Arabic grammar 2: ¨ Basics on verbs ¨ illustrates the necessary details that every Arabic learner should know, and serve beside the previous slides ¨ Arabic grammar 1: Basic son nouns ¨ as a good background to move towards deep knowledge in Arabic grammar.

1. www.alif-zaim.blogspot.com

2. Preliminary notes
The verb is a word that indicates a meaning by itself and affords a tense. The third person singular
masculine ¨He / It (masc.): ‫هو‬ ¨ is considered the simplest form of the verb functioning as¨Infinitif¨
but is not a real infinitif as the notion of ¨infinitif¨does not exist in Arabic.
The verb can be seen from different persectives and so divided in sections that include many
categories:
1- With respect to the number of letters, the verb is divided into:
A - Stripped verb ‫المجرد‬ ‫الفعل‬ which is the simple form or root form of the verb. It consists most of
three-radical while a smaler number consists of four.
B - The Increased verb ‫المزيد‬ ‫الفعل‬ known as derived forms of the root made by adding specific
letters in specific places to the three or foor-radical.
2- With respect to time, the verb is divided into:
A - ‫الفعل‬‫الماضي‬ verb in the Pefect tense, known as the Past, indicates completed action and used
mainly to refer to events that have already taken place.
B - ‫المضارع‬ ‫الفعل‬ verb in the Imperfect tense, known as the Present, expresses mainly actions still
continuing at the time to which reference is being made, habitual actions and the future with the
letter ‫س‬ added at the beginning of the verb most of the time or ‫سوف‬ preceding it.
C - ‫األمر‬ ‫الفعل‬ verb in the Imperative, the command tense related manily to the Imperfect and may
be considered as a modification of it.

3. 3- With respect to its object, the verb can be:
A - Transitive verb ‫الفعل‬‫ي‬ّ‫د‬َ‫ع‬َ‫ت‬ُ‫م‬‫ال‬ which requires a direct object to have a complete meaningful
sentence that consists of a verb, a subject of the verb and an object of the verb. There is no
indirect object in Arabic.
B - Intransitive verb ‫الفعل‬‫م‬ ِ‫الالز‬ does not need a direct object and so the sentence is
complete with a verb and its subject.
4- With respect to its subject, the verb can be:
A - Active verb ‫للمعلوم‬ ‫المبني‬ ‫الفعل‬ which has a subject ¨ the doer ¨ known, identified in the
sentence.
B - Passive verb ‫للمجهول‬ ‫المبني‬ ‫الفعل‬ in which the subject ¨the doer ¨is omitted. unknown or
intentionally not identified.
5 - With respect to its radicals ¨root-letters¨ being strong or weak, the verb is divided into:
A - Regular verb ‫الصحيح‬ ‫الفعل‬ : is the verb that no radical ¨root-letter ¨ in it is a weak letter
such as ‫و‬–‫ا‬–‫ي‬ .
B - Irregular verb ‫الفعل‬ّ‫ل‬َ‫ت‬ْ‫ع‬ُ‫م‬‫ال‬ : is the verb in which one or two of its radicals ¨root-letters¨
is/are weak: ‫و‬–‫ا‬–‫ي‬
* Next is a chart illustrating the parts of the verbs mentioned above. Details are right after:

5. ١/‫المزيد‬ ‫الفعل‬ ‫و‬ ‫المجرد‬ ‫الفعل‬
The stripped verb & the increased verb
The verb, with respect to the number of its radicals, is divided into:
‫مجرد‬ ‫فعل‬ stripped verb and ‫مزيد‬ ‫فعل‬ increased verb.
‫الفعل‬‫المجرد‬/1 , the stripped verb, is the root verb form. It consists most of three-radical
represented by ‫ف‬+‫ع‬+‫ل‬ consisting when joined togetehr the basic stem that is refered
to as Form 1 triliteral verb. This from occurs in three vowel classes of the perfect tense
(Past) of the third person singular masculine ‫هو‬¨ He ¨, which is considered as the simplest
form and so functions as ¨infinitif ¨ : َ‫ل‬‫ـ‬َ‫ع‬‫ـ‬َ‫ف‬ , َ‫ل‬‫ـ‬ِ‫ع‬‫ـ‬َ‫ف‬ and َ‫ل‬‫ـ‬ُ‫ع‬‫ـ‬َ‫ف‬.
A smaler number consists of four-radical represented by ‫ف‬+‫ع‬+‫ل‬+‫ل‬ pronounced
َ‫ل‬‫ـ‬َ‫ل‬‫ـ‬ْ‫ع‬‫ـ‬َ‫ف‬ and known as Form 1 quadriliteral verb, perfect tense (Past of ‫هو‬ He).
‫الفعل‬‫المزيد‬/2 ,the increased verb, known as the derived verbs from the three and the
four-radical are ususally identified in Arabic as foreign language by roman numerals
starting in both three and four-radical from 2 up, and so classified in categories that are to
be memorized.
The following chart illustrates the necessary details:

