Appendix:Arabic verbs

Derived stems
Arabic verbs are noted for an unusual system of derivation. From any particular root various verb stems 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 root. Accordingly, form I would be, form II would be , 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 the citation forms, which in Arabic means the 3rd-person masculine singular perfect (e.g., “he did”, “he wrote”).

Form I
Perfective, , , imperfective , , , active participle , passive participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg) , ,

This is the simplest basic form of a verb; it gives the general idea of its root. Most verbs are triliteral, but there are a few quadriliteral ones.



When the middle vowel of the perfective is a, the middle vowel of the imperfective may be a, i, or u. When the perfective vowel is i, the imperfective vowel is usually a; when the perfective vowel is u, the imperfective vowel is also u.



Form II
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun generally , in weak verbs necessarily and final-hamzated verbs facultatively , with geminate verbs sometimes , in rare historical cases a verbal noun exists, active participle , passive participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)

This stem is formed by doubling the second radical. The meaning this form imparts is intensive, causative, or declarative.

It is frequently used as a denominative formation to convert nouns or adjectives into verbs.
 * , from



Form III
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun or:  active participle , passive participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)

This stem is formed by lengthening the vowel after the first radical. 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. The indirect object of form I is the direct object of form III. Thus, the object of the preposition in  becomes the direct object of the verb in.



Form IV
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun , active participle , passive participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)

This stem is formed by prefixing and dropping the vowel of the first radical. In the imperfect, the disappears and the regular imperfect prefix takes the vowel u, and the characteristic is i:. The meaning this form imparts is usually causative.

Sometimes it has a declarative meaning: to say that someone has a certain quality.
 * — from

Occasionally Form IV is derived from a noun and has an intransitive meaning:
 * — from



Form V
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun or , active participle , passive participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)

This stem is formed by prefixing to form II. The meaning this form imparts is the reflexive or passive of form II. Out of the reflexive also arises the effective. This differs from the passive in that the latter indicates that the person is the object of, or experiences the effect of, the action of a another; whereas the effective 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 be instead of  and assimilates then to alveolars. Example: instead of, present  instead of.

Form VI
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun , active participle , passive participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)

This stem is formed by prefixing to form III. The imperfect has the vowel a throughout, except for the last:, yatakātabu. The meaning this form imparts is reciprocal or one of pretence.



In pre-classical language the formant can be instead of  and assimilates then to alveolars (sun letters).

Form VII
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun , active participle , passive participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)

This stem is formed by prefixing with a prothetic vowel  where necessary (in-). The meaning this form imparts is reflexive or passive. Note: this form should not be made from roots whose first radical is &#x202D;,, , , , or , although some people do it.



Form VIII
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun , active participle , passive participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)

This stem is formed by infixing after the first radical, and with a prothetic vowel  where necessary. The meaning this form imparts is the reflexive or sometimes passive, of the first form.

When the first radical of the root is,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , or , the infixed  is completely assimilated, or assimilated in voicing or emphasis:
 * = +  – complete assimilation
 * = +  – voicing assimilation
 * = +  – emphasis assimilation; formerly assimilation of both voicing and emphasis when  was a voiced consonant



Form IX
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun , active participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)

This stem is formed by dropping the vowel of the first radical, adding a prothetic vowel 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 form ; see.



Form X
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun , active participle , passive participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)

This stem is formed by prefixing ـسْتَـ, with a prothetic vowel where necessary, and dropping the vowel of the first radical. The meaning this form imparts is to ask or think that the sense of form I should be done.



Other forms (XI-XV)
These forms were already rare in Classical Arabic, and are even more so in Modern Standard Arabic.

Form XI
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun , active participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)

This stem is formed from form IX by lengthening the vowel after the second radical. This form is very rare and it is usually used only for metrical purposes in poetry as an alternative to form IX. Some scholars suggest the XI form may have a more volatile meaning than form IX, as well as one slightly more intensive.
 * Example:



Form XII
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun , active participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)


 * Example:



Form XIII
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun , active participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)


 * Example:



Form XIV
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun , active participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)


 * Example:



Form XV
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun , active participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)


 * Example:



Form Iq
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun or: , , , active participle , passive participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)

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.


