Iʿrab of the Present-Tense Verb
The present-tense verb is the only verb that is muʿrab (declinable) among the verbs — its ending changes according to the operators that enter upon it. It has three iʿrab states: nominative (rafʿ), accusative (nasb), and jussive (jazm).
First: Putting the Present-Tense Verb in the Nominative
Markers of the Nominative for the Present-Tense Verb
- Manifest damma: when ending in a sound consonant, e.g., yaktubu, yadrusu.
- Estimated damma: when ending in a weak letter (alif, waw, or yaʾ), e.g., yasʿa, yadʿu, yaqdi.
- Retention of the nun: in the Five Verbs (the present tense joined to alif al-ithnayn, waw al-jamaʿa, or yaʾ al-mukhataba), e.g., yaktubani, yaktubuna, taktubina.
yajtahidu al-talib-u fi durus-i-hi
— The student strives in his lessons.
yasʿa al-muʾmin-u ila al-khayr
— The believer strives toward goodness.
yadʿu al-waʿiz-u ila Allah
— The preacher calls to Allah.
yaqdi al-qadi-i bi-l-haqq
— The judge rules with truth.
al-talibani yaktubani al-dars
— The two students write the lesson.
al-tullab-u yaktubuna al-dars
— The students write the lesson.
anti taktubina al-dars
— You (fem.) write the lesson.
Second: Putting the Present-Tense Verb in the Accusative
Particles That Put the Present-Tense Verb in the Accusative
yasurr-u-ni an tanjaha
— It pleases me that you should succeed.
uhibb-u an aqraʾ-a al-Qurʾan
— I love to read the Quran.
lan ataʾakhkhar-a ʿan al-hudur
— I will never be late for attendance.
lan yafuz-a al-kasul
— The lazy one will never win.
ijtahid kay tanjah-a
— Strive in order to succeed.
udrus kay tatafawwaq-a
— Study in order to excel.
jiʾtu li-ataʿallam-a
— I came in order to learn.
dhahab-tu ila al-masjid li-usalliy-a
— I went to the mosque in order to pray.
ijtahid hatta tanjah-a
— Strive until you succeed.
sir-tu hatta ablugh-a al-madina
— I walked until I reached the city.
ijtahid fa-tanjah-a
— Strive — so that you may succeed.
la taksal fa-tandam-a
— Do not be lazy — lest you regret.
hal tazur-u-na fa-nukrim-a-ka?
— Will you visit us so that we may honor you?
la tanha ʿan khuluqin wa-taʾtiy-a mithl-a-hu
— Do not forbid a trait while doing the like of it.
la taʾkul al-samak-a wa-tashrab-a al-laban
— Do not eat fish while drinking milk.
ma kana Allah-u li-yuʿadhdhib-a-hum
— Allah was not to punish them.
lam yakun al-muʾmin-u li-yakdhib-a
— The believer would never lie.
(sa-azur-u-ka ghadan) idhan ukrim-a-ka
— ('I will visit you tomorrow.') — Then I shall honor you.
(sa-ajtahid) idhan tanjah-a
— ('I will strive.') — Then you shall succeed.
Markers of the Accusative for the Present-Tense Verb
- Manifest fatha: if ending in a sound consonant or in a weak waw or yaʾ, e.g., lan yaktub-a, lan yadʿuw-a, lan yaqdiy-a.
- Estimated fatha: if ending in alif, e.g., lan yasʿa.
- Dropping of the nun: if it is one of the Five Verbs, e.g., lan yaktub-a, lan yaktub-u, lan taktub-i.
lan yuhmil-a al-talib-u wajib-a-hu
— The student will not neglect his assignment.
lan yasʿa al-kasul ila al-majd
— The lazy one will never strive toward glory.
lan yadʿuw-a al-muʾmin illa Allah
— The believer will never call upon any but Allah.
lan yaqdiy-a al-zalim bi-l-ʿadl
— The unjust will never rule with justice.
al-talibani lan yataʾakhkhara
— The two students will not be late.
al-tullab-u lan yataʾakhkharu
— The students will not be late.
anti lan tataʾakhkhari
— You (fem.) will not be late.
Third: Putting the Present-Tense Verb in the Jussive
First: Particles Governing a Single Verb
- Lam: a particle of negation, jussive-governance, and tense-shift; it negates the action in the past.
- Lamma: a particle of negation, jussive-governance, and tense-shift; it negates the action in the past while extending the negation up to the moment of speaking.
- Lam al-amr (the imperative lam): a kasra-bearing lam indicating a request.
- La al-nahiya (the prohibitive 'la'): a particle of prohibition and jussive-governance, indicating a request to refrain from an action.
lam yahdur al-talib
— The student did not attend.
lamma yaʾti al-muʿallim
— The teacher has not yet come.
li-yajtahid kull-u talib
— Let every student strive.
la tuhmil wajib-a-ka
— Do not neglect your assignment.
