Categories of the Verb
The verb in Arabic is divided, in terms of its tense, into three categories: the past-tense verb (al-fiʿl al-madi), the present-tense verb (al-fiʿl al-mudariʿ), and the imperative verb (fiʿl al-amr).
First: The Past-Tense Verb (Al-Fiʿl al-Madi)
kataba al-talib-u al-dars-a
— The student wrote the lesson.
hafiza al-tilmidh-u al-qasidat-a
— The pupil memorized the poem.
dhahaba Muhammad-un ila al-madrasa
— Muhammad went to the school.
kataba al-walad
— The boy wrote. (mabni on fatha)
katabat al-bint
— The girl wrote. (mabni on fatha — sukun-bearing taʾ of the feminine attached)
kataba al-dars
— They two wrote the lesson. (mabni on fatha — alif al-ithnayn attached)
katab-tu al-wajib
— I wrote the assignment. (mabni on sukun — subject-tāʾ attached)
katab-na al-risala
— We wrote the letter. (mabni on sukun — na al-faʿilin attached)
al-talibat-u katab-na
— The female students wrote. (mabni on sukun — nun al-niswa attached)
al-tullab-u katab-u
— The male students wrote. (mabni on damma — waw al-jamaʿa attached)
Second: The Present-Tense Verb (Al-Fiʿl al-Mudariʿ)
aktubu
(I write)
naktubu
(we write)
yaktubu
(he writes)
taktubu
(you / she writes)
yadrusu al-talib-u bi-jidd
— The student studies diligently.
taqraʾu al-fataa al-qissa
— The girl reads the story.
adhhabu ila al-masjid
— I go to the mosque.
nahfazu al-Qurʾan al-karim
— We memorize the Noble Quran.
yaktubu al-talib-u al-dars-a
— The student writes the lesson. (nominative)
lan yaktuba al-talib-u al-dars-a
— The student will not write the lesson. (accusative)
lam yaktub al-talib-u al-dars-a
— The student did not write the lesson. (jussive)
al-talibat-u yaktubna al-dars-a
— The female students write the lesson.
wa-llah-i la-aktubann al-dars-a
— By Allah, I shall surely write the lesson.
Third: The Imperative Verb (Fiʿl al-Amr)
uktub al-dars
— Write the lesson!
iqraʾ al-Qurʾan
— Read the Quran!
ijtahid fi ʿamal-i-ka
— Strive in your work!
uktub
— Write! (mabni on sukun)
isʿa ila al-khayr
— Strive toward goodness! (mabni on the dropping of the weak letter)
uktuba al-dars
— Write — you two — the lesson! (mabni on the dropping of the nun)
uktubu al-dars
— Write — you all — the lesson! (mabni on the dropping of the nun)
uktubi al-dars
— Write — you (fem.) — the lesson! (mabni on the dropping of the nun)
uktubann al-dars
— Surely write the lesson! (mabni on fatha)
Categories of the Verb by Soundness and Weakness
The verb is divided, by reference to its root letters, into two main categories: al-fiʿl al-sahih (the sound verb) and al-fiʿl al-muʿtall (the weak verb).
The sound verb is divided into three types: al-salim (whole/integral), al-mahmuz (hamzated), and al-mudaʿʿaf (geminated).
- Al-salim: a verb whose root letters are free of hamza or gemination, e.g.: kataba ('he wrote'), jalasa ('he sat'), shariba ('he drank').
- Al-mahmuz: a verb one of whose root letters is a hamza, e.g.: akala ('he ate'), saʾala ('he asked'), qaraʾa ('he read').
- Al-mudaʿʿaf: a verb that contains two letters of the same kind, e.g.: madda ('he extended'), shadda ('he tightened'), farra ('he fled').
The weak verb is divided into four types: al-mithal (analogous), al-ajwaf (hollow), al-naqis (defective), and al-lafif (compound-weak).
- Al-mithal: one whose first root letter is a weak letter, e.g., waʿada ('he promised'), yasara ('it became easy').
- Al-ajwaf: one whose middle root letter is a weak letter, e.g., qala ('he said'), baʿa ('he sold').
- Al-naqis: one whose last root letter is a weak letter, e.g., daʿa ('he called'), rama ('he threw').
- Al-lafif: one in which two of the root letters are weak. It is divided into al-lafif al-maqrun (when the two weak letters are adjacent), e.g., tawa ('he folded'); and al-lafif al-mafruq (when they are separated by a sound consonant), e.g., wafa ('he fulfilled').
Categories of the Verb by Bareness and Augmentation
The verb is divided, by the count of its letters, into mujarrad (bare) and mazid (augmented).
kataba
(he wrote)
jalasa
(he sat)
dahraja
(he rolled)
baʿthara
(he scattered)
kataba, iktataba
(he wrote / he had written)
ʿalima, taʿallama
(he knew / he learned)
kharaja, istakhraja
(he went out / he extracted)
Categories of the Verb by Intransitivity and Transitivity
jalasa al-talib
— The student sat.
nama al-tifl
— The child slept.
fariha al-muʾmin
— The believer rejoiced.
kataba al-talib-u al-dars-a
— The student wrote the lesson.
aʿta al-muʿallim-u al-tilmidh-a kitaban
— The teacher gave the pupil a book.
aʿlama al-mudir-u al-tullab-a al-natijat-a sahihatan
— The director informed the students that the result was correct.
What is the difference between an intransitive and a transitive verb?
The intransitive verb indicates a meaning that is confined to the subject and does not pass to anything else; the transitive verb indicates a meaning that passes from the subject to something else — namely the direct object.
Categories of the Verb by Active and Passive Voice
kataba al-talib-u al-dars-a
— The student wrote the lesson.
fataha al-fatih-u al-madinat-a
— The conqueror conquered the city.
kutiba al-dars
— The lesson was written.
futihat al-madina
— The city was conquered.
kataba, kutiba
(he wrote / it was written)
fahima, fuhima
(he understood / it was understood)
yaktubu, yuktabu
(he writes / it is written)
yafhamu, yufhamu
(he understands / it is understood)
Categories of the Verb by Inflexibility and Flexibility
laysa
(is not)
ʿasa
(perhaps)
niʿma
(how excellent)
biʾsa
(how wretched)
The flexible verb is of two types: completely flexible (tamm al-tasarruf), from which all three tenses (past, present, and imperative) are derived, e.g., kataba — yaktubu — uktub. And partially flexible (naqis al-tasarruf), from which only the past and present are derived (no imperative), e.g., kada — yakadu.
| Category | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Completely flexible (tamm al-tasarruf) | Past, present, and imperative all derive from it | kataba, yaktubu, uktubكَتَبَ، يَكْتُبُ، اكْتُبْ |
| Partially flexible (naqis al-tasarruf) | Only past and present derive from it | kada, yakaduكَادَ، يَكَادُ |
| Inflexible (jamid) | Retains a single form | laysa, ʿasa, niʿma, biʾsaلَيْسَ، عَسَى، نِعْمَ، بِئْسَ |