‫ل‬ ُ ‫ﻳَﻔْﻌَﻮ‬
‫ل‬ ْ ‫اِﻓْﻌَﻮ‬
‫ل‬ َ ‫اُﻓْﻌُﻮ‬
‫ل‬ ُ ‫ﻳُﻔْﻌَﻮ‬
‫ل‬ ‫ﻣُﻔْﻌَﻮل‬ ‫ﻣُﻔْﻌَﻮل‬ ‫اِﻓْﻌِﻮال‬ with 'gallop'; ‫اﻋﻠﻮّط‬
XIII
ifʿawwala yafʿawwilu ifʿawwil ufʿuwwila yufʿawwalu mufʿawwil mufʿawwal ifʿiwwāl specialized iʿlawwaṭa 'hang on the
meanings; neck of (a camel)'
often stative ‫ اﻗﻌﻨﺴﺲ‬iqʿansasa
'have a protruding
chest and hollow back,
َ َ ‫اِﻓْﻌَﻨْﻠ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ُ ِ ‫ﻳَﻔْﻌَﻨْﻠ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ ِ ‫اِﻓْﻌَﻨْﻠ‬
‫ﻞ‬ َ ِ ‫اُﻓْﻌُﻨْﻠ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ُ َ ‫ﻳُﻔْﻌَﻨْﻠ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻣﻔْﻌَﻨْﻠِﻞ‬
ُ ‫ﻣﻔْﻌَﻨْﻠَﻞ‬
ُ ‫اِﻓْﻌِﻨ ْ َﻼل‬ be pigeon-breasted';
XIV
ifʿanlala yafʿanlilu ifʿanlil ufʿunlila yufʿanlalu mufʿanlil mufʿanlal ifʿinlāl ‫ اﻗﻌﻨﺪد‬iqʿandada
'reside'; ‫اﺳﺤﻨﻜﻚ‬
isḥankaka 'become
very dark'
‫ اﺣﺮﻧﺒﻰ‬iḥranbā
‫اِﻓْﻌَﻨْﻠَﻰ‬ ‫ﻳَﻔْﻌَﻨْﻠَﻰ‬ َ ْ ‫اِﻓْﻌَﻨ‬
‫ﻞ‬ َ ِ ‫اُﻓْﻌُﻨْﻠ‬
‫ﻲ‬ ‫ﻳُﻔْﻌَﻨْﻠَﻰ‬ ‫ﻞ‬
ٍ ْ ‫ﻣُﻔْﻌَﻨ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔْﻌَﻨْﻠًﻰ‬ ‫اِﻓْﻌِﻨ ْ َﻼع‬ 'become very furious';
XV
ifʿanlā yafʿanlā ifʿanla ufʿunliya yufʿanlā mufʿanlin mufʿanlan ifʿinlāʾ ‫ اﻏﺮﻧﺪى‬ighrandā 'curse
and hit (someone)'
basic form,
often ‫ دﺣﺮج‬daḥraja 'roll
transitive or (something)'; ‫ﺗﺮﺟﻢ‬
denominative; tarjama 'translate,
similar to interpret'; ‫ﻫﻨﺪس‬
Form II, but handasa 'sketch,
‫ﻓَﻌْﻠَﻘﺔ‬
verbal noun is make a plan'; ‫ﺑﻴﻄﺮ‬
faʿlaqat,
Iq َ‫ﻓَﻌْﻠَﻖ‬ ُ‫ﻳُﻔَﻌْﻠِﻖ‬ ْ‫ﻓَﻌْﻠِﻖ‬ َ‫ﻓُﻌْﻠِﻖ‬ ُ‫ﻳُﻔَﻌْﻠَﻖ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔَﻌْﻠِﻖ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔَﻌْﻠَﻖ‬
occ. ‫ﻓَﻌْ َﻼق‬
different; bayṭara 'practice
faʿlaqa yufaʿliqu faʿliq fuʿliqa yufaʿlaqu mufaʿliq mufaʿlaq reduplicated veterinary surgery' (<
faʿlāq,
roots of the 'veter(inary)'); ‫زﻟﺰل‬
‫ ﻓِﻌْ َﻼق‬fiʿlāq
form ‫ﻓﻌﻔﻊ‬ zalzala 'shake
faʿfaʿa are (something), frighten';
common, ‫ وﺳﻮس‬waswasa
sometimes 'whisper'; ‫ﻏﺮﻏﺮ‬
‫ ﻓﻌﻔﻞ‬faʿfala gharghara "gargle"
is also seen
‫ ﺗﺪﺣﺮج‬tadaḥraja 'roll'
(intrans.)'; ‫ﺗﺰﻟﺰل‬
tazalzala 'shake
(intrans.), tremble';
reflexive of
‫ ﺗﻔﻠﺴﻒ‬tafalsafa
Form Iq;
'philosophize' (<
frequentative
IIq َ َ ‫ﺗَﻔَﻌْﻠ‬
‫ﻖ‬ ‫ﻖ‬
ُ ِ ‫ﻳُﺘَﻔَﻌْﻠ‬ ‫ﻖ‬
ْ ِ ‫ﺗَﻔَﻌْﻠ‬ ‫ﻖ‬
َ ِ ‫ﺗُﻔُﻌْﻠ‬ ‫ﻳُﺘَﻔَﻌْﻠَﻖ‬ ‫ﻣﺘَﻔَﻌْﻠِﻖ‬
ُ ‫ﻣﺘَﻔَﻌْﻠَﻖ‬
ُ ‫ﺗَﻔَﻌْﻠُﻖ‬
intransitive
‫ ﻓﻴﻠﺴﻮﻓـ‬faylasūf-
tafaʿlaqa yatafaʿlaqu tafaʿlaq tufuʿliqa yutafaʿlaqu mutafaʿliq mutafaʿlaq tafaʿluq 'philosopher'); ‫ﺗﻤﺬﻫﺐ‬
denominative;
tamadhhaba 'follow a
similar to
sect' (< ‫ﻣﺬﻫﺒـ‬
Form V
madhhab- 'sect' < ‫ذﻫﺐ‬
dhahaba 'go'); ‫ﺗﻘﻬﻘﺮ‬
taqahqara 'be driven
back'
‫ اﺧﺮﻧﻄﻢ‬ikhranṭama
IIIq َ‫اِﻓْﻌَﻨْﻠَﻖ‬ ُ‫ﻳَﻔْﻌَﻨْﻠِﻖ‬ ْ‫اِﻓْﻌَﻨْﻠِﻖ‬ َ‫اُﻓْﻌُﻨْﻠِﻖ‬ ُ‫ﻳُﻔْﻌَﻨْﻠَﻖ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔْﻌَﻨْﻠِﻖ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔْﻌَﻨْﻠَﻖ‬ ‫اِﻓْﻌِﻨ ْ َﻼق‬
rare
'be proud' (cf. ‫اﻟﺨﺮﻃﻮم‬
ifʿanlaqa yafʿanliqu ifʿanliq ufʿunliqa yufʿanlaqu mufʿanliq mufʿanlaq ifʿinlāq al-Kharṭūm-
'Khartoum')