 * &rarr;



Form IIq
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun , active participle , passive participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)

This is a quadriliteral root stem, formed by prefixing to form Iq. The meaning this form imparts is the reflexive or passive of form Iq. This form is similar to form V of triliteral roots.





Form IIIq
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun , active participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)

This stem is formed by prefixing, dropping the vowel of the first radical, and adding a to and infixing  after the second radical.


 * Example:



Form IVq
Perfective, imperfective , verbal noun , active participle , imperative (2nd person, m, sg)

This stem is formed by prefixing, dropping the vowel of the first radical, and adding a to the second radical, and geminating the final radical.


 * (ṭ-m-’-n) — to be calm.



Sound verbs
Verbs are considered sound if none of the radicals is و or ي or ء, nor are the second and third radicals identical.

Hamzated verbs
Verbs are called hamzated if ء (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 of hamza, the spelling is affected in some forms, e.g. the verb (ʾ-k-l) has the form  in the imperfect masculine singular and the verb  (q-r-ʾ) has the form  in the imperfect feminine singular.

Weak verbs
TO DO Weak verbs are verbs that have one of the radicals و or ي.
 * 1)  Assimilated verbs (R1 = و or ي)
 * Form I: - "to find", imperfective.
 * 1)  Hollow verbs (R2 = و or ي)
 * Form I:  - "to say"  "she said" but قُلْتُ, قُلْتَ, قُلْتِ; imperfective  "he said",  "they (f.) say".
 * 1)  Final-weak verbs (R3 = و or ي), e.g.  - "to walk",  - "to throw",  - "to be in the good graces of, to enjoy",  - "to stay, to remain",  - "to call sb., to summon sb.".,  - "to meet sb.".
 * 1)  Final-weak verbs (R3 = و or ي), e.g.  - "to walk",  - "to throw",  - "to be in the good graces of, to enjoy",  - "to stay, to remain",  - "to call sb., to summon sb.".,  - "to meet sb.".
 * 1)  Final-weak verbs (R3 = و or ي), e.g.  - "to walk",  - "to throw",  - "to be in the good graces of, to enjoy",  - "to stay, to remain",  - "to call sb., to summon sb.".,  - "to meet sb.".

Other examples of weak verbs:
 * - "to rise"
 * - "to raise"
 * - "to follow" (assimilated and final-weak)
 * - "to become honourable"
 * - "to sing" (form II)
 * - "to cover, to wrap" (form II)
 * - "to have faith" (form IV, assimilated)
 * - "to shelter" (form IV, hollow and final-weak (and initially-hamzated))
 * - "to change" (form V)
 * - "to volunteer" (form V)
 * - "to accuse" (form VIII, root w-h-m)
 * - "to need" (form VIII)
 * - "to be doubled" (form VIII)
 * - "to import" (form X)

Quadriliteral verbs
''TO <!--The Arabic verb forms

Most Arabic words are derived from a three-letter (trilateral) root. And each trilateral Arabic root can theoretically be transformed into one of fifteen possible verb forms. (Forms 11 through 15 are very rare, so people usually just focus on forms 1 through 10, although 9 is also pretty rare). Each form has a basic meaning associated with the general meaning of the root being used. Here's a more detailed breakdown, using فعل (fa3ala, to do) as an example. (This is all taken from old handouts I got at the AUC, so it's not my original work.) Form 1 - فعل (fa3ala) Expresses the general verbal meaning of the root in question

Root	Form 1 verb خ ر ج (x-r-j) - leaving, departing	خرج (xaraja) - to leave, go out ج م ع (j-m-3) - joining, uniting	جمع (jama3a) - to gather, collect ع م ل (3-m-l) - doing, making	عمل (3amala) - to work, to do, to make ق ط ع (q-T-3) - cutting	قطع (qaTa3a) - to cut, cut off ب ع د (b-3-d) - separating, distance    	بعد (ba3ada) - to be far from

Form 2 - فعّل (fa33ala) Built on form 1 by doubling the middle radical of the form 1 verb (adding a shadda to it) Often is a causative version of the form 1 verb خرج (xaraja) means "to go out"; خرّج (xarraja) means "to make (s.o.) go out; to graduate (s.o.)"