6. Examlpes ‫أمثلة‬
F I َ‫ب‬َ‫ه‬َ‫ذ‬ to go
َ‫ب‬ِ‫ع‬َ‫ل‬ to play
َ‫ر‬ُ‫ب‬َ‫ك‬ to grow up
F II َ‫س‬َّ‫ر‬َ‫د‬ to teach
F III َ‫د‬َ‫ساع‬ to help
F IV َ‫ج‬َ‫ر‬ْ‫خ‬َ‫أ‬ to take out
F V َ‫م‬ّ‫ل‬َ‫ك‬َ‫ت‬ to speak
F VI َ‫ل‬َ‫و‬‫نا‬َ‫ت‬ to take
F VII َ‫م‬ َ‫س‬َ‫ق‬ْ‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬ to be divided
F VIII َ‫ع‬َ‫م‬َ‫ت‬ْ‫ج‬ِ‫إ‬ to meet
F IX َّ‫ر‬َ‫م‬ْ‫ح‬ِ‫إ‬ to turn red
F X َ‫ل‬َ‫ب‬ْ‫َق‬‫ت‬ ْ‫س‬ِ‫إ‬ to wecome
F XI َ‫َب‬‫د‬ْ‫و‬َ‫د‬ْ‫ح‬ِ‫إ‬ to be humpbacked

7. ‫أمثلة‬Examples
F1َ‫ـم‬َ‫ج‬ ْ‫ـر‬َ‫ت‬to translate
َ‫ر‬َ‫ط‬‫ْـ‬‫ي‬‫ـ‬َ‫س‬to dominate
َ‫ل‬‫ـ‬َ‫ق‬ ْ‫ـر‬َ‫ع‬to obstruct
َ‫ـر‬َ‫ث‬‫ـ‬ْ‫ع‬‫ـ‬َ‫ب‬to mixt up
F IIَ‫ر‬ َ‫ـو‬ْ‫ه‬َ‫د‬‫ـ‬َ‫ت‬to decline
َ‫م‬َ‫ـلـ‬ْ‫ق‬َ‫ـأ‬َ‫ت‬to acclimatize
َ‫ـز‬َ‫ك‬ ْ‫ـر‬َ‫م‬‫ـ‬َ‫ت‬to centred
َ‫ك‬َ‫ـر‬ْ‫م‬َ‫ـأ‬َ‫ت‬to act American
F IIIَ‫م‬َ‫ط‬ْ‫ن‬ َ‫ر‬ْ‫خ‬ِ‫إ‬to be proud
F IV‫ن‬َ‫ـأ‬َ‫م‬‫ـ‬ْ‫ط‬ِ‫إ‬to be reassured
‫ـر‬َ‫هـ‬َ‫فـ‬ْ‫ك‬ِ‫إ‬to become dark
‫ز‬َ‫أ‬‫ـ‬َ‫م‬‫ـ‬ْ‫ش‬ِ‫إ‬to be disgusted

