Most Arabic words grow from a root of three consonants that carries a core meaning. A verb form is a fixed pattern laid over the root, and each pattern nudges the meaning in a predictable direction. Once you know the patterns, you can often guess what a new verb means and how it conjugates.
Roots
The root k-t-b is about writing:
- كتبkatabhe wrote
- كتابkitaabbook
- مكتبmaktaboffice, desk
- مكتوبmaktuubwritten
The forms Egyptian uses most
Grammarians number the patterns with Roman numerals and use f-3-l as a placeholder root.
| Form | Pattern | Present | Typical meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | fa3al / fi3il | yif3al | the basic meaning | katab (write), shirib (drink) |
| II | fa33al | yifa33al | make someone do it; intensive | darris (teach), ghayyar (change) |
| III | faa3il | yifaa3il | do it with/to someone | saa3id (help), 2aabil (meet) |
| V | itfa33al | yitfa33al | reflexive of II | it3allim (learn), it7arrak (move) |
| VI | itfaa3il | yitfaa3il | do it to each other | itkhaani2 (argue with each other) |
| VII | infa3al | yinfi3il | get done | inbasat (be pleased) |
| VIII | ifta3al | yifti3il | self-directed | ishtaghal (work), i7taram (respect) |
| X | istaf3al | yistaf3il | seek, consider | ista3mil (use), istanna (wait) |
Form IV (af3al) belongs mainly to Modern Standard Arabic. Egyptian usually uses Form II or I instead.
Pairs to spot
The forms make families of related verbs from one root:
- علم ← اتعلم3allim → it3allimteach → learn (II → V)
- درس ← درّسdaras → darrisstudy → teach (I → II)
- فتح ← اتفتحfata7 → itfata7open → be opened
Egyptian's it- passive
Egyptian makes passives of Form I with it-: itfata7 (was opened), itkatab (was written), itsara2 (was stolen). This replaces Form VII for many verbs.