ّ ‫ اﻃﻤﺄ‬iṭmaʾanna 'be
‫ن‬
usually ّ ‫اﺿﻤﺤ‬
tranquil, calm'; ‫ﻞ‬
‫اِﻓْﻌَﻠَﻖ‬ ‫ﻳَﻔْﻌَﻠِﻖ‬ ‫ﻖ‬
ْ ‫ﻘ‬ ِ ْ ‫اِﻓْﻌَﻠ‬ ‫اُﻓْﻌُﻠِﻖ‬ ‫ﻳُﻔْﻌَﻠَﻖ‬ ‫ﻖ‬
ّ ِ ‫ﻣﻔْﻌَﻠ‬
ُ ّ َ ‫ﻣﻔْﻌَﻠ‬
‫ﻖ‬ ُ ‫اِﻓْﻌِﻠْﻘَﺎق‬ intransitive; iḍmaḥalla 'fade away,
IVq
ifʿalaqqa yafʿaliqqu ifʿalqiq ufʿuliqqa yufʿalaqqu mufʿaliqq mufʿalaqq ifʿilqāq somewhat dwindle'; ‫اﻗﺸﻌﺮ‬
ّ
rare iqshaʿarra 'shudder
with horror'

Each form can have either active or passive forms in the past and non-past tenses, so reflexives are different from passives.

Note that the present passive of forms I and IV are the same. Otherwise there is no confusion.
Sound verbs
Sound verbs are those verbs with no associated irregularities in their constructions. Verbs with irregularities are known as weak verbs;
generally, this occurs either with (1) verbs based on roots where one or more of the consonants (or radicals) is w (wāw, ‫)و‬, y (yāʾ, ‫ )ي‬or the
glottal stop ʾ (hamzah, ‫ ;)ﺀ‬or (2) verbs where the second and third root consonants are the same.

Some verbs that would be classified as "weak" according to the consonants of the verb root are nevertheless conjugated as a strong verb.
This happens, for example:

Largely, to all verbs whose only weakness is a hamzah radical; the irregularity is in the Arabic spelling but not the
pronunciation, except in a few minor cases.
Largely, to all verbs whose only weakness is a y in the first radical (the "assimilated" type).
To all verbs conjugated in Forms II, III, V, VI whose only weakness is a ‫ و‬w or ‫ ي‬y in the first or second radicals (or both).

Form VIII assimilations

Form VIII has a ‫ ـﺘـ‬-t- that is infixed into the root, directly after the first root consonant. This ‫ ـﺘـ‬-t- assimilates to certain coronal consonants
occurring as the first root consonant. In particular, with roots whose first consonant is ‫ ظ‬،‫ ض‬،‫ ط‬،‫ ص‬،‫ ذ‬،‫ ث‬،‫ ز‬،‫ د‬d z th dh ṣ ṭ ḍ ẓ, the
combination of root and infix ‫ ت‬t appears as ‫ظ‬ ّ ،‫ ﺿﻂ‬،‫ط‬ ّ ،‫ ﺻﻂ‬،ّ ‫ ذ‬،‫ث‬ ّ ،‫ زد‬،ّ‫ د‬dd zd thth dhdh ṣṭ ṭṭ ḍṭ ẓẓ. That is, the t assimilates the
emphasis of the emphatic consonants ‫ ظ‬،‫ ض‬،‫ ط‬،‫ ص‬ṣ ṭ ḍ ẓ and the voicing of ‫ ز‬،‫ د‬d z, and assimilates entirely to the interdental
consonants ‫ ظ‬،‫ ذ‬،‫ ث‬th dh ẓ. The consonant cluster ‫ ﺿﻂ‬ḍṭ, as in ‫اﺿﻄﺮ‬ ّ iḍṭarra 'compel, force', is unexpected given modern
pronunciation, having a voiced stop next to a voiceless one; this reflects the fact that ‫ ط‬ṭ was formerly pronounced voiced, and ‫ ض‬ḍ was
pronounced as the emphatic equivalent not of ‫ د‬d but of an unusual lateral sound. (‫ ض‬ḍ was possibly an emphatic voiced alveolar lateral
fricative /ɮˤ/ or a similar affricated sound /dɮˤ/ or /dˡˤ/; see the article on the letter ‫ ض‬ḍād.)

