Arabic verbs are noted for an unusual system ofderivation. From any particularroot various verbstems may be formed. Western scholars usually refer to these derivations as “form I”, “form II”, ... up through “form XV,” though these designations are not used indigenously, where they are referred to by derivations from the rootف ع ل(f ʕ l). Accordingly, form I would beفَعَلَ(faʕala), form II would beفَعَّلَ(faʕʕala), etc. These forms refer to triliteral roots (those made of three consonants). There are also quadriliteral roots, made up of four consonants, which come in four forms, “form Iq”, “form IIq”, “form IIIq” and “form IVq”. Triliteral forms XI through XV and quadriliteral forms IIIq and IVq are rare and tend to be intransitive, often stative, verbs (having the meaning “to be or become Y” where Y is an adjective).
These forms and their associated participles and verbal nouns are the primary means of forming vocabulary in Arabic. All of the examples shown here are thecitation forms, which in Arabic means the 3rd-person masculine singular perfect (e.g., “he did”, “he wrote”).
Perfectiveفَعَلَ(faʕala),فَعِلَ(faʕila),فَعُلَ(faʕula), imperfectiveيَفْعَلُ(yafʕalu),يَفْعِلُ(yafʕilu),يَفْعُلُ(yafʕulu), active participleفَاعِل(fāʕil), passive participleمَفْعُول(mafʕūl), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)اِفْعَلْ(ifʕal),اِفْعِلْ(ifʕil),اُفْعُلْ(ufʕul)
This is the simplest basic form of a verb; it gives the general idea of its root. Most verbs aretriliteral, but there are a fewquadriliteral ones.
When the middle vowel of the perfective isa, the middle vowel of the imperfective may bea,i, oru. When the perfective vowel isi, the imperfective vowel is usuallya; when the perfective vowel isu, the imperfective vowel is alsou.
| perfective vowel | imperfective vowel | example | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a | u | كَتَبَ(kataba) | يَكْتُبُ(yaktubu) | to write |
| i | غَسَلَ(ḡasala) | يَغْسِلُ(yaḡsilu) | to wash | |
| a | ذَهَبَ(ḏahaba) | يَذْهَبُ(yaḏhabu) | to go | |
| i | a | شَرِبَ(šariba) | يَشْرَبُ(yašrabu) | to drink |
| i | وَثِقَ(waṯiqa) | يَثِقُ(yaṯiqu) | to trust | |
| u | u | كَرُمَ(karuma) | يَكْرُمُ(yakrumu) | to be generous |
Perfectiveفَعَّلَ(faʕʕala), imperfectiveيُفَعِّلُ(yufaʕʕilu), verbal noun generallyتَفْعِيل(tafʕīl), inweak verbs necessarily and final-hamzated verbs facultativelyتَفْعِلَة(tafʕila), withgeminate verbs sometimesتَفْعَال(tafʕāl), in rare historical cases aفِعَّال(fiʕʕāl) verbal noun exists, active participleمُفَعِّل(mufaʕʕil), passive participleمُفَعَّل(mufaʕʕal), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)فَعِّلْ(faʕʕil)
This stem is formed by doubling the secondradical. The meaning this form imparts isintensive,causative, ordeclarative.
It is frequently used as adenominative formation to convert nouns or adjectives into verbs.
Perfectiveفَاعَلَ(fāʕala), imperfectiveيُفَاعِلُ(yufāʕilu), verbal nounمُفَاعَلَة(mufāʕala) or:فِعَال(fiʕāl) active participleمُفَاعِل(mufāʕil), passive participleمُفَاعَل(mufāʕal), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)فَاعِلْ(fāʕil)
This stem is formed by lengthening the vowel after the firstradical. The meaning of this form is associative, meaning the action of the root is either done with somebody or something else, or to somebody or something else, and it is usually transitive. Theindirect object of form I is thedirect object of form III. Thus, the object of the prepositionإِلَى(ʔilā,“to”) inكَتَبَ إِلَى أَحْمَدَ(kataba ʔilā ʔaḥmada,“he wrote to Ahmad”) becomes the direct object of the verb inكَاتَبَ أَحْمَدَ(kātaba ʔaḥmada,“he corresponded with Ahmad”).