Second: Particles Governing Two Verbs
| Particle | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| in(if) | Particle | For a future condition |
| man(whoever) | Noun | For rational beings |
| ma(whatever) | Noun | For non-rational entities |
| mahma(however) | Noun | For non-rational entities |
| mata(whenever) | Noun | For time |
| ayyana(at whatever time) | Noun | For time |
| ayna(wherever) | Noun | For place |
| anna(however/wherever) | Noun | For place |
| haythuma(wherever) | Noun | For place |
| kayfama(however) | Noun | For state |
| ayyu(whichever) | Noun | Per what it is annexed to |
in tajtahid tanjah
— If you strive, you will succeed.
man yazraʿ yahsud
— Whoever sows reaps.
ma tafʿal min khayrin tajid-hu
— Whatever good you do, you will find it [waiting].
mahma tukhfi yaʿlam-hu Allah
— Whatever you conceal, Allah knows it.
mata taʾtina tajidna
— Whenever you come to us, you will find us.
aynama tadhhab adhhab maʿa-ka
— Wherever you go, I shall go with you.
kayfama takun yakun qarin-u-ka
— However you are, your companion will be.
ayya kitabin taqraʾ tastafid min-hu
— Whichever book you read, you will benefit from it.
Markers of the Jussive for the Present-Tense Verb
- Sukun: if ending in a sound consonant, e.g., lam yaktub.
- Dropping of the weak letter: if ending in alif, waw, or yaʾ, e.g., lam yasʿ, lam yadʿu, lam yaqdi.
- Dropping of the nun: if it is one of the Five Verbs, e.g., lam yaktuba, lam yaktubu, lam taktubi.
lam yuhmil al-talib-u wajib-a-hu
— The student did not neglect his assignment.
lam yasʿ al-kasul ila al-majd
— The lazy one did not strive toward glory.
lam yadʿu al-muʾmin illa Allah
— The believer did not call upon any but Allah.
lam yaqdi al-qadi bi-l-zulm
— The judge did not rule with injustice.
al-talibani lam yataʾakhkhara
— The two students were not late.
al-tullab-u lam yataʾakhkharu
— The students were not late.
anti lam tataʾakhkhari
— You (fem.) were not late.
The Response of the Condition (Jawab al-Shart) and Its Connection to Faʾ
in tajtahid fa-anta najih
— If you strive, you are a successful one. (nominal clause)
in najahta fa-jtahid fi al-shukr
— If you have succeeded, then strive in giving thanks. (request)
man kasila fa-niʿma ma yastahiqq
— Whoever was lazy — how excellent is what he deserves [ironic]. (inflexible verb)
in asaʾta fa-ma anta bi-muhsin
— If you have done wrong, you are no doer of good. (preceded by ma)
in tajtahid fa-qad fuzta
— If you strive, you have already won. (preceded by qad)
in taksal fa-lan tanjaha
— If you are lazy, you will never succeed. (preceded by lan)
in tadrus fa-sa-tafuzu
— If you study, you will win. (preceded by sa-)
Why must jawab al-shart be connected to faʾ in these cases?
Because in these cases the response of the condition could not naturally serve as a condition. Therefore the link of recompense between it and the conditional verb is established only via the faʾ, which conveys causation and sequence.
Iʿrab Table for the Present-Tense Verb
| State | Reason | Iʿrab Marker | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative (rafʿ) | Free of nasb- and jazm-governors | Manifest or estimated damma; retention of the nun in the Five Verbs | yaktubu, yasʿa, yaktubunaيَكْتُبُ، يَسْعَى، يَكْتُبُونَ |
| Accusative (nasb) | Preceded by a nasb-governor | Manifest or estimated fatha; dropping of the nun in the Five Verbs | lan yaktuba, lan yasʿa, lan yaktubuلنْ يَكْتُبَ، لنْ يَسْعَى، لنْ يَكْتُبُوا |
| Jussive (jazm) | Preceded by a jazm-governor | Sukun; dropping of the weak letter; dropping of the nun in the Five Verbs | lam yaktub, lam yasʿ, lam yaktubuلمْ يَكْتُبْ، لمْ يَسْعَ، لمْ يَكْتُبُوا |
al-talibat-u yaktubna al-dars
— The female students write the lesson. (mabni on sukun)
wa-llah-i la-ajtahidann
— By Allah, I shall surely strive. (mabni on fatha)
Allah Most High said: "And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way." — Quran 17:32 (Sahih International)
In His saying 'la taqrabu' (لا تَقْرَبُوا), 'taqrabu' is a present-tense verb in the jussive by 'la al-nahiya', its sign of jazm being the dropping of the nun (because it is one of the Five Verbs). Waw al-jamaʿa is the subject (faʿil).