Defective (third-weak) verbs

Other than for Form I active, there is only one possible form for each verb, regardless of whether the third root consonant is ‫ و‬w or ‫ ي‬y. All
of the derived third-weak verbs have the same active-voice endings as (‫ ﻓﻌﻰ )ﻳﻔﻌﻲ‬faʿā (yafʿī) verbs except for Forms V and VI, which
have past-tense endings like (‫ ﻓﻌﻰ )ﻳﻔﻌﻲ‬faʿā (yafʿī) verbs but non-past endings like (‫ ﻓﻌﻲ )ﻳﻔﻌﻰ‬faʿiya (yafʿā) verbs. The passive-voice
endings of all third-weak verbs (whether Form I or derived) are the same as for the (‫ ﻓﻌﻲ )ﻳﻔﻌﻰ‬faʿiya (yafʿā) verbs. The verbal nouns have
various irregularities: feminine in Form II, -in declension in Form V and VI, glottal stop in place of root w/y in Forms VII–X.

The active and passive participles of derived defective verbs consistently are of the -in and -an declensions, respectively.

Defective Form IX verbs are extremely rare. Heywood and Nahmad list one such verb, iʿmāya 'be/become blind', which does not follow the
expected form ‫اﻋﻤﻲ‬
ّ *iʿmayya.[2] They also list a similarly rare Form XI verb ّ‫ اﻋﻤﺎي‬iʿmāyya 'be/become blind' — this time with the
expected form.
 Verbs Derived nouns
Active Passive
Active voice Passive voice Verbal noun
participle participle
Present Imperative Past Present
Past (3rd
(3rd sg. (2nd sg. (3rd sg. (3rd sg. sg. masc. nom.
sg. masc.)
masc.) masc.) masc.) masc.)
‫ﻓَ َﻌﻰ‬ ‫ﻳَﻔْ ِﻌﻲ‬ ‫اِﻓْ ِﻊ‬ ‫ﻲ‬
ّ ‫ﻣَﻔْ ِﻌ‬
faʿā yafʿī ifʿi mafʿiyy
‫ ﻓَ ْﻌﻲ‬faʿy, ‫ ﻓَﻌْﻮ‬faʿw, ‫ ﻓَﻌًﻰ‬faʿan, ‫ ﻓِﻌًﻰ‬fiʿan, ‫ ﻓَﻌَﺎء‬faʿāʾ,
I
‫ﻓَ َﻌﺎ‬ ‫ﻳَﻔْ ُﻌﻮ‬ ُ ‫ا ُ ْﻓ‬
‫ﻊ‬ َ ‫ﻓُ ِﻌ‬
‫ﻲ‬ ‫ﻳُﻔْ َﻌﻰ‬ ٍ ‫َﻓ‬
‫ﺎع‬ ‫ﻮ‬
ّ ‫ﻣﻔْ ُﻌ‬
َ ‫ﻋﻴﺔ‬ِ ‫ ﻓَﺎ‬fāʿiyah, ‫ ِﻓ َﻌﺎﻳﺔ‬fiʿāyah, ‫ ﻓَ َﻌﺎوة‬faʿāwah, ‫ﻣﻔْ َﻌﺎة‬
َ
faʿā yafʿū ufʿu fuʿiya yufʿā fāʿin mafʿuww mafʿāh, ‫ ﻣَﻔْﻌِﻴﺔ‬mafʿiyah, ‫ ﻓُﻌْﻴﺔ‬fuʿyah, ‫ ﻓُﻌْﻮة‬fuʿwah, ْ‫ﻓُﻌُﻮ‬
fuʿuww, ‫ ﻓُﻌْﻮَان‬fuʿwān, etc.
َ ‫ﻓَ ِﻌ‬
‫ﻲ‬ ‫ﻳَﻔْ َﻌﻰ‬ َ‫اِﻓْﻊ‬ ‫ﻲ‬
ّ ‫ﻣﻔْ ِﻌ‬
َ
faʿiya yafʿā ifʿa mafʿiyy
‫ﻓَﻌﻰ‬ ‫ﻳُﻔَﻌﻲ‬ ‫َﻓﻊ‬ َ ‫ﻓُﻌ‬
‫ﻲ‬ ‫ﻳُﻔَ ّﻌﻰ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔَﻊ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔَﻌﻰ‬ ‫ﺗَﻔْ ِﻌﻴﺔ‬
II
faʿʿā yufaʿʿī faʿʿi fuʿʿiya yufaʿʿā mufaʿʿin mufaʿʿan tafʿiyah
‫ﻓَﺎﻋَﻰ‬ ‫ﻋﻲ‬ِ ‫ﻳُﻔَﺎ‬ ِ ‫َﻓ‬
‫ﺎع‬ ‫ﻲ‬
َ ‫ﻋ‬
ِ ‫ﻓﻮ‬ ‫ﻳُﻔَﺎﻋَﻰ‬ ‫َﺎع‬
ٍ ‫ﻣُﻔ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔَﺎﻋًﻰ‬
III ‫ ﻣُﻔَﺎﻋَﺎة‬mufāʿāh, ‫ ﻓِﻌَﺎء‬fiʿāʾ
fāʿā yufāʿī fāʿi fūʿiya yufāʿā mufāʿin mufāʿan
‫أَﻓْ َﻌﻰ‬ ‫ﻳُﻔْ ِﻌﻲ‬ ‫أ َ ْﻓ ِﻊ‬ ‫ﻲ‬ ُ
َ ‫أﻓْ ِﻌ‬ ‫ﻳُﻔْ َﻌﻰ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔ ٍْﻊ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔْ ًﻌﻰ‬ ‫إﻓْ َﻌﺎء‬
IV
afʿā yufʿī afʿi ufʿiya yufʿā mufʿin mufʿan ifʿāʾ
‫ﺗَﻔَﻌﻰ‬ ‫ﻳَﺘَﻔَﻌﻰ‬ ‫ﺗَﻔَﻊ‬ ‫ﻲ‬
َ ‫ﺗُﻔُﻌ‬ ‫ﻳُﺘَﻔَﻌﻰ‬ ‫ﻣُﺘَﻔَﻊ‬ ‫ﻣُﺘَﻔَﻌﻰ‬ ‫ﺗَﻔَﻊ‬
V
tafaʿʿā yatafaʿʿā tafaʿʿa tufuʿʿiya yutafaʿʿā mutafaʿʿin mutafaʿʿan tafaʿʿin
‫ﺗَﻔﺎﻋَﻰ‬ ‫ﻳَﺘَﻔﺎﻋَﻰ‬ َ‫ﺗَﻔﺎع‬ ‫ﻲ‬
َ ‫ﻋ‬
ِ ‫ﺗُﻔﻮ‬ ‫ﻳُﺘَﻔﺎﻋَﻰ‬ ‫َﺎع‬
ٍ ‫ﻣُﺘَﻔ‬ ‫ﻣُﺘَﻔﺎﻋًﻰ‬ ‫َﺎع‬
ٍ ‫ﺗَﻔ‬
VI
tafāʿā yatafāʿā tafāʿa tufūʿiya yutafāʿā mutafāʿin mutafāʿan tafāʿin
‫اِﻧْﻔَ َﻌﻰ‬ ‫ﻳَﻨْﻔَ ِﻌﻲ‬ ‫اِﻧْﻔ َِﻊ‬ (‫)اُﻧْﻔ ُِﻊ‬ (‫)ﻳُﻨْﻔَ َﻌﻰ‬ ‫ﻣﻨْﻔ ٍَﻊ‬
ُ ‫ﻣﻨْﻔَ ًﻌﻰ‬
ُ ‫ﻔ َﻌﺎء‬
ِ ْ ‫اِﻧ‬
VII
infaʿā yanfaʿī infaʿi (unfuʿī) (yunfaʿā) munfaʿin munfaʿan infiʿāʾ