Perfectiveأَفْعَلَ(ʔafʕala), imperfectiveيُفْعِلُ(yufʕilu), verbal nounإِفْعَال(ʔifʕāl), active participleمُفْعِل(mufʕil), passive participleمُفْعَل(mufʕal), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)أَفْعِلْ(ʔafʕil)
This stem is formed by prefixingأَـ(ʔa-) and dropping the vowel of the firstradical. In the imperfect, theأَ(ʔa) disappears and the regular imperfect prefix takes the vowelu, and the characteristic isi:يُكْتِبُ(yuktibu). The meaning this form imparts is usuallycausative.
Sometimes it has adeclarative meaning: to say that someone has a certain quality.
Occasionally Form IV is derived from a noun and has an intransitive meaning:
Perfectiveتَفَعَّلَ(tafaʕʕala), imperfectiveيَتَفَعَّلُ(yatafaʕʕalu), verbal nounتَفَعُّل(tafaʕʕul) orتِفِعَّال(tifiʕʕāl), active participleمُتَفَعِّل(mutafaʕʕil), passive participleمُتَفَعَّل(mutafaʕʕal), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)تَفَعَّلْ(tafaʕʕal)
This stem is formed by prefixingتَـ(ta-) to form II. The meaning this form imparts is thereflexive orpassive of form II. Out of thereflexive also arises theeffective. This differs from thepassive in that the latter indicates that the person is the object of, or experiences the effect of, the action of a another; whereas theeffective implies that an act is done to a person, or a state produced in them, whether it is caused by another or themselves.
In pre-classical language the formant can beتْـ(t-) instead ofتَـ(ta-) and assimilates then to alveolars. Example:اِصَّدَعَ(iṣṣadaʕa) instead ofتَصَدَّعَ(taṣaddaʕa), presentيَصَّدَّعُ(yaṣṣaddaʕu) instead ofيَتَصَدَّعُ(yataṣaddaʕu).[1]
Perfectiveتَفَاعَلَ(tafāʕala), imperfectiveيَتَفَاعَلُ(yatafāʕalu), verbal nounتَفَاعُل(tafāʕul), active participleمُتَفَاعِل(mutafāʕil), passive participleمُتَفَاعَل(mutafāʕal), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)تَفَاعَلْ(tafāʕal)
This stem is formed by prefixingتَـ(ta-) to form III. The imperfect has the vowela throughout, except for the last:يَتَكَاتَبُ(yatakātabu). The meaning this form imparts isreciprocal or one ofpretence.
In pre-classical language the formant can beتْـ(t-) instead ofتَـ(ta-) and assimilates then to alveolars (sun letters).[1]
Perfectiveاِنْفَعَلَ(infaʕala), imperfectiveيَنْفَعِلُ(yanfaʕilu), verbal nounاِنْفِعَال(infiʕāl), active participleمُنْفَعِل(munfaʕil), passive participleمُنْفَعَل(munfaʕal), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)اِنْفَعِلْ(infaʕil)
This stem is formed by prefixingنـ(n-) with aprothetic vowel (اِ(i)) where necessary (in-). The meaning this form imparts isreflexive orpassive. Note: this form should not be made from roots whose first radical is ر(r),ل(l),ي(y),و(w),أ(ʔ), orن(n), although some people do it. In such cases, all the corresponding rules apply (e.g.اِنَّصَرَ(innaṣara,“to be supported”) whereن(n) assimilates into the prefix, orاِنْآد(inʔād) whereو(w) drops out andأ(ʔ) is turned intoآ(ʔā)). Additionally, the stem prefix may assimilate intoمـ(m-) when the first root radical isم(m), giving us their alternatively prefixed verb forms (im-) although the standard forms are also valid.
Perfectiveاِفْتَعَلَ(iftaʕala), imperfectiveيَفْتَعِلُ(yaftaʕilu), verbal nounاِفْتِعَال(iftiʕāl), active participleمُفْتَعِل(muftaʕil), passive participleمُفْتَعَل(muftaʕal), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)اِفْتَعِلْ(iftaʕil)
This stem is formed by infixingـتَـ(-ta-) after the firstradical, and with aprothetic vowel (اِ(i)) where necessary. The meaning this form imparts is thereflexive or sometimespassive, of the first form.