8. ٢/‫األمر‬ ‫و‬ ‫المضارع‬ ‫و‬ ‫الماضي‬Perfect, Impefect & Imperative
Arabic is very poor in tenses. The verb is divided with respect to time into three categories:
1- Perfect ¨Past tense verb¨ ‫الفعل‬ ‫الماضي‬ which indicates completed action.
2- Imperfect ¨Present tense verb¨ ‫المضارع‬ ‫الفعل‬ indicates a continuing process
independant of time in which the event takes place, an habitual action, and the future with
‫س‬ attached to the verb in the present tense or ‫سوف‬ separated from it.
3- Imperative ¨Command tense verb¨ ‫األمر‬ which is formed from the imperfect base.
- There is no infinitif in Arabic, thus the verb in the past pefect, third person singular
masculine being considered the simplest form of the verb functions as ¨ infinitif ¨ and referd
to it whenever the notion of the infinitif is mentioned.
- The verb has a suffix conjugation and prefix one indicating a specific pronoun. The suffix
conjugation is used to form the perfect and the prefix one is used to form the imperfect.
- Personal pronouns, called subject pronouns or independant pronouns are set in three
categories: Singular, dual and plural. Each has 5 pronouns (masculine and feminine) making
all a total of 15. These pronouns are not to be used with the verbs when conjugated since
suffixes and prefixes indiacte the pronouns in question.
* The following chart serves as a general introduction to the conjugation precess:

9. ‫الجمع‬Plural ‫المثنى‬Dual ‫المفرد‬Singular
‫درس‬
to study
‫نحن‬:ْ‫ـ‬‫ـــــ‬‫نا‬‫نا‬ ْ‫َرس‬‫د‬
‫أنتم‬:ُ‫ت‬ ْ‫درس‬ ْ‫م‬ُ‫ت‬ ْ‫ـ‬‫ـــــ‬ْ‫م‬
‫أنتن‬:ْ‫درس‬ َّ‫ن‬ُ‫ت‬ ْ‫ـ‬‫ـــــ‬َّ‫ن‬ُ‫ت‬
‫هم‬:‫ــــــ‬‫وا‬‫وا‬ ُ‫درس‬
‫هن‬:َ‫ن‬ ْ‫درس‬ َ‫ن‬ ْ‫ـ‬‫ـــــ‬
‫نحن‬:ْ‫ـ‬‫ـــــ‬‫نا‬‫نا‬ ْ‫َرس‬‫د‬
‫أنتما‬:ُ‫ت‬ ْ‫درس‬ ‫ما‬ُ‫ت‬ ْ‫ـ‬‫ـــــ‬‫ما‬
‫أنتما‬:ُ‫ت‬ ْ‫درس‬ ‫ما‬ُ‫ت‬ ْ‫ـ‬‫ـــــ‬‫ما‬
‫هما‬:‫ــــــ‬‫ا‬‫درسا‬
‫هما‬:‫تا‬ َ‫درس‬ ‫تا‬ َ‫ـ‬‫ـــــ‬
‫أنا‬:‫ــــــ‬ُ‫ت‬ُ‫ت‬ ْ‫َرس‬‫د‬
َ‫أنت‬:‫ــــــ‬َ‫ت‬َ‫ت‬ ْ‫درس‬
ِ‫ت‬‫أن‬:‫ــــــ‬ِ‫ت‬ِ‫ت‬ ْ‫درس‬
‫هو‬:َ‫درس‬ ‫ــــــ‬
‫هي‬:‫ــــــ‬ْ‫ت‬ْ‫ت‬ َ‫درس‬
‫الماضي‬
P
A
S
T
‫نحن‬:ُ‫س‬ُ‫ر‬ْ‫د‬َ‫ن‬ ‫ــــــ‬ ‫نـ‬
‫أنتم‬:‫ت‬‫ــــــ‬ ‫ـ‬‫ون‬َ‫تدرسون‬
‫أنتن‬:‫ت‬َ‫ن‬ ْ‫تدرس‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ــــــ‬ ‫ـ‬
‫هم‬:‫ي‬‫ـ‬‫ــــــ‬‫ون‬َ‫يدرسون‬
‫هن‬:‫ت‬َ‫ن‬ ْ‫يدرس‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ــــــ‬ ‫ـ‬
‫نحن‬:ُ‫س‬ُ‫ر‬ْ‫د‬َ‫ن‬ ‫ــــــ‬ ‫نـ‬
‫أنتما‬:‫ت‬ِ‫تدرسان‬ ‫ان‬ ‫ــــــ‬ ‫ـ‬
‫أنتما‬:‫ت‬ِ‫تدرسان‬ ‫ان‬ ‫ــــــ‬ ‫ـ‬
‫هما‬:‫ي‬‫ـ‬ِ‫يدرسان‬ ‫ان‬ ‫ــــــ‬
‫هما‬:‫ت‬ِ‫تدرسان‬ ‫ان‬ ‫ــــــ‬ ‫ـ‬
‫أنا‬:‫أ‬ُ‫س‬ُ‫ر‬ْ‫د‬َ‫أ‬ ُ ‫ـــــــ‬
َ‫أنت‬:‫ت‬ُ‫تدرس‬ ُ ‫ــــــ‬ ‫ـ‬
ِ‫ت‬‫أن‬:‫ت‬‫ــــــ‬ ‫ـ‬َ‫تدرسين‬ َ‫ين‬
‫هو‬:‫ي‬ُ‫يدرس‬ ُ ‫ــــــ‬ ‫ـ‬
‫هي‬:‫ت‬‫ـ‬ُ‫تدرس‬ ُ ‫ــــــ‬
‫المضارع‬
P
RE
SE
T
‫أنتم‬:
ُ
‫أ‬‫ـــــــ‬‫وا‬‫س‬ُ‫ر‬ْ‫د‬
ُ
‫أ‬‫وا‬
‫أنتن‬:
ُ
‫أ‬ْ‫ـ‬‫ــــــ‬ُ‫ر‬ْ‫د‬
ُ
‫أ‬ َ‫ن‬َ‫ن‬ ْ‫س‬
‫أنتما‬:‫أ‬‫ـــــــ‬‫سا‬ُ‫ر‬ْ‫د‬
ُ
‫أ‬
‫أنتما‬:‫أ‬‫ـــــــ‬‫سا‬ُ‫ر‬ْ‫د‬
ُ
‫أ‬
َ‫أنت‬:‫أ‬ْ‫س‬ُ‫ر‬ْ‫د‬
ُ
‫أ‬ ْ‫ـ‬‫ــــــ‬
ِ‫ت‬‫أن‬:‫أ‬‫سي‬ُ‫ر‬ْ‫د‬
ُ
‫أ‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ـــــــ‬
‫األمــر‬
IMPE
RATIVE