VIII
‫اِﻓْﺘ َ َﻌﻰ‬ ‫ﻳَﻔْﺘ َ ِﻌﻲ‬ ‫اِﻓْﺘ َ ِﻊ‬ َ ‫اُﻓْﺘ ُ ِﻌ‬
‫ﻲ‬ ‫ﻳُﻔْﺘ َ َﻌﻰ‬ ‫ﻣﻔْﺘ َ ٍﻊ‬
ُ ‫ﻣﻔْﺘ َ ًﻌﻰ‬
ُ ‫اِﻓْﺘ ِ َﻌﺎء‬
iftaʿā yaftaʿī iftaʿi uftuʿiya yuftaʿā muftaʿin muftaʿan iftiʿāʾ
(‫ﻌﺎي‬
َ ْ‫اِﻓ‬ (‫ﺎي‬
ُ َ‫ﻳَﻔْﻌ‬
‫)اِﻓْﻌَﻴَﻴْﺖ‬ ‫ﻦ‬
َ ْ ‫)ﻳَﻔْﻌَﻴ‬ ْ ‫اِﻓْ َﻌ‬
‫ﻲ‬ ‫ﻣُﻔْ َﻌﺎي‬ ‫اِﻓْﻌِﻴَﺎء‬
IX — — —
ifʿāya yafʿāyu ifʿay? mufʿāy ifʿiyāʾ
(ifʿayaytu?) (yafʿayna?)

X
‫ﺳﺘَﻔْ َﻌﻰ‬
ْ ِ‫ا‬ ‫ﺴﺘَﻔْ ِﻌﻲ‬
ْ َ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﺳﺘَﻔ ِْﻊ‬
ْ ِ‫ا‬ ‫ﻲ‬ ْ ُ‫ا‬
َ ‫ﺳﺘُﻔْ ِﻌ‬ ‫ﺴﺘَﻔْ َﻌﻰ‬
ْ ُ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﺴﺘَﻔ ٍْﻊ‬
ْ ُ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺴﺘَﻔْ ًﻌﻰ‬
ْ ُ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺳﺘِﻔْ َﻌﺎء‬
ْ ِ‫ا‬
istafʿā yastafʿī istafʿi ustufʿiya yustafʿā mustafʿin mustafʿan istifʿāʾ