When the first radical of the root isط(ṭ) ,ض(ḍ) ,ص(ṣ) ,ز(z) ,ذ(ḏ) ,د(d) ,ث(ṯ) ,ت(t) , orظ(ẓ), the infixedـتـ(-t-) is completely assimilated, or assimilated in voicing or emphasis:
In some cases, the verb may use 2 or even all these 3 assimilation techniques, thereby giving, correspondingly, 2 and even 3 alternative verb forms:
In very rare cases, the verb in pre-classical may have used assimilation for roots beginning withج(j), transforming the infixـتـ(-t-) intoـدـ(-d-) and giving the alternative verb forms:
Perfectiveاِفْعَلَّ(ifʕalla), imperfectiveيَفْعَلُّ(yafʕallu), verbal nounاِفْعِلَال(ifʕilāl), active participleمُفْعَلّ(mufʕall), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)اِفْعَلَّ(ifʕalla)
This stem is formed by dropping the vowel of the first radical, adding aprothetic vowel (اِ(i)) where necessary, and doubling the final radical. This form is used by only a small number of verbs denoting color or bodily defect. This form has no passive participle. It is frequently connected to an adjective with the formأَفْعَل(ʔafʕal); seeAppendix:Arabic nominals § Color or defect adjectives.
Perfectiveاِسْتَفْعَلَ(istafʕala), imperfectiveيَسْتَفْعِلُ(yastafʕilu), verbal nounاِسْتِفْعَال(istifʕāl), active participleمُسْتَفْعِل(mustafʕil), passive participleمُسْتَفْعَل(mustafʕal), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)اِسْتَفْعِلْ(istafʕil)
This stem is formed by prefixingـسْتَـ(-sta-), with aprothetic vowel (اِ(i)) where necessary, and dropping the vowel of the firstradical. The meaning this form imparts is to ask or think that the sense of form I should be done.
These forms were already rare in Classical Arabic, and are even more so in Modern Standard Arabic.
Perfectiveاِفْعَالَّ(ifʕālla), imperfectiveيَفْعَالُّ(yafʕāllu), verbal nounاِفْعِيلَال(ifʕīlāl), active participleمُفْعَالّ(mufʕāll), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)اِفْعَالَّ(ifʕālla)
This stem is formed from form IX by lengthening the vowel after the secondradical. This form is very rare and it is usually used only for metrical purposes in poetry as an alternative to form IX. Some scholars[2] suggest the XI form may have a more volatile meaning than form IX, as well as one slightly more intensive.
Perfectiveاِفْعَوْعَلَ(ifʕawʕala), imperfectiveيَفْعَوْعِلُ(yafʕawʕilu), verbal nounاِفْعِيعَال(ifʕīʕāl), active participleمُفْعَوْعِل(mufʕawʕil), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)اِفْعَوْعِلْ(ifʕawʕil)
Perfectiveاِفْعَوَّلَ(ifʕawwala), imperfectiveيَفْعَوِّلُ(yafʕawwilu), verbal nounاِفْعِوَّال(ifʕiwwāl), active participleمُفْعَوِّل(mufʕawwil), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)اِفْعَوِّلْ(ifʕawwil)
Perfectiveاِفْعَنْلَلَ(ifʕanlala), imperfectiveيَفْعَنْلِلُ(yafʕanlilu), verbal nounاِفْعِنْلَال(ifʕinlāl), active participleمُفْعَنْلِل(mufʕanlil), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)اِفْعَنْلِلْ(ifʕanlil)
Perfectiveاِفْعَنْلَى(ifʕanlā), imperfectiveيَفْعَنْلَى(yafʕanlā), verbal nounاِفْعِنْلَاء(ifʕinlāʔ), active participleمُفْعَنْلٍ(mufʕanlin), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)اِفْعَنْلَ(ifʕanla)
Perfectiveفَعْلَقَ(faʕlaqa), imperfectiveيُفَعْلِقُ(yufaʕliqu), verbal nounفَعْلَقَة(faʕlaqa) or:فَعْلَاق(faʕlāq),فِعْلَاق(fiʕlāq),فُعْلَاق(fuʕlāq), active participleمُفَعْلِق(mufaʕliq), passive participleمُفَعْلَق(mufaʕlaq), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)فَعْلِقْ(faʕliq)
This is the simplest basic form of a quadriliteral verb. Most verbs are transitive, although a subset with reduplicated roots often are not. This form is similar to form II of triliteral roots.