Often an intensive version of the form 1 verb (especially if the form 1 verb is transitive) جمع (jama3a) means "to collect, gather"; جمّع (jamma3a) means "to amass, to accummulate"

Form 3 - فاعل (faa3ala) Built on form 1 by adding an alif between the first and second radicals of the form 1 verb Usually gives an associative meaning to the form 1 verb; describes someone doing the act in question to or with someone else عمل (3amala) means "to work"; عامل (3aamala) means "to treat or deal with (s.o.)"

Form 4 - أفعل (af3ala) Built on form 1 by prefixing an alif to the form 1 verb and putting a sukuun over the first radical Similar to form 2 in that it is usually a causative version of the form 1 verb خرج (xaraja) means "to go out"; خرّج (xarraja) means "to graduate (s.o.)"; أخرج (axraja) means "to expel, to evict; to produce"

Form 5 - تفعّل (tafa33ala) Built on form 2 by adding the prefix تـ to the form 2 verb Often a reflexive version of the form 2 verb خرّج (xarraja) means "to graduate (s.o.)"; تخرج (taxarraja) means "to graduate" (Note: form 5 is usually intransitive)

Sometimes an intensive version of a form 1 verb جمع (jama3a) means "to collect, gather"; تجمّع (tajamma3a) means "to congregate, to flock together"

Form 6 - تفاعل (tafaa3ala) Built on form 3 by adding the prefix تـ to the form 3 verb Usually a reflexive version of the form 3 verb عامل (3aamala) means "to treat or deal with (s.o.)"; تعامل (ta3aamala) means "to deal with each other" (Form 6 is usually intransitive)

Form 7 - انفعل (infa3ala) Built on form 1 by adding the prefix انـ to the form 1 verb Usually a reflexive and/or passive version of the form 1 verb قطع (qaTa3a) means "to cut, to cut off"; انقطع (inqaTa3a) means "to be cut off (from); to abstain (from)"

Form 8 - افتعل (ifta3ala) Built on form 1 by adding the prefix ا to the form 1 verb and placing a sukuun must be placed over its first radical Often a reflexive version of the form 1 verb جمع (jama3a) means "to collect, gather"; اجتمع (ijtama3a) means "to meet; to agree (on)"

Sometimes has a specially derived meaning relative to a form 1 verb بعد (ba3ada) means "to be far away"; ابتعد (ibta3ada) means "to avoid"

Form 9 - افعلّ (if3alla) Built on form 1 by adding the prefix ا to the form 1 verb, placing a sukuun over its first radical, and adding a shadda to the last radical Relates to colors ح م ر (H-m-r) relates to "redness"; احمرّ (iHmarra) means "to become or turn red"

Form 10 - استفعل (istaf3ala) Built on form 1 by adding the prefix استـ to the form 1 verb and inserting a ت between the first and second radicals; a sukuun must be placed over the first radical Often a considerative version of the form 1 verb; means "to -->DO'' Quadriliteral verbs are made from roots having four radicals, e.g. - "to translate";  - "to engineer";  - "to laugh loudly";  - "to be crystalized" (form IIq);  - "to press one another" (form IIIq);  - "to be calm" (form IVq).

Geminate verbs
TO DO Geminate verbs are verbs that have the second and the third radicals the same, e.g. - "to stretch";  - "to indicate";  - "to think";  - "to sue, to litigate" (form III);  - "to love" (form IV);  - "to be opposed to one another" (form VI);  - "to split" (form VII);  - "to occupy" (form VIII);  - "to demand back" (form X).