Hollow (second-weak) verbs

Only the forms with irregularities are shown. The missing forms are entirely regular, with w or y appearing as the second radical, depending
on the root. There are unexpected feminine forms of the verbal nouns of Form IV, X.
 Verbs Derived nouns
Active Passive
Active voice Passive voice Verbal noun
participle participle
Past Present Imperative Past Present
(3rd sg. (3rd sg. (2nd sg. (3rd sg. (3rd sg. sg. masc. nom.
masc.) masc.) masc.) masc.) masc.)
َ ‫ﻓَﺎ‬
(‫ل‬
‫)ﻓِﻠْﺖ‬ ُ ‫ﻳَﻔِﻴ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ ‫ِﻓ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻔﻴﻞ‬
ِ َ‫ﻣ‬
fāla yafīlu fil mafīl
(filtu)
َ ‫ﻓَﺎ‬
(‫ل‬
‫)ﻓُﻠْﺖ‬ ُ ‫ﻳَﻔُﻮ‬
‫ل‬ ْ ‫ُﻓ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻣَﻔُﻮل‬
fāla yafūlu ful mafūl
(fultu) َ ‫ﻓِﻴ‬ usually ‫ ﻓَﻮْل‬fawl, ‫ ﻓَﻴْﻞ‬fayl; also ‫ ﻓُﻮل‬fūl, ‫ ﻓَﻮَال‬fawāl,
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻓَﺎﺋِﻞ‬
I (‫ ﻓِﻴَﺎل)ة‬fiyāl(ah), ‫ ﻓِﻮَال‬fiwāl, ‫ ﻓُﻮَال‬fuwāl, (‫ﻣَﻔَﺎل)ة‬
َ ‫ﻓَﺎ‬
(‫ل‬ fīla fāʾil
mafāl(ah), ‫ ﻣَﻔِﻴﻞ‬mafīl etc.
‫)ﻓِﻠْﺖ‬ ُ ‫ﻳُﻔَﺎ‬
‫ل‬ ‫ﻣَﻔُﻮل‬
fāla yufālu mafīl
(filtu) ُ ‫ﻳَﻔَﺎ‬
‫ل‬ ْ ‫َﻓ‬
‫ﻞ‬
َ ‫ﻓَﺎ‬
(‫ل‬ yafālu fal
‫)ﻓُﻠْﺖ‬ ‫ﻣَﻔُﻮل‬
fāla mafūl
(fultu)
َ ‫أَﻓَﺎ‬
(‫ل‬
‫)أَﻓَﻠْﺖ‬ ُ ‫ﻳُﻔِﻴ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ ‫أ َ ِﻓ‬
‫ﻞ‬ َ ‫أُﻓِﻴ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻔﻴﻞ‬
ِ ‫ﻣ‬
ُ ‫ﻣﻔَﺎل‬
ُ ‫إ َﻓﺎﻟﺔ‬
IV
afāla yufīlu afil ufīla mufīl mufāl ifālah
(ʾafaltu)
َ ‫اِﻧْﻔَﺎ‬
(‫ل‬
‫)اِﻧْﻔَﻠْﺖ‬ ُ ‫ﻳَﻨْﻔَﺎ‬
‫ل‬ ْ َ‫اِﻧْﻔ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ‫ﻣﻨْﻔَﺎل‬
ُ ‫ﻔﻴَﺎل‬
ِ ْ ‫اِﻧ‬
VII n/a
infāla yanfālu infal munfāl infiyāl
(infaltu)
(‫ل‬َ ‫اِﻓْﺘَﺎ‬
‫)اِﻓْﺘَﻠْﺖ‬ ُ ‫ﻳَﻔْﺘَﺎ‬
‫ل‬ ْ َ ‫اِﻓْﺘ‬
‫ﻞ‬ َ ‫اُﻓْﺘﻴ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ُ ‫ﻳُﻔْﺘَﺎ‬
‫ل‬ ‫ﻣﻔْﺘَﺎل‬
ُ ‫اِﻓْﺘِﻴَﺎل‬
VIII
iftāla yaftālu iftal uftīla yuftālu muftāl iftiyāl
(iftaltu)

X
َ ‫ﺳﺘَﻔَﺎ‬
‫ل‬ ْ ِ‫ا‬ ُ ‫ﺴﺘَﻔْﻴ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ َ‫ﻳ‬ ْ ‫ﻔ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ِ َ ‫ﺳﺘ‬
ْ ِ‫ا‬ َ ‫ﻔﻴ‬
‫ﻞ‬ ْ ُ‫ا‬
ِ ُ ‫ﺳﺘ‬ ُ ‫ﺴﺘَﻔَﺎ‬
‫ل‬ ْ ُ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﻔﻴﻞ‬
ِ َ ‫ﺴﺘ‬
ْ ‫ﻣ‬
ُ ‫ﺴﺘَﻔَﺎل‬
ْ ‫ﻣ‬
ُ ‫ﺳﺘِﻔَﺎﻟﺔ‬
ْ ِ‫ا‬
istafāla yastafīlu istafil ustufīla yustafālu mustafīl mustafāl istifālah

Assimilated (first-weak) verbs

When the first radical is w, it drops out in the Form I non-past. Most of the derived forms are regular, except that the sequences uw iw are
assimilated to ū ī, and the sequence wt in Form VIII is assimilated to tt throughout the paradigm. The following table only shows forms
with irregularities in them.

The initial w also drops out in the common Form I verbal noun ʿilah (e.g. ṣilah 'arrival, link' from waṣalah 'arrive').