The formation is sometimes used to convert nouns into verbs.
Perfectiveتَفَعْلَقَ(tafaʕlaqa), imperfectiveيَتَفَعْلَقُ(yatafaʕlaqu), verbal nounتَفَعْلُق(tafaʕluq), active participleمُتَفَعْلِق(mutafaʕliq), passive participleمُتَفَعْلَق(mutafaʕlaq), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)تَفَعْلَقْ(tafaʕlaq)
This is a quadriliteral root stem, formed by prefixingتَ(ta) to form Iq. The meaning this form imparts is thereflexive orpassive of form Iq. This form is similar to form V of triliteral roots.
Perfectiveاِفْعَنْلَقَ(ifʕanlaqa), imperfectiveيَفْعَنْلِقُ(yafʕanliqu), verbal nounاِفْعِنْلَاق(ifʕinlāq), active participleمُفْعَنْلِق(mufʕanliq), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)اِفْعَنْلِقْ(ifʕanliq)
This stem is formed by prefixingاِـ(i-), dropping the vowel of the first radical, and adding aـَ(-a) to and infixingنـ(n-) after the secondradical.
Perfectiveاِفْعَلَقَّ(ifʕalaqqa), imperfectiveيَفْعَلِقُّ(yafʕaliqqu), verbal nounاِفْعِلْقَاق(ifʕilqāq), active participleمُفْعَلِقّ(mufʕaliqq), imperative (2nd person, m, sg)اِفْعَلِقَّ(ifʕaliqqa)
This stem is formed by prefixingاِـ(i-), dropping the vowel of the first radical, and adding aـَ(-a) to the second radical, andgeminating the final radical.
Verbs are considered sound if none of the radicals isو orي orء, nor are the second and third radicals identical.
Verbs are called hamzated ifء (hamza) is one of the root consonants (radicals). The phonetical pattern of the conjugation of these verbs doesn't differ from other verbs in all forms but because of the rules of positioning ofhamza, the spelling is affected in some forms, e.g. the verbأَكَلَ(ʔakala) (ʾ-k-l) has the formيَأْكُلُ(yaʔkulu) in the imperfect masculine singular and the verbقَرَأَ(qaraʔa) (q-r-ʾ) has the formتَقْرَئِينَ(taqraʔīna) in the imperfect feminine singular.
TO DOWeak verbs are verbs that have one of the radicalsو orي.
Other examples of weak verbs:
TO DO Quadriliteral verbs are made from roots having four radicals, e.g.تَرْجَمَ(tarjama) - "to translate";هَنْدَسَ(handasa) - "to engineer";قَهْقَهَ(qahqaha) - "to laugh loudly";تَبَلْوَرَ(tabalwara) - "to be crystalized" (form IIq);اِحْرَنْجَمَ(iḥranjama) - "to press one another" (form IIIq);اِطْمَأَنَّ(iṭmaʔanna) - "to be calm" (form IVq).
TO DO Geminate verbs are verbs that have the second and the third radicals the same, e.g.مَدَّ(madda) - "to stretch";دَلَّ(dalla) - "to indicate";ظَنَّ(ẓanna) - "to think";حَاقَّ(ḥāqqa) - "to sue, to litigate" (form III);أَحَبَّ(ʔaḥabba) - "to love" (form IV);تَضَادَّ(taḍādda) - "to be opposed to one another" (form VI);اِنْشَقَّ(inšaqqa) - "to split" (form VII);اِحْتَلَّ(iḥtalla) - "to occupy" (form VIII);اِسْتَرَدَّ(istaradda) - "to demand back" (form X).