10. ٣/‫المتعدي‬ ‫الفعل‬ ‫و‬ ‫الالزم‬ ‫الفعل‬Intransitive & Transitive
- The verb with respect to its object can fall into two categories: transitive and intransitive:
The transitive verb ‫المتعدي‬ ‫الفعل‬ requires a direct object to complement the meaning of the
sentence by answering the question ¨What ‫ماذا‬ ¨ as in:
What do you study ? ُ‫س‬ُ‫ر‬ْ‫د‬َ‫ت‬ ‫ماذا‬‫؟‬ → I study history ُ‫س‬ُ‫ْر‬‫د‬َ‫أ‬َ‫خ‬‫التاري‬ .
While the intransitive verb ‫الالزم‬ ‫الفعل‬ does not need a direct object and so the question with
¨What ‫ماذا‬ ¨ doesn’t take place as in:
¨ I sleep at ten o’clock ُ‫م‬‫نا‬َ‫أ‬ِ‫ة‬‫العاشر‬ ِ‫ة‬‫الساع‬ ‫في‬ .
- Arabic verbs don’t have indirect object and so any preposition used with a verb is analyzed
separately with the noun following it as a prepositional phrase out of the verb.
- Some transitive verbs require one objective as is the example above, others require two
objects and very few require three.
Example with a verb requiring 2 objects:
” I gave the student a pen .”ُ‫أعطيت‬َ‫الطالب‬‫قلما‬
Example of 3 objects: ”
I have informed the students that the exam is easy ُ‫أخبرت‬َ‫الطالب‬َ‫اإلمتحان‬‫سهال‬ ”.
- The object of the verb is in accusative case (please refer to¨Arabic 1 Basics on nouns¨ slides).
* The following is a chart with examples of intransitive and transitive verbs :