Verbs Derived nouns

Active Passive
Active voice Passive voice Verbal noun
participle participle
Past (3rd sg. Present (3rd sg. Imperative (2nd Past (3rd sg. Present (3rd sg.
sg. masc. nom.
masc.) masc.) sg. masc.) masc.) masc.)
yaʿulu ʿul
waʿala
yaʿilu ʿil
waʿl, wuʿūl,
I yaʿalu ʿal wuʿila yūʿalu wāʿil- mawʿūd-
ʿilah etc.
waʿila
yaʿilu ʿil
waʿula yaʿulu ʿul
IV ʾawʿala yūʿilu ʾawʿil ʾūʿila yūʿalu mūʿil- mūʿal- ʾīʿāl-
VIII ittaʿala yattaʿilu ittaʿal uttuʿila yuttaʿalu muttaʿil- muttaʿal- ittiʿāl-
X istawʿala yastawʿilu istawʿil ustūʿila yustawʿalu mustawʿil- mustawʿal- istīʿāl-

When the first radical is y, the forms are largely regular. The following table only shows forms that have some irregularities in them,
indicated in boldface.
 Verbs Derived nouns
Active Passive Verbal
Active voice Passive voice
participle participle noun
Past (3rd sg. Present (3rd sg. Imperative (2nd sg. Past (3rd sg. Present (3rd sg.
sg. masc. nom.
masc.) masc.) masc.) masc.) masc.)
yayʿulu ūʿul
yaʿala
yayʿilu īʿil
waʿala yayʿalu īʿal
I yuʿila yūʿalu yāʿil- mayʿūd- yaʿl- etc.
yayʿalu īʿal
waʿila
yayʿilu īʿil
waʿula yayʿulu ūʿul
IV ʾayʿala yūʿilu ʾayʿil ʾūʿila yūʿalu mūʿil- mūʿal- ʾīʿāl-
VIII ittaʿala yattaʿilu ittaʿal uttuʿila yuttaʿalu muttaʿil- muttaʿal- ittiʿāl-
X istayʿala yastayʿilu istayʿil ustūʿila yustayʿalu mustayʿil- mustayʿal- istīʿāl-

Doubled verbs

Verbs Derived nouns

Active Passive Verbal
Active voice Passive voice
participle participle noun
Past (3rd sg. Present (3rd sg. Imperative (2nd sg. Past (3rd sg. Present (3rd sg.
sg. masc. nom.
masc.) masc.) masc.) masc.) masc.)
yafullu fulla, fulli, uflul
falla (falaltu) yafillu filla, filli, iflil
I fulla yufallu fāll- maflūl- fall- etc.
yafallu falla, falli, iflal
falla (faliltu) yafallu falla, falli, iflal
mufāllat-,
III fālla yufāllu fālla, fālli, fālil fūlla yufāllu mufāll- mufāll-
filāl-
IV afalla yufillu afilla, afilli, aflil ufilla yufallu mufill- mufall- iflāl-
VI tafālla yatafāllu tafālil tufūlla yutafāllu mutafāll- mutafāll- tafāll-
VII infalla yanfallu infalla, infalli, infalil n/a munfall- munfall- infilāl-
VIII iftalla yaftallu iftalla, iftalli, iftalil uftulla yuftallu muftall- muftall- iftilāl-
istafilla, istafilli,
X istafalla yastafillu ustufilla yustafallu mustafill- mustafall- istiflāl-
istaflil

Hamzated verbs
The largest problem with so-called "hamzated" verbs (those with a glottal stop ʾ or "hamzah" as any of the root consonants) is the
complicated way of writing such verbs in the Arabic script (see the article on hamzah for the rules regarding this). In pronunciation, these
verbs are in fact almost entirely regular.

The only irregularity occurs in verbs with a hamzah as the first radical. A phonological rule in Classical Arabic disallows the occurrence of
two hamzahs in a row separated by a short vowel, assimilating the second to the preceding vowel (hence ʾaʾ ʾiʾ ʾuʾ become ʾā ʾī ʾū). This
affects the following forms:

The first-person singular of the non-past of Forms I, IV and VIII.

The entire past and imperative of Form IV.
In addition, any place where a hamzat al-waṣl (elidable hamzah) occurs will optionally undergo this transformation. This affects the
following forms:

The entire imperative of Form I.

The entire past and imperative of Form VIII, as well as the verbal noun of Form VIII.
There are the following irregularities:

The common verbs ʾakala 'eat', ʾakhadha 'take', ʾamara 'command' have irregular, short imperatives kul, khudh, mur.
Form VIII of the common verb ʾakhadha 'take' is ittakhadha 'take on, assume', with irregular assimilation of the hamzah.
The common verb saʾala yasʾalu 'ask' has an alternative non-past yasalu with missing hamzah.
 Verbs Derived nouns
Active Passive Verbal
Active voice Passive voice
participle participle noun
Past (3rd sg. Present (3rd sg. Imperative (2nd sg. Past (3rd sg. Present (3rd sg.
sg. masc. nom.
masc.) masc.) masc.) masc.) masc.)
I ʾaʿala yaʾʿulu (ʾāʿulu) uʾʿul, ūʿul ʾuʿila yuʾʿalu (ʾūʿalu) ʾāʿil maʾʿūl- ʾaʿl- etc.
etc.
IV ʾāʿala yuʾʿilu (ʾūʿilu) ʾāʿil ʾūʿil yuʾʿalu (ʾūʿalu) muʾʿil- muʾʿal- ʾīʿāl-
iʾtiʿāl-,
VIII iʾtaʿala, ītaʿala yaʾtaʿilu (ʾātaʿilu) iʾtaʿil, ītaʿil uʾtuʿila, ūtuʿila yuʾtaʿala (ʾūtaʿala) muʾtaʿil- muʾtaʿal-
ītiʿāl-

Doubly weak verbs

Doubly weak verbs have two "weak" radicals; a few verbs are also triply weak. Generally, the above rules for weak verbs apply in
combination, as long as they do not conflict. The following are cases where two types of weaknesses apply in combination:

Verbs with a w in the first radical and a w or y in the third radical. These decline as defective (third-weak) verbs, and also
undergo the loss of w in the non-past of Form I, e.g. waqā yaqī 'guard', wafā yafī 'complete, fulfill (a promise)', waliya yalī
'be near, follow'. These verbs have extremely short imperatives qi fi li (feminine qī fī lī, masculine plural qū fū lū, feminine
plural iqna ifna ilna), although these are not normally used in Modern Standard Arabic. Similarly, verbs of this sort in Form
IV and Form VIII are declined as defective but also have the normal assimilations of w-initial verbs, e.g. Form IV awfā yūfī
'fulfill a vow', Form VIII ittaqā yattaqī 'fear (God)', augmentations of wafā yafī and waqā yaqī, respectively (see above).
Verbs with a hamzah in the first radical and a w or y in the third radical. These decline as defective (third-weak) verbs, and
also undergo the assimilations associated with the initial hamzah, e.g. the common verb ʾatā yaʾtī 'come' (first singular non-
past ʾātī 'I come') and the related Form IV verb ʾātā yuʾtī 'bring' (first singular non-past ʾūtī 'I bring').
The following are examples where weaknesses would conflict, and hence one of the "weak" radicals is treated as strong:

Verbs with a w or y in both the second and third radicals. These are fairly common, e.g. rawā yarwī 'recount, transmit'.
These decline as regular defective (third-weak) verbs; the second radical is treated as non-weak.
Verbs with a w in the first radical and the second and third radicals the same. These verbs do not undergo any
assimilations associated with the first radical, e.g. wadda (wadidtu) yawaddu 'to love'.
Verbs with a hamza in the first radical and the second and third radicals the same. These verbs do not undergo any
assimilations associated with the first radical, e.g. ʾajja yaʾujju 'burn', first singular non-past ʾaʾujju 'I burn', despite the two
hamzahs in a row.
The following are cases with special irregularities:

Verbs with a w or y in the second radical and a hamzah in the third radical. These are fairly common, e.g. the extremely
common verb jāʾa yajīʾu 'come'. The only irregularity is the Form I active participle, e.g. jāʾin 'coming', which is irregularly
declined as a defective (third-weak) participle (presumably to avoid a sequence of two hamzahs in a row, as the expected
form would be *jāʾiʾ).
The extremely common verb raʾā yarā 'see'. The hamzah drops out entirely in the non-past. Similarly in the passive, ruʾiya
yurā 'be seen'. The active participle is regular rāʾin and the passive participle is regular marʾīy-. The related Form IV verb
arā yūrī 'show' is missing the hamzah throughout. Other augmentations are regular: Form III rāʾā yurāʾī 'dissemble', Form
VI tarāʾā yatarāʾā 'look at one another', Form VIII irtaʾā yartaʾī 'think'.
The common verb ḥayiya yaḥyā 'live', with an alternative past tense ḥayya. Form IV aḥyā yuḥyī 'resuscitate, revive' is
regular. Form X istaḥyā yastaḥyī 'spare alive, feel ashamed' also appears as istaḥayya and istaḥā.

Summary of vowels
The vowels for the various forms are summarized in this table:
 Active Passive
Active voice Passive voice Verbal noun
participle participle
Past
Present
Present (3rd sg. (3rd
Past (3rd sg. masc.) (3rd sg.
masc.) sg.
masc.)
masc.)
a in Forms IV–VI. In u, and a u except a in Forms II, V, and VI. In
Before first root a except in
Forms VII–XII one has i after the t in Form I, Forms VII–XII one has i
consonant (if Forms II–IV, u u
when the hamzah is not of Forms V where it when the hamzah is not
vowel is present) where it is u.
elided. and VI is a. elided.
Just before 2nd u, ū, or a, ā, or a, ā, or a, ā, or
a, ā, or none a, ā, or none i, a, ā, or none
root consonant none none none none
Form I a, i, or u. i except in a except
Just before third a in Forms V, VI, Form IX, in Form I, ī in Form II, u in Forms V
a i a
root consonant and IX, i in where it is where it and VI, ā elsewhere
others. a. is ū.
After final root
consonant, 3rd
a u a u n/a n/a n/a
person sg.
indicative

See also Wiktionary's appendix on Arabic verb forms.

Verbs in colloquial Arabic

The Classical Arabic system of verbs is largely unchanged in the colloquial spoken varieties of Arabic. The same derivational system of
augmentations exists, including triliteral Forms I through X and quadriliteral Forms I and II, constructed largely in the same fashion (the
rare triliteral Forms XI through XV and quadriliteral Forms III and IV have vanished). The same system of weaknesses (strong,
defective/third-weak, hollow/second-weak, assimilated/first-weak, doubled) also exists, again constructed largely in the same fashion.
Within a given verb, two stems (past and non-past) still exist along with the same two systems of affixes (suffixing past-tense forms and
prefixing/suffixing non-past forms).

The largest changes are within a given paradigm, with a significant reduction in the number of forms. The following is an example of a
regular verb paradigm in Egyptian Arabic.

Example of a regular Form I verb in Egyptian Arabic, kátab/yíktib "write"

Tense/Mood Past Present Subjunctive Present Indicative Future Imperative
Singular
1st katáb-t ‫ﻛﺘﺒﺖ‬ á-ktib ‫أﻛﺘﺐ‬ bá-ktib ‫ﺑﻜﺘﺐ‬ ḥá-ktib ‫ﺣﻜﺘﺐ‬
masc. katáb-t ‫ﻛﺘﺒﺖ‬ tí-ktib ‫ﺗﻜﺘﺐ‬ bi-tí-ktib ‫ﺑﺘﻜﺘﺐ‬ ḥa-tí-ktib ‫ﺣﺘﻜﺘﺐ‬ í-ktib ‫اﻛﺘﺐ‬
2nd
fem. katáb-ti ‫ﻛﺘﺒﺖ‬ ti-ktíb-i ‫ﺗﻜﺘﺒﻲ‬ bi-ti-ktíb-i ‫ﺑﺘﻜﺘﺒﻲ‬ ḥa-ti-ktíb-i ‫ﺣﺘﻜﺘﺒﻲ‬ i-ktíb-i ‫اﻛﺘﺒﻲ‬
masc. kátab ‫ﻛﺘﺐ‬ yí-ktib ‫ﻳﻜﺘﺐ‬ bi-yí-ktib ‫ﺑﻴﻜﺘﺐ‬ ḥa-yí-ktib ‫ﺣﻴﻜﺘﺐ‬
3rd
fem. kátab-it ‫ﻛﺘﺒﺖ‬ tí-ktib ‫ﺗﻜﺘﺐ‬ bi-tí-ktib ‫ﺑﺘﻜﺘﺐ‬ ḥa-tí-ktib ‫ﺣﺘﻜﺘﺐ‬
Plural
1st katáb-na ‫ﻛﺘﺒﻨﺎ‬ ní-ktib ‫ﻧﻜﺘﺐ‬ bi-ní-ktib ‫ﺑﻨﻜﺘﺐ‬ ḥá-ní-ktib ‫ﺣﻨﻜﺘﺐ‬
2nd katáb-tu ‫ﻛﺘﺒﺘﻮا‬ ti-ktíb-u ‫ﺗﻜﺘﺒﻮا‬ bi-ti-ktíb-u ‫ﺑﺘﻜﺘﺒﻮا‬ ḥa-ti-ktíb-u ‫ﺣﺘﻜﺘﺒﻮا‬ i-ktíb-u ‫اﻛﺘﺒﻮا‬
3rd kátab-u ‫ﻛﺘﺒﻮا‬ yi-ktíb-u ‫ﻳﻜﺘﺒﻮا‬ bi-yi-ktíb-u ‫ﺑﻴﻜﺘﺒﻮا‬ ḥa-yi-ktíb-u ‫ﺣﻴﻜﺘﺒﻮا‬

This paradigm shows clearly the reduction in the number of forms:

The thirteen person/number/gender combinations of Classical Arabic have been reduced to eight, through the loss of dual
and feminine-plural forms. (Some varieties still have feminine-plural forms, generally marked with the suffix -an, leading to
a total of ten forms. This occurs, for example, in Iraqi Arabic and in many of the varieties of the Arabian peninsula.)
The system of suffix-marked mood distinctions has been lost, other than the imperative. Egyptian Arabic and many other
"urban" varieties (e.g. Moroccan Arabic, Levantine Arabic) have non-past endings -i -u inherited from the original
subjunctive forms, but some varieties (e.g. Iraqi Arabic) have -īn -ūn endings inherited from the original indicative. Most
varieties have also gained new moods, and a new future tense, marked through the use of prefixes (most often with an
unmarked subjunctive vs. an indicative marked with a prefix, e.g. Egyptian bi-, Levantine b-, Moroccan ta-/ka-). Various
particles are used for the future (e.g. Egyptian ḥa-, Levantine raḥ-, Moroccan ɣa(di)-), derived from reduced forms of
various verbs.
The internal passive is lost almost everywhere. Instead, the original reflexive/mediopassive augmentations (e.g. Forms V,
VI, VII) serve as both reflexive and passive. The passive of Forms II and III is generally constructed with a reflex of Forms
V and VI, using a prefix it- derived from the Classical prefix ta-. The passive of Form I uses either a prefix in- (from Form
VII) or it- (modeled after Forms V and VI). The other forms often have no passive.
In addition, Form IV is lost entirely in most varieties, except for a few "classicizing" verbs (i.e. verbs borrowed from Modern Standard
Arabic).

See varieties of Arabic for more information on grammar differences in the spoken varieties.

Negation
The negation of Arabic verbs varies according to the tense of the verb phrase. In literary Modern Standard Arabic, present-tense verbs are
ْ َ ‫ ﻟ‬lam "not" before the verb, and
negated by adding ‫ ﻻ‬lā "not" before the verb, past-tense verbs are negated by adding the negative particle ‫ﻢ‬
putting the verb in the jussive mood; and future-tense expressions are negated by placing the negative particle ‫ﻦ‬ َ
ْ ‫ ﻟ‬lan before the verb in the
subjunctive mood. [3]

References
1. When a verb in Arabic ends with a vowel, the vowel is replaced with the corresponding short vocal when converted into
imperative.
2. Possibly, ‫ اﻋﻤﺎي‬iʿmāya is contracted from ‫* اﻋﻤﻴﻲ‬iʿmayaya using the same process that produces hollow verbs. A
dictionary of modern written Arabic (Hans Wehr, J. Milton Cowan) also lists a supposed Form IX defective verb ‫ارﻋﻮى‬
irʿawā 'desist (from sin), repent, see the light'; however, this has both an unexpected form and meaning, so it is unclear
whether the classification as Form IX is accurate.
3. Karin C. Ryding, A Reference Grammar of Modern Standard Arabic (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005), pp.
644 [§37.2.1.2], 647 [§36.2.2.1], 648 [§37.2.2.3].

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This page was last edited on 22 December 2019, at 08:59 (UTC).

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