12. ٤/‫للمجهول‬ ‫المبني‬ ‫و‬ ‫للمعلوم‬ ‫المبني‬
Active verb & Passive verb
The active verb ‫للمعلوم‬ ‫المبني‬ ‫الفعل‬ is the verb that has a subject ‫فاعل‬ ¨a doer¨ known, identified in
the sentence as a seen subject ‫ظاهر‬ ‫فاعل‬ or hidden, estimated ‫مستتر‬ ‫فاعل‬
The passive verb ‫للمجهول‬ ‫المبني‬ ‫الفعل‬ is the verb that its subject is unknown or intentionally not
identified and so replaced by a ¨ deputy representing the subject ¨ called ‫الفاعل‬ ‫نائب‬ .
To make active verbs passive ones, set changes of the vowelling of the active verbs are to be
respected in regard to the forms of the verbs and the tenses. The change in the past is characterised
mainly by Damma on the first syllable and Kasra in the mid, and in the present by Damma on the first
as well and FatHa in the mid. Example:
* The following chart illustrates the verbs forms in both active & passive, past and present:
Active past Passive past
َ‫الباب‬ ُ‫األستاذ‬ َ‫ح‬َ‫ت‬َ‫ف‬The teacher opened the door ُ‫الباب‬ َ‫ح‬‫ـ‬ِ‫ت‬‫ـ‬ُ‫ف‬The door was opened
Active present Passive present
َ‫الباب‬ ُ‫األستاذ‬ ُ‫َح‬‫ت‬ْ‫َف‬‫ي‬The teacher opens the door ُ‫الباب‬ ُ‫َح‬‫ت‬ْ‫ف‬ُ‫ي‬The door is opened (habitually)

13. ‫المضارع‬Present – Imperfect ‫الماضي‬Past – Perfect
‫المعلوم‬Active‫المجهول‬Passive ‫المعلوم‬Active‫المجهول‬Passive
ُ‫ـل‬َ‫ع‬‫ـفـ‬ُ‫ي‬ ُ‫ـعــل‬ْ‫َـف‬‫ي‬ I‫ف‬ َ‫ل‬‫ـعــ‬َ‫ف‬‫ـ‬ُ‫ـ‬َ‫ل‬‫ـــ‬ِ‫ع‬
ُ‫ـل‬َّ‫ـع‬َ‫ف‬‫ـ‬ُ‫ي‬ ُ‫ـل‬ِّ‫ع‬‫ـ‬َ‫ف‬ُ‫ـ‬‫ي‬ IIَ‫ل‬‫ــ‬ِّ‫ع‬‫ــ‬ُ‫ف‬ َ‫ل‬‫ـ‬َّ‫ـع‬َ‫ف‬
ُ‫ل‬ِ‫ع‬‫فا‬ُ‫ي‬ُ‫ل‬َ‫فاع‬ُ‫ي‬ IIIَ‫ل‬‫ـ‬ِ‫ع‬‫ـو‬ُ‫ف‬ َ‫ل‬َ‫فاع‬
ُ‫ـل‬َ‫ع‬ْ‫ف‬‫ـ‬ُ‫ي‬ ُ‫ـل‬ِ‫ع‬‫ـ‬ْ‫ـف‬ُ‫ي‬ VIَ‫ل‬‫ــ‬ِ‫ع‬‫ــ‬ْ‫ف‬
ُ
‫أ‬ َ‫ل‬َ‫ع‬‫ـ‬ْ‫ف‬َ‫أ‬
ُ‫ل‬‫ـ‬َّ‫ـع‬َ‫ف‬َ‫ت‬َ‫ي‬ُ‫ـل‬َّ‫ع‬َ‫ف‬‫َـ‬‫ت‬ُ‫ي‬ Vَ‫ل‬‫ـ‬ِّ‫ع‬‫ـ‬ُ‫ف‬ُ‫ـ‬‫ت‬ َ‫ل‬َّ‫ع‬َ‫ف‬‫ـ‬َ‫ت‬
ُ‫ل‬َ‫َفاع‬‫ت‬‫َـ‬‫ي‬ُ‫ل‬َ‫َفاع‬‫ت‬ُ‫ي‬ IVَ‫ل‬‫ـ‬ِ‫ع‬‫ـو‬ُ‫ف‬ُ‫ـ‬‫ت‬ َ‫ل‬َ‫ـفاع‬َ‫ت‬
ُ‫ل‬ِ‫ع‬‫ـ‬َ‫ف‬ْ‫ـ‬‫َن‬‫ـ‬‫ي‬ُ‫ل‬َ‫ع‬‫ـ‬َ‫ف‬‫ـ‬ْ‫ن‬ُ‫ـ‬‫ي‬ IIVَ‫ل‬َ‫ع‬َ‫ف‬‫ـ‬ْ‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬َ‫ل‬‫ــ‬ِ‫ع‬‫ـ‬ُ‫ف‬‫ـ‬ْ‫ن‬
ُ
‫أ‬
ُ‫ل‬ِ‫ع‬‫َـ‬‫ت‬‫ـ‬ْ‫َـف‬‫ي‬ُ‫ل‬َ‫ع‬‫َـ‬‫ت‬‫ـ‬ْ‫ـف‬ُ‫ي‬ IIIVَ‫ل‬َ‫ع‬َ‫ت‬‫ـ‬ْ‫ف‬ِ‫إ‬َ‫ل‬‫ــ‬ِ‫ع‬‫ـ‬ُ‫ت‬‫ـ‬ْ‫ف‬
ُ
‫أ‬
ُ‫ل‬َ‫ع‬ْ‫ف‬َ‫ت‬ ْ‫ـس‬ُ‫ي‬ ُ‫ل‬ِ‫ع‬ْ‫ف‬َ‫ت‬ ْ‫َس‬‫ـ‬‫ي‬ Xَ‫ل‬َ‫ع‬ْ‫ف‬َ‫ت‬ ْ‫س‬ِ‫إ‬َ‫ل‬‫ـ‬ِ‫ع‬ْ‫ف‬ُ‫ت‬ ْ‫س‬
ُ
‫أ‬

14. ٥/‫المعتل‬ ‫الفعل‬ ‫و‬ ‫الصحيح‬ ‫الفعل‬
Regular & Irregular verb
The term ¨Regular / Irregular¨ is used in Arabic as foreign langauge to simplify for the learner
the classification of the verb with respect to its radicals ¨root-letters¨ being strong or weak, as
the term ¨regular, irregular¨ is quite common in learning languages and can help to assimilate
the idea as first step.
Weak letters with regards to the verb are three: ‫ا‬(‫ى‬)–‫و‬–‫ي‬ .
When one of the three radicals ¨root-letters¨ (‫فـعل‬)‫ف‬–‫ع‬–‫ل‬: is a weak letter in stripped
verb like ِ‫س‬َ‫ن‬َ‫ي‬،َ‫و‬‫ق‬ ، َ‫ف‬َ‫ق‬‫ا‬َ‫ل‬ and in increased verbs (the derived ones) like ‫ف‬َ‫ت‬ْ‫س‬ِ‫إ‬‫ا‬َ‫د‬‫ْط‬‫ع‬َ‫أ‬ ،‫ى‬ , the verb
is seen then as ¨Irregular¨ ّ‫ل‬َ‫ـتـ‬ْ‫ع‬‫ـ‬ُ‫م‬ (weak verb).
When none of these radicals is a weak letter, the verb is ¨Regular¨ ‫ـحـيـح‬َ‫ص‬ (strong / healthy
verb) such as َ‫ر‬َ‫ف‬‫سا‬ ، َ‫م‬‫ل‬َ‫ك‬َ‫ت‬ ، َ‫س‬َ‫ر‬َ‫د‬ .
The regular verbs ‫الصحيحة‬ ‫األفعال‬ (no weak letter in the radicals, root-letters) are of three
types, and the irregular verbs ‫المعتلة‬ ‫األفعال‬ (with one weak letter or more in the radicals, root-
letters) are of five types.
The following two charts illustrate these categories with examples :

17. ‫النهاية‬
‫تحياتي‬
www.alif-zaim.blogspot.com
‫النهاية‬
‫تحياتي‬
‫الزعيم‬ ‫